page_title: Low Moor Ironworks
section_title: Decline
hierarchical_section_title: Low Moor Ironworks / Decline
caption_attribution_description: English: Monument to the Low Moor Steel Works. "On the plaque next to it: "This 30.5 ton 16 inch Rolling Mill Flywheel from the former Low Moor Steel Works was donated to Bradford Council in 1982 by Mr Alan Elsworth of Messrs Elsworth and Son". It is possible that the council maybe confused as the company was called historically Low Moor Ironworks and the flywheel is more likely to be 16 foot diameter"
context_page_description: The Low Moor Ironworks was a wrought iron foundry established in 1791 in the village of Low Moor about 3 miles south of Bradford in Yorkshire, England. The works were built to exploit the high-quality iron ore and low-sulphur coal found in the area. Low Moor made wrought iron products from 1801 until 1957 for export around the world. At one time it was the largest ironworks in Yorkshire, a major complex of mines, piles of coal and ore, kilns, blast furnaces, forges and slag heaps connected by railway lines. The surrounding countryside was littered with waste, and smoke from the furnaces and machinery blackened the sky. Today Low Moor is still industrial, but the pollution has been mostly eliminated.
context_section_description: The company began to run into difficulty in the late 1880s. Its mines were increasingly scattered and expensive. The rail network had a variety of gauges and used a mix of stationary engines and locomotives. Some of the plant was obsolete and operations were generally inefficient.
  However, there was continued demand for "Best Yorkshire Iron" for applications where safety was critically important.
  In 1888 Low Moor was converted to a limited liability company, although descendants of the founders retained control.
  The directors planned two new blast furnaces at the New Works, each 70 feet (21 m) high, with capacities of 340 and 240 tons per week.
  The first came into operation in 1892. In 1905 an electrical power station was built at the New Works, with boilers fired by gas from the blast furnaces. Apart from the heaviest machines, steam drives were replaced by electrical drives. 
  The outbreak of World War I (1914–1918) caused a temporary surge in demand for shell casings and drop forgings, including shoes for the tracks of the first tanks.
  After the war it was clear that future demand for wrought iron was uncertain. The company was taken over by Robert Heath & Sons of Staffordshire, creating a new company called Robert Heath And Low Moor Ltd. Efforts were made to reduce costs, although this affected quality. 
  Attempts to use high-sulphur coal created serious problems and destroyed the reputation of the works as a supplier of high quality iron, while a slump in heavy industry in the 1920s further reduced demand. The company poured money into attempts to diversify the operations, but did not succeed. In 1928 the company was declared bankrupt, and the Low Moor assets bought by Thos. W. Ward Ltd. Many of the mines, tracks and plant were closed or dismantled. 
  Some buildings were sold or leased to other companies, and some plant was modernised. Wrought iron production finally ended in 1957. 
  As of 1971 new owners were producing alloy steel, making about 350 tons per week.
caption: Monument to the Low Moor Iron Works
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