News from Ron Hull Demolition

Hundreds of people have watched Ron Hull Demolition explosively take down two Nottinghamshire headstocks at Welbeck Colliery.

Click into the BBC Nottingham Website to see the full video or read and see a full report and videos of the demolition on the regional ITV Website  and This is Nottingham's website 

A disused Derbyshire block making plant went out with a spectacular bang when Ron Hull's expert explosive demolition men blew up the site’s largest structures . . . two 80' high silo towers.

The Forticrete works at Hillhead Quarry, Harpur Hill near Buxton, Derbyshire closed down a year ago when production of building blocks and specialist civil engineering blocks was switched to another of the company’s sites, at Liverpool.

Over the past seven weeks the 10-acre site has been levelled and cleared by a team from Rotherham-based Ron Hull Demolition. Contracts Director, David Wall, said: “The project has involved the demolition of all of the plant structures ranging from the manufacturing and warehousing buildings to the offices and weighbridge.”

“The most dramatic part of the job involved the two large silos, which were heavy duty steel structures. Given the thickness of the steel the decision was taken that the quickest and safest way of bringing them down was to use explosives.”

“I have to say they behaved absolutely beautifully. Our explosives team blew them a couple of seconds apart – and they went down exactly where it was intended they should go. It was absolutely inch perfect. Once the towers were down on the ground the cutters were able to get at them and take them to pieces safely.”

David added: “Everything from the site is being recycled in what is proving to be a particularly green operation. All the concrete and brickwork has been taken by a local haulage contractor who is using it to create a hard standing area. He is very close to site, which was a real bonus and meant that vehicle movements in the area were minimal.”

“Meanwhile the steel and other metals have been removed to our Scrap Metal Recycling and Waste Management Centre in Rotherham, where they are being processed and sorted in preparation for recycling. Absolutely everything that could be re-used was recovered. Virtually nothing went to landfill.”

“It has been an interesting job for the demolition crew. The scenery up there is amazing and it was without doubt the most picturesque location they have worked in this year . . . but it can be really chilly in those parts in the winter!”

For more information and to view this and more explosive demolition clips of see the Ron Hull Group's You Tube page and the Buxton's Forticrete Works Explosion video

Demolition Experts at Rotherham-based Ron Hull Demolition (part of the Ron Hull Group of Companies) have successfully used explosives to demolish a 100'  high coal train loading bunker on the century old Welbeck Colliery Pit Site in North Nottinghamshire.

One of the last 2 working collieries in Nottinghamshire, production at the the Colliery ceased in May and the site is now being cleared and sealed by a specialist site clearance team.

Geoff Mountain, the Colliery Manager said: "The rapid loading bunker was used to fill coal trains at high speed. It was capable of filling a train with 16 or 17 hundred tons in just two hours.

"Because of the height of the bunker and the fact that so much of the weight was in the series of hoppers in the top of the structure, it was decided that the quickest and safest way of demolishing it was to use explosives."

David Wall, Ron Hull's Demolition Contracts Director added: "It went down very gracefully and with remarkably little damage to the main structure. When the smoke cleared it was simply lying on its side. We can now get to work and dismantle it safely.

"The first phase of the demolition started in November and we have now taken down most of the buildings on the site including the main offices, which were thought to date back to the early days of the mine in 1911. The coal preparation plant, bunkers, and various ancillary buildings and workshops have also gone.

"The steelwork and metals are being removed to our recycling centre in Rotherham but all of the brickwork and stone is all being crushed on site and is to be used in the operation to fill the shafts."

The 700 metre mineshafts are set to be filled and the final stage of the site clearance will involve the removal of the mine's two headgears, which are also to be taken down by explosive demolition.

You can read more information about the blast in the Rothbiz article on the explosive takedown of Welbeck, or in the the , the Demolition Engineer's article , the Nottingham article or view the Welbeck Colliery Takedown video on the Ron Hull Group's You Tube page.

Work on the new Rotherham United stadium site got underway recently when demolition machines from local Rotherham Demolition company – Ron Hull Demolition Ltd - started the clearance of the land – scheduled to take approximately 4-5 weeks.

Ron Hull, the demolition company's chairman, said: "As a Millers fan myself, I know just how pleased everyone will be that preparation work is starting to happen on the ground."

Stuart Senior, Managing Partner of Gleeds Nottingham who project manage the scheme said: "Every project we undertake has unique aspects which make our role interesting and this one is no different. Being located in the town centre, the site is bounded by a railway line and the River Don making access to the site and public safety one of our top concerns."

Ron Hull Demolition Commercial David Wall said: "As always these days, almost everything recovered from the site will be recycled, with waste steel and other metals from the structure removed to our recycling centre in Parkgate, Rotherham, where they will be processed and sorted.

“It will be a very green operation. Absolutely everything that can be re-used will be recovered. Virtually nothing will go to landfill."

 For more information on the project see our article in Rothbiz and the Millers website

The demolition machines have moved in to begin the major site clearance and rebuilding project at the Foxhills Technology College in Scunthorpe.

More than half of the existing 1950s buildings at the school are being taken down and replaced in a multi-million pound rebuilding and refurbishment project on the site over the next year.

A specialist team from Rotherham-based Ron Hull Demolition has been brought in to execute a high speed demolition and removal of the central core of the old school before students return from the half term break.

Within hours of the demolition men swinging into action at the weekend the familiar façade of the building had all but disappeared, with the front of the building already reduced to neatly sorted piles of rubble.

Mick Bracken, Project Manager for main contractors May Gurney of Norwich, said: "The first phase of the demolition involves the main entrance to the school and what’s known as the Spine Block, which housed the staffroom and over thirty classrooms and teaching areas.

"It is a complex demolition in that the main school hall, which is just off the main entrance is not being taken down. That is to be refurbished. Meanwhile two wings on the other side the Spine Block are being left in place for the time being."

Mr. Bracken added: "The foundation work on the new structure will get underway as soon as the site is cleared."

David Wall, Demolition Commercial Director with Ron Hull Demolition, said: "We're scheduled to be out in four weeks but we're conscious of the fact that students are due back at the college in a couple of weeks. The critical objective is to get the majority of the demolition completed during half term, so that all that will remain to be done is the processing of materials and clearing up.

"It is going to be an intensive couple of weeks but we've brought in as much kit as we've got room to operate - including one brand new demolition machine that has been brought straight here from the factory."

David added: "It is going to be an ultra-green operation. Almost all the brick and rubble from the demolished buildings are to be processed on site and will be recycled and re-used in the rebuilding project."

"The good news for local residents is that we will minimise heavy vehicle movements in the area.

"The steel, iron and other metals from the structures are being removed to the our scrap metal waste management and recycling centre in Rotherham, where it will be processed and sorted before being sent on to the steelworks in Rotherham - or Scunthorpe.

"Timber recovered from the demolition is being moved on to specialist reprocessing firms."

David said: "These days absolutely everything that can be recycled is recovered. Nothing is wasted."

For more information on this demolition and rebuilding project, please see our article in www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk (and see our gallery for more pictures) or contact David Wall at Ron Hull Demolition on 01709-524115 or (mobile) 07595-781777

Ron Hull Demolition has started work on the demolition of the Starting Point block at the Rotherham College of Art & Technology (RCAT) town centre campus – to be completed in time for student enrolment in September - in preparation for a £7m new build planned to begin in November 2010.

Elaine Woodhams, Interim Principal and Chief Executive said: "This is an important first step in the college's quest to continually update and maintain first class learning facilities for Rotherham students.

 David Wall, Commercial Director of Ron Hull Demolition added: "The redundant structure is a 1960s reinforced concrete and brick two-storey building.  Demolition work is scheduled to take seven weeks, by which time the site will be cleared, with all of the materials removed for recycling.

 He Continued ….. "From our point of view, the project is pretty straightforward.  There is a live gas main on the site and the building is linked to another structure that is not being demolished, but our teams have extensive experience of dealing with these things.

 "The site is in the centre of town and close to shops and the market.  We would assure traders and local people that we will be doing everything we can to keep disruption to an absolute minimum."

For more information on the new RCAT building proposals see:  http://www.rothbiz.co.uk/2010/08/news-1336-demolition-starts-at.html

Demolition work is now underway at the former Outokumpu steelworks site at Stocksbridge near Sheffield. Buildings on the steelworks... where production ceased two years ago... are being levelled in preparation for a multi-million pound redevelopment  of the picturesque Little Don valley location.

The site was handed over to leading demolition specialists Ron Hull Demolition last month and following the completion of preparation work specialist teams have now started taking down the former mills and workshops.   The project is expected to take around twelve weeks.

Ron Hull Operations Director Martin Wall said: “From our point of view the operation is relatively straightforward. All of the steel making machinery and equipment has now been removed from the buildings after being bought by firms around the world, so we’re dealing with empty shells.”

“The site does have important gas and electricity supplies running through, not to mention a high pressure water main, but that’s nothing we’re not used to dealing with and we are not anticipating any problems.”

“The most spectacular part of the demolition will be the removal of the 100-foot-high furnace tower. At one stage we did consider explosive demolition but because of the proximity of a railway line and buildings not scheduled for demolition we are bringing in a high reach machine to take it down traditionally.”

Martin added: “Steel making began in the valley back in the 1840s when Samuel Fox established the first works but the parts of the site where we are working do not have any historic buildings or workshops. Everything we’re taking down is fairly ordinary industrial stuff dating from the 1930s or later.”

In line with modern demolition practice, almost all the materials recovered from the site are to be recycled:

The steel, iron and other metals from the structures are being removed to the firm’s recycling centre in Rotherham, where it will be processed and sorted before being sold on, to the steelworks at Rotherham or Scunthorpe.   

Timber recovered from the demolition is being moved on to specialist reprocessing firms.    

Concrete and brick rubble is to be processed in situ and the hardcore is to be used to fill underground voids and for other ground works on the site.”

Martin said: “It is to be a very green operation. Absolutely everything that can be re-used will be recovered. Nothing will be wasted.”

Read more about this in the Rotherham Business News Articles - Ron Hull Removes Landmark Tower and Rotherham Demolition Specialists Set To Work At Steelworks

The old Maltby Sports Centre has been levelled in record time.   

A team from local demolition specialists, Ron Hull Demolition, has taken just a fortnight to bring down the High Street landmark.  Ron Hull Director Nigel Hull said: “The site was actually handed over to us just a few days after the new leisure centre was opened on February 1st and preparation work began immediately.”

“One of our specialist teams was brought in to remove asbestos from the structure and the building was also soft-stripped, which is to say all the furnishing, fixtures and fittings were taken out.”

“The main demolition phase of the operation has been very straightforward . . . it has actually taken just a couple of weeks . . . although I have to say that it was quite unusual to see a 50 ton demolition machine heading for the deep end of a swimming pool!”    “We now have another three or four weeks of work ahead of us to clear up and level the site. Once that’s done we’ll be laying new topsoil to accept grass seed. “

“The operation has attracted a lot of interest. Whilst everyone seems impressed with the new leisure centre, quite a few of the locals have told us that they have very happy memories of times spent in the pools at the old place.”

Nigel added: “Almost everything from the site is being recycled. All the steel and other metals from the structure are being removed to the Ron Hull Junior, Recycling centre in Rotherham".    “The demolition has created something of the order of 4,000 tonnes of concrete and brick rubble. That’s being processed and the hardcore is to be used in the site reconstruction.”  “It has been a very green operation. Absolutely everything that could be re-used has been recovered. Nothing is wasted.”    

“By the summer there should be nothing but memories to indicate the old sports centre was ever here.”

Read more about this in the Rotherham Advertiser Article: Demolition Men Reduce Maltby Sports Centre To Rubble

A Victorian railway bridge has finally been demolished . . . 66 years after it was attacked by the Luftwaffe . . . with a dispute still raging about the incident!

Built in 1895, the 90-ton Doughty Road Bridge in the centre of Grimsby was removed and replaced with a brand new structure in less than 48 hours.  The main Grimsby to Cleethorpes railway line and the road under the bridge had to be closed to allow the work to go ahead.

A team from Ron Hull Demolition of Rotherham were brought in by main contractor Spencer, a Humber based civil engineering company, to dismantle the historic structure. Members of the team cut the bridge into three slices that were then lifted clear by a 1000-ton mobile crane.

Ron Hull director George Brabham said: “You have to hand it to those Victorian engineers, they certainly knew how to build. Despite being hit by numerous high-sided vehicles over the years and being attacked by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War, not to mention enduring more than a century of normal wear and tear, it remained in astonishingly good nick.”

“The project involved a number of specialist teams, including Network Rail, who lifted the track for us, through to Ainscough, the crane firm, and the main contractor Spencer. At one stage in the operation there were 120 people working on the site.”    “It went very smoothly and we had the bridge out on schedule, which allowed the new bridge to be put in place and the track laid and reopened for the trains to begin running again – on time!”

Meanwhile George’s team has cleared the way for local historians to settle the big question: Was the bridge bombed in 1943 – or was it strafed?

At the request of the local authority the holed section of the bridge side was cut out and is to be preserved.    George said: “One group is absolutely certain that the holes were caused by bombing or shrapnel during an air raid, whilst the other is equally sure that the bridge was shot up, possibly by a Messerschmit that was attacking a train.”      “We found that the holes were neat, in pairs and in a line. It looked to us as if they were bullet holes, rather than the random damage that would have been caused by bombs or shrapnel. Either way it did not impact on the use of the bridge. The damage was cosmetic.”

The main structure of the bridge has now been transported to the firm’s site at Mangham Road in Rotherham where the steel will be recycled. Meanwhile other materials recovered at the site are being recycled and used in the local area.