COVER-PLATE OVENS.
About the same time a new type of bread baking oven was installed. The ovens in the older part of the bakery were becoming worn out, and that section of the bakery also required remodelling in order to bring it into line with the newer ideas of the twentieth century. But the ovens in the old bakery had been built on the Scotch principle, and there was not sufficient space available to permit of draw-plate ovens being installed without a reconstruction of the premises which might have proved more costly than the provision of an entirely new building. Just at this time they had submitted to them for their consideration a new type of oven which seemed specially designed to meet cases of reconstruction like theirs. This type of oven, which has come to be known as the “cover-plate oven,” had much the same features, so far as the actual baking was concerned, as had the draw-plate oven, but it differed from the latter in that, instead of requiring a large space in front of the oven to permit of the oven sole being drawn out to receive the bread before baking and to permit of its removal afterwards, it had a moveable cover, which was raised to permit of the bread being placed on and removed from the oven sole, and which was lowered to retain the heat when the unbaked bread had all been deposited on the sole. The first of these ovens was installed about the end of 1910, and so satisfactory did the trial prove that first No. 5 bakehouse and then No. 11 bakehouse were entirely remodelled and ovens of this new type installed. Before deciding finally on the adoption of the new type of oven, however, numerous experiments and tests were carried through. The Bakery engineer (Mr Scott), the chief foreman baker (Mr Richard), and the master of works (Mr Davidson) were all requested to submit reports. These reports were eminently satisfactory, particularly that of Mr Richard, who reported on the saving in fuel and wages which was effected by the new oven.
At the time when the directors decided to install the first set of six of the new pattern ovens, they also decided to install one complete set of automatic baking machinery, manufactured by the same firm of baking machinery manufacturers, the estimated cost of six ovens and machinery being £4,000. This automatic machinery has proved so effective in the various processes of dough making and bread moulding that less than half the number of bakers are required to perform the work where it is installed as are required where it is absent. As indicated above, so effective did the combination of new ovens and new plant prove that in little more than a year after the first £4,000 had been spent on the installation it was decided to extend it at an additional cost of £7,000. Since then, additions have been made which bring the total number of this type of oven to twenty.
At the same time as this improvement in their baking plant was decided on, the committee also decided on extensive alterations in connection with the oatcake factory. These included the removal of the hot-plates from their former situation to the flat immediately above the biscuit factory, at a cost, including structural alterations, of over £2,000.