The first train load of actual rail has emerged from the resurrected Scunthorpe steel works. Never mind talk of concerns over the production of virgin steel or reassurances over stockpiled supplies. For the rail industry, the sight of rails emerging from the long products line was all that would really make customers rest easy.
Network Rail may be the principal customer for rails from British Steel, but they’re far from the only agency worried as to where their next consignment may come from. Worry no more. Having been saved from extinction, the Scunthorpe works has just produced its first train load of rails. “Love you long form,” as the former Chinese owners may never have said.
Production proof positive
Rail has been playing a leading role in bringing in everything needed to keep the Scunthorpe works running hot. So, it’s the somewhat cooler sight of seeing finished product come out of the other end of the works, that has been cause for celebration. After a series of video releases, featuring bulk deliveries of ore feed stocks and coal fuel, British Steel has released images of finished “long products” moving to the on-site storage facility.
Network Rail was quick to calm worried brows, and stated that they have a year of rails stockpiled (as reported by RailTech.com). However, a year’s stockpile is something that runs out in twelve months. The only thing that would unfurrow those concerned faces would be a train load of rails, rolling out of the Lincolnshire works. Scunthorpe duly obliged last week.
Clear signals, mixed metaphors
The business of steel production is a constant conveyor. Expect the rail freight operators to be kept busy for the foreseeable future. “More deliveries of raw materials are being made to our iron and steel making operations in Scunthorpe,” said a statement from British Steel.“Hot on the heels of a shipment of coke into Immingham Bulk Terminal, we’ve taken a delivery of injection coal,” said an unintentionally mixed metaphor, as British Steel took a further bulk load late last week.
“Injection coals are used to reduce the purchased coke proportion in the blast furnace burden for efficiencies and cost reduction,” they explained. “These are a different type of coal to that our former coke oven plant processed (known as carbonising coal). The aged coke ovens, which were no longer financially viable, would turn millions of tonnes of carbonising coal into coke to help fuel our blast furnaces. Now, we buy coke – and much smaller volumes of coal.”
Coils and rails produced
The management says they now have secured enough raw materials to keep both blast furnaces running at Scunthorpe. They have also ended a redundancy consultation initiated by the previous management. “The work done to secure the raw materials we need for both our Queen Anne and Queen Bess blast furnaces means we are able to run both continuously,” they said. “This means the previously planned ‘Salamander Tap’ [a hot draining of residual metal] of Queen Bess will no longer go ahead and all operations at British Steel are being maintained, including Scunthorpe Rod Mill.
As well as coiled products for the automotive industry, Scunthorpe has also been rolling out a product that has made UK industry nervous. The first run of steel rails left the plant since the nationalisation (that the UK Government claims is not a nationalisation). The flat-bottom rails will be stored at Scunthorpe until needed, or transported to a facility at Eastleigh near Southampton, managed by the infrastructure agency Network Rail. The wider logistics and port sectors will also be relieved that they don’t have to look abroad for replacement crane rail either.