West Calder Cooperative Society - Opening of Bakery

type: Community > Community

Source:
West Lothian Courier
Unique Code:
A01144
Source date:
16/07/1909
Topics:
Co-operative societies

THE NEW BAKERY PREMISES.

The new bakery and electric power station of the West Calder Co-operative Society is built on as admirable site adjoining the present carriage sheds, etc., with the Caledonian Railway along the north boundary. The natural ground had a rapid slope towards the railway, and advantage was taken of this to form a basement in which is placed the electric generating plant; the view towards the Main Street shows a building two storeys high and towards the Railway one of three storeys. The entire buildings have been arranged in the most compact form and designed so as to embody all the latest ideas of an up-to-date model bakery and every endeavour has been made to combine the utmost efficiency with economy and simplicity of working, while ample accommodation is provided for all departments, including every convenience and comfort to the workers.

The bakery has a handsome front elevation, the walls being faced outside with red pressed terra-cotta bricks and Dumfriesshire red stone dressings.- The main doorway having the emblem of the Society carved overhead gives access to a spacious entrance lobby, with stone staircase leading to men's room and flour loft, and passing through an arched opening you are at once into the bakehouse, which occupies the central portion of the building. This apartment is 80 feet long overall by 45 feet wide clear of the ovens. and 15 feet high. Internally the walls are fined with enamelled brick, the upper walls white and the dado walls a French grey colour, which is very clean and attractive in appearance; the ceiling is of fireproof construction and painted white.

The bakehouse is planned so that light is obtained from each of the four walls, and special attention is given to the ventilation, a natural method being adopted with the assistance of powerful electric fans. A range of ovens is placed along one side, built and roofed entirely outside of the bakehouse, and the machinery on the opposite side leaving a large uninterrupted floor space in the centre for working with ample room for all traffic to and from the despatch room. Four draw plate ovens and one Scotch seven have been fitted, but the Committee looking forward to meet the demands of increasing trade -stipulated that space he left for two additional draw plates when required. On the upper door of the central portion is placed the flour loft being the full length and breadth of the bakehouse below, and having open timber roof with steel principals and well lighted and ventilated. The flour is lifted in sacks from the lorries and delivered into the loft by means of a powerful electrically driven hoist.

At the north end of the bakehouse is a large scullery with a complete hot water installation for washing and scalding purposes and a harm room with cooling pond, also a large confectionery store and proving preen for the pa-try department is placed convenient to the Scotch oven. The inside walls of three apartments are lined throughout with white enamelled brick. The despatch room or cooling room, with its lofty white enamelled walls and well-ventilated open timber roof, is situated at the south end of the bakehouse. This apartment measures 36 feet 24 feet. and contains all the moat modern fittings for the storing and despatch of the bread. Roller shutter doors open on to platform and covered tray where the vans are loaded. A large coke store also opens of this covered way, and has direct access inside to bakehouse. The convenience and comfort of the employees bas been met by the provision of suitable lavatory accommodation on the ground floor and a large mess room upstairs 30 feet by 12 feet 6 inches with fire place and all necessary furnishings.

POWER AND ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

The power and electric lighting plant is placed in a roomy and well-lighted basement consisting of engine room, producer room, tank room, oil store and workshop. The engine room is a spacious apartment measuring 46 feet long by 36 feet wide with tiled walls and floors. The producer room is also a large apartment, well lighted and ventilated, with a platform floor, at level of top of producers for filling same. Access is had to the basement by a fireproof door from carriage court through the producer room. A spiral stair is also provided from the engine rooms into the scullery on ground floor so that the engineman has easy access for oiling the bakery machinery.

The power plant consists of two 50 B.H.P. suction gas engines with producing plant, two 45 kilowatt compound wound dynamos with main switchboard from which current is distributed from dynamos to the various electric motors, the electric lighting of the different departments and streets. The engines sit side by side, the drilling pulleys of each being close together and driving direct up through a well in bakery floor on to fast and loose pulleys on bakery shafting. From the flywheel of each engine a dynamo is driven by belt so that whichever engine is running bakery shafting the same engine is also generating current for electric motors, in central chambers, butchers shop, sausage factory, and stables, also for electric lighting the different departments and streets besides the bakery itself. The other engine is used as a standby. As a further guard against stoppage or delay in starting, the town's gas has been taken up to each engine. The power and electric lighting plant, comprising engines, dynamos, electric-driven ventilating fans, electric lighting, etc., has been supplied and fitted by J. B. Meiklejohn, electrical engineer, 115 Bath Street, Glasgow.

Ovens and Machinery.

The Committee entrusted with the placing of this contract fully appreciated the responsibility attending their decision and they realised the necessity of having the entire plant in connection with the manufacture and distribution of the products of the bakery, absolutely the best that could be procured in order to merit the success desired. With these facts before them, they invited tenders from the leading bakery engineers and oven builders, and personally inspected a number of the recent installations at various Co-operative Bakeries.

After exhaustive enquiries. and careful consideration, the Committee decided to place the contract for the entire equipment of ovens, machinery, and fittings with Messrs T. Melvin and Sons Ltd. St. Rollox Ironworks, Glasgow, this firm having an established reputation as specialists in oven building and engineering. The installation is of the most complete and up-to-date order, and on entering the bakers a splendid range of ovens with enamelled brick fronts, at once attracts attention. This comprises of the "Melvin, Allan" patent hot air type drawplate ' each having a capacity of 40 dozen 2 lb. loaves and for the use of confectionery department, a "Melvin" Scotch peel oven. A 12 feet by 2 feet 6 inches steam hot plate, on the most improved principle. is utilized for scone and oatcake baking.

The machinery is arranged throughout the bakery in position most convenient for the various stages of manufacture. Along the main wall opposite the ovens, stands the kneading and mixing plant, including latest pattern "Lip Tilt" doughing machine, stirring machine, automatic tub lift, water gauging and tempering tank, with connection to kneader and stirrer. A dough divider, with an output of about 60 loaves per minute, occupies a space at the end of bakery table, end at the opposite end of the building is the confectionery section, with the special plant pertaining to that department, —Double action cake mixers. power whisk. end butter beater, dough brake, smallbread divider, etc. The bread carriages, tables, troughs and all fittings are of the most modern description. The drives to the various machines are transmitted by pulleys and belting from a line of 3 inch turned steel shafting, suspended from steel girders, with C.A. hangers, having improved self-oiling basins throughout. The whole of the plans and the superintendence of the work have been carried out under the guidance and control of Mr Wm. Bairns, architect, 2, West Regent Street, Glasgow.

West Lothian Courier - 16th July 1909