Accrington Brick is known for being the strongest and densest ever made. The world famous brick making machine takes pride of place in Accrington Market so here are some fascinating details about this prestigious piece of equipment.
The World Famous Brick Making Machine
The scaled-down version of the 1909 Double Brick Press machine was created by the late Thurston Smith. Mr Smith of Clayton-le-Moors worked at the brickworks in the 1970s and sadly passed away in 1984 aged 76.
He did however take measurements of the original machine because it was the last factory in the area using it to produce bricks. He spent thousands of hours making the working replica between 1978 and 1980. The bricks were also used as a platform for his model steam engines which are stationed at Oswaldtwistle Mills.
After the factory’s closure, owners Hanson Building Products donated the machine to Hyndburn council. It is available to view in Accrington Market and only seeks to add to the history and heritage of the area.
Accrington Brick Travels the World
The historic Nori brick was produced at works next to the Whinney Hill quarry in Huncoat for around 120 years. It ceased production in 2008 but the bricks live on in homes and businesses across the globe.
The bricks have been used in the construction of some of the world’s most iconic buildings including Blackpool Tower. A significant amount of Nori bricks were also exported to America in 1931 for the foundations of the 1,453ft Empire State. At the time it was the world’s tallest building and the bricks were chosen because they were the densest and strongest in the world.
Visit Accrington Market
The world-famous brick-making machine is on display inside the market. The indoor market is open 6 days a week with full details of the opening times here. We would love to welcome you to see a piece of history!