Soho Foundry, Liverpool

of Cranmer Street, Liverpool

Proprietor: George Bayliff (see G. Bayliff and Sons)

• 1865 Newspaper article: 'Casting of an Immense Cylinder — On Thursday afternoon the operation of casting the largest cased cylinder ever manufactured in Lancashire, if not in the whole kingdom, took place at Mr. George Bayliff's Soho Foundry, Cranmer-street, Vauxhall-road, Liverpool. An idea may be formed of the ponderous character of this piece of machinery when we mention that its weight, when finished, will be 30 tons, and that 42 tons of iron were altogether melted. The dimensions of the cylinder are — Bore, 94in.; stroke, 4 ft. 6in.; square over all, 11 ft. by 10 ft. 6 in. The iron was placed in two large furnaces, one on each side of the workshop, and the operation of melting was proceeded with from half-past seven o'clock yesterday morning until all was ready for the casting. This would have been proceeded with at one o'clock, everything, so far as the workmen were concerned, being in readiness; but as the visitors, who were to witness the completion of the work, were not expected till three o'clock in the afternoon, the casting was delayed till that hour. At the time appointed Mr. William Laird, Mr. Henry Laird, Mr. Bevas (manager at Messrs. Laird's, Birkenhead) and several other gentlemen made their appearance, and were accommodated with excellent standing room on a raised gallery which was erected for the occasion. Everything having been prepared the boiling metal was allowed to escape into two large reservoirs, which, like the furnaces, were on either side, and the sluices having been opened the melted iron passed into the mould, and in two minutes and a half the cast was effected. A more satisfactory completion of the job could not have been obtained. There was not the least hitch, and not the slightest accident occurred. The cylinder will be lifted by hydraulic power in about a week, after which it will be finished, and conveyed to Messrs. Laird's shipbuilding-yard, where it will be erected in a transport ship in Her Majesty's service which is to be built by that eminent firm. The companion cylinder will be commenced by Mr. Bayliff immediately the one now cast is finished. As we have said, the cylinder is of that peculiar construction called "cased" cylinders, and is the largest of the kind which is known to have been made. The action is horizontal, and the workmanship is of a most complicated nature. One of the greatest peculiarities about it is that the donkey engine is cast inside the casing, and will be used for starting the engine, working the expansion valve, or any other purpose the engineer may choose to apply it to. The great power and strength of this cylinder may be imagined from the fact that it is five tons heavier than that of Her Majesty's ship Agincourt, lately constructed by Messrs. Laird for Government.— Liverpool Courier.'

• 1866 Newspaper article: 'TO IRON-FOUNDERS — To Let or lease, the Soho Foundry, Liverpool. In consequence of the proprietor leaving the town. The premises have two frontages, 267 feet in Cranmer-street and 65 feet in Stanley-road, containing ? square yards, comprising foundry 150 feet by 43 feet and 24 feet, with three drying stoves, air furnace stack, engine house, smithy, with pattern rooms over, a four-stall stable, two dwelling houses, beds, &c. Part of this foundry has only been built five years, and is well adapted for the marine trade having cast cylinders 94 inches in diameter, weighing 30 tons. — For further particulars apply to George Bayliff, Soho Iron foundry, Cranmer-street Liverpool.'

• 1870 Mr. Harrison of Soho Foundry Liverpool, patented a valve for ventilating sewers. Read the full description and Illustration on page 5 of The Engineer 1870/07/01.

• The operation moved to the Wirral Foundry

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