THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN AND journal of the COAL AND !RON trades. Vol. CV. FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 1913 No. 2723. THE NEW WORKS OF MESSRS. MATHER AND PLATT LIMITED. It is always a matter for gratification to find firms of old standing that have had sufficient foresight to antici- pate the lines on which future development can be made with success, and thus to keep pace with the march of progress. The business of Mather and Platt In 1903-5 it was found desirable to remove the electrical department to Park Works, and for the accommodation of this section two more bays, each 376 ft. long and 40 ft. wide, were erected. Again, in 1910, it was decided to make further- extensions, and a commencement was made with a structure comprising seven bays of the same length as the last, but with bays 52 ft. 8 in. and 42 ft. 8 in. wide. The construction of this building is generally similar to that erected in 1901 The floors are of concrete, prepared and covered with wooden blocks, and laid in with pitch. In 1911 the building on the extreme left of the plan and general view was erected. It is a two-storey fire- proof structure, 218 ft. 6 in. long by 48 ft. 6 in, wide. The upper floor is used for administrative purposes and the lower floor has been equipped as a dining-room Fig. 1.—View of Park Works. may be taken as an example. Established early in the last century, this firm was at first chiefly concerned with the manufacture of textile machinery for bleaching, dyeing, printing, and finishing cotton goods. It was not until many years afterwards that electrical engineer- ing was taken up and subsequently developed into a very important branch. In fact the firm may be said to have been pioneers in this industry. Then they com- menced to specialise in hydraulic plant, water filtration, sewage purification, well boring, and pumping installa- tions, and were the original makers of the turbine pump. The demand for improvement in fire extinguishing apparatus next engaged the attention of Mather and Platt, and they were the first in the field with the Grinnell automatic sprinkler. With such a widespread variety of manufactures many firms would have been inclined to “ mark time.” This was, however, not to be. The steam turbine and the large gas engine both held out promises of great things, and their manufacture was forthwith taken up. In the meantime space on the old site in Salford was becoming quite exhausted, and as there was no room for extension, except in an upward direction, it was decided to secure a site on which to build new and more suitable works. A splendid site of 50 acres was secured at Newton Heath, adjoining the Lancashire and York- shire, Midland and North-Western Railway systems, and in 1901 building operations were commenced. The portion in the centre of the main block in the general view and plan (figs. 1 and 2) was erected in that year, and comprised an administrative building of two storeys and a machine shop. The latter is 376 ft. long and has a width of 130 ft. in foui- bays. It is built of iron and steel stanchions with T-iron stays and supports for the roof, and was the original Machinery Hall of the Paris Exhibition of 1900. It is used for the fire engineering section of the firm’s business, and includes the manu- facture of the Grinnell automatic sprinkler, cast iron fittings, pumps, valves, tanks and other fire appliances, while the pipe shop occupies two of the bays. The administrative block is a building erected some- what on American lines, The outer walls are of brick- work ; although non-fireproof, it is of slow-burning con- struction, with flooring consisting of wooden joists placed close together on edge, and with a covering of maple to give a smooth surface. The main offices are open from end to end, and only the directors and managers are provided with separate rooms. BRASS & IRON FOUNDRY Fig. 2.—Plan of Park Works. co <. o BOILER HOUSE GRO. FLOOR Tin shop, PLATING