Other Surviving Works Sites Around Leeds
As well as the former Round Foundry site in Holbeck and the numerous former works sites of Hunslet there are a few other works sites scattered round Leeds.
All | Thomas Green | North Eastern | Greenbat | Thomas Smith
Thomas Smith & Son (Rodley) Ltd.
As Hunslet was a great centre for locomotive production the Rodley area of Leeds was notable for the production of cranes. The two biggest firms producing steam, diesel and electric powered cranes were Thomas Smith and Joseph Booth. There works were situated next door to each other on a narrow strip of land between Town Street Rodley and the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. A series of mergers saw the two companies become part of the Clarke Chapman Group and cranes are still made under the Wellman Booth name, the firm has however moved out of Rodley now with offices situated in Yeadon and engineering work is contracted out.
The former Booth works has been demolished and the land used for housing development but the former Smith works survives in industrial use. Railway lines can be seen in the yard next to the works. Though the works was not connected to the mainline railway system these tracks would have been used for moving the many rail mounted cranes they built around the site.
 kw.jpg)
The former Old Foundry of Thomas Smith & Son.
View of the tracks set in to the yard next to the former Smith works
Acknowledgements
This article was produced by Kris Ward, any feedback or contributions about the Leeds engine making industry would be greatly appreciated.