ARTEFACTS

A gallery of artefacts that have been found on both the original Keer Marsh and later Keer Sands slag banks.

This shorter section was found near the race track.

Lengths of bullhead rail are commonplace around both sites. Above is the longest yet, and was found close to the mouth of the Keer.

The section is 5" high, equivalent to a 90lb per yard weight, a common section for the standard gauge lines around the works and to the slag bank.

Round slag blocks are widespread over the entire site. Closer scrutiny will reveal significant differences between them. Given the timespan over which they were dumped and the rapid pace of change to process and equipment, one should expect to see variations in shape, size, and composition. Surprisingly, those blocks already engulfed by the sea exhibit smooth exteriors and those two on the left have an unusual pattern of parallel grooves (on the base). They measure about 4ft. in diameter.

I have referenced these circular iron or steel discs on the Mystery Items page. I have featured one here just to try and give some perspective to their size.

That's my On One Fatty Trail (Fat Bike), ideal transport for a few hours beachcombing.

Below, possibly a track spike, bolt, rivet or pin.

Part Chair

Full Chair.

Chairs secure the rail to the sleeper. These are quite common. They sustained breakages from time to time and likely as not the platelayers would toss the damaged chairs in with any slag bogie destined for the tip. These are a two hole pattern. There are the more common four hole pattern chairs marked BR nearer the existing main line railway but there was an earlier type marked Furness Railway from about 1889.

Pulled out from the slag in July 2024, and partially exposed on the shoreline amongst several other rusty iron artefacts that could not be identified. The leather nailed sole of someone's boot. Hopefully it was discarded. I'm not going back to dig the area!

A couple of bricks fused to a flat section of slag material. GLENBOIG was a successful manufacturer of refractory brickwork in Lanarkshire exporting to global customers. They specialised in products for the Iron and Steel industry. There is a considerable amount of scrap steel that is hard to identify although far right appears to be a broken fishplate for joining together rail sections.

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