AS Teesside’s steelmaking era comes to an end with the demolition of the Redcar Blast Furnace, former steelworkers have been reflecting on their time working at the plant.

For 170 years, steel from the Tees has wound its way around the globe, building bridges, railways and the foundations of empire. Iron and Steel making was so important to Teesside that Middlesbrough earned the name ‘Ironopolis’

The Northern Echo:

So to mark this historic day, The Northern Echo spoke to some of the former steelworkers about their memories of the site.

Damian Havelock started working at the steelworks in 1985 as a labourer. He would finish three decades later as production manager

“I was in steel production for 17 years and then moved on to energy distribution," he said.

“Since the sites closure in 2015, I have been site manager for the South Tees Site company.

“I really enjoyed my time there. There were many challenges from the financing to the materials and production.

“It was a fantastic place to work, in the last campaign we had there was a lot of new starters. It was great to see them grow and get more experience in that short period of time".

The Northern Echo: Picture: STUART BOULTON

Damian has a lot of memories of the place – most memorably when he famously restarted the plant in 2012, after SSI bought the troubled site from Corus.

“No one thought that was going to happen. We saw the new recruits learn the ropes. They had a lot to learn and it was great teaching the next generation.

“I have mixed feeling about it coming down. I made a career there, I made many friends and memories so I am quite sad to see it come down. However, we have to move on, hopefully we can get some green energy on Teesside and with it bring stable well-paid jobs.

The Northern Echo: The first stage of works will commence to demolish Redcar Blast Furnace as part of the transformation of the Teesworks site Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

“I don’t think any of the structure can be preserved due to the up keep and maintenance costs, its just not feasible. It’s a nice thought but it will take up land that can be used to bring new jobs. The approach they are taking now with documenting the site and keeping artifacts for a museum is probably the best way of going about it.

“It shouldn’t be forgotten though, Teesside would not be here if it wasn’t iron and steel production. We were just a tiny place before then and steelmaking put Teesside on the map. That 170 year history needs to be preserved in some way and taught to future generations.”

Another ex-steelworker Rod Lavan started working at the plant in 1977.

Mr Lavan said: “I have some great memories from over the years. Mostly of the fantastic men and women I have been lucky enough to have met. Also the humour, even at the darkest of times someone would lighten up the atmosphere with a quip or a joke.

“I will be sad to see the site demolished as it is a part of our local culture. It would be good to see the Blast furnace retained as a monument to Iron and Steelmaking but I do understand the enormous cost it will take just to make it a safe structure let alone maintaining that same structure for years to come.

The Northern Echo: Teeswork site Redcar Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

“I do however, think the Dorman Tower is saveable, the tower would also be a reminder to younger generations of not just Iron and Steel, but of Dorman Long who shaped Teesside into what it is today.

“I am proud to say there are four generations of Iron and Steel workers in my family. I was born and bred in Dormanstown, a garden village built by Dorman Long to house its workers.”