The ‘Butters’ Mould Breaking Crane

 I believe that this crane was commissioned in the 1950’s. Ingot moulds that had been made at the Dowlais Ivor Works, and sold to steelworks throughout the country, returned to Dowlais for breaking up after they had come to the end of the their useful life. After the breaking up of the moulds they would be melted down again in the cupolas and recycled into the casting of new moulds.

My father, John Rees Williams (Jack), had worked as a young man at the Morlais Quarries and was trained in the use of explosives under guidance from his own father. He furthered his knowledge of explosives during World War Two. 

Breaking of the Moulds 

The returned moulds were lowered by the ‘Butters’ crane into a pit which was deep enough to accommodate a large number of moulds below ground level (roughly 20 moulds). The moulds were then filled with water, and a length of wood was placed over the top of each mould, from which the individual charges were dangled into the water for the maximum effect of the explosive blast. This blast was sufficient to fracture and break the moulds into numerous large pieces, thereafter, a large steel ball was picked up to a great height by the electric magnet of the ‘Butters’ crane. The ball (Breaker’s ‘Bomb’) was then dropped onto the broken mould pieces to reduce them to a small enough size to be recycled in the furnace.

 Unrelated Anecdote

As an unrelated and light-hearted anecdote, I well remember as a young apprentice working with several tradesmen at the ‘Butters’ crane when along came a newly recruited engineer, who I shall refer to as ‘Captain ?’ who thought he ‘knew it all’. As a ‘teach you a lesson’ prank the tradesmen lifted the rear of his car and placed bricks under the axle so that the back driving wheels were only just above the ground. Needless to say when Captain ? started his engine and revved the guts out of it, the back wheels spun at high speed, without the car moving. Captain ? was never seen at the ‘Butters’ crane again. Ironically, one of these tradesmen (who shall remain nameless) became a highly respected engineer himself, some years later.  

Doug Williams.