The Aga-Rayburn Factory. Coalbrookdale
 Aga-Rayburn [10]
At the peak of the industrial revolution Dale Road bustled with scores of shops and businesses to cater for the workers and local industry. Today Coalbrookdale has reverted to a tranquil village.
However of the few industrial sites to remain is the the Aga/Rayburn foundry, manufacturers of the world-famous cookers and cookware. The factory is located on one of the original foundry sites of Abraham Darby I where he first smelted iron ore with coke in 1709.
Since the process of making cast iron had to be developed by Abraham Darby it started small by making pots, pipes and pumps. In 1722 they made cylinders of iron which later resulted in 1749 in their making a steam engine to drive pumps. 1767 brought about the development of cast iron rails, which had a huge significance on transportation both within the foundry and outside in the form of rail lines etc. 1779, of course, was the building of the famous Ironbridge. 1796 resulted in the first cast iron aqueduct over the River Tern. In fact you could now spend a whole day exploring cast iron aqueducts and viaducts throughout Shropshire!
 In 1795 Thomas Telford also designed and replaced the Buildwas bridge which was destroyed in the 1795 floods. 1802 opened with the first steam locomotive to run on a rail line and 1804 a steam boat was built in the works.
Coalbrookdale’s successes were proudly displayed in 1851 at the Great Exhibition. They also constructed the Hyde park gates.
1863, the Albert Edward Bridge, the second bridge of importance in Ironbridge was built, for the rail transfer of goods.
Because the Darby’s were Quakers, their policy was not to make or sell ammunitions, however it has been said that the cast iron drain pipes they manufactured did find a use in the shape of a canon from time to time.
From 1917-1918 and 1939-1944, they did make munitions, bombs, grenades and gun carriages.
1946 marked the design and development of the Rayburn cooker on the Coalbrookdale grounds. The Aga cooker is made by the foundry, but is actually of Swedish design. 1959 marked the 250th anniversary of the works and in tribute to the foundry and the workers of the area, the old foundry was renovated for the public to view.
1979 showed the need of the public for a wood burning stove as a parlour heater and thus in this year a stove was developed for the private home.
The company now has 2 units, the foundry at Coalbrookdale and a factory in Ketley, Telford, which deals more with assembly & sales. Their accomplishments over the centuries have been a valuable contribution to our daily lives and the health of those of the people who work for them. The Coalbrookdale people have worked for generations with this foundry and the company has taken good care of them, treating them more like an extended family and always improving on working conditions and taking on- line suggestions offered by staff for improvements in design or operations.
See Aga-Rayburn website at www.aga-rayburn.co.uk
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