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Charlie Holmes
Richard Grainger Memorial
Newcastle-upon-Tyne

This is the top half of the first mould being turned over to be finished.
Not a black and white image.
The sand we now use is recycled and turns black with the heat of the molten metal. To protect this sand surface from turning to glass we have to apply a carbon/ceramic paint.
The paint is spirit based and after it is applied it is dried by igniting and burning the spirit off.
DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME
tends to make a mess of the curtains.
Details of the casting's letters can be seen and the special anti slip surface designed for safety in the pedestrian area where the castings are to be displayed as part of the walkway.
After the mould is dried it is cleaned and blown out with an air line.
It is then turned over and fitted on to the bottom half of the mould.
The metal enters the mould through the line of holes on the left at a temperature of around 1500 deg. C
When the mould is closed and sealed, we have to place weights on top to stop the mould floating and lifting on the metal when it is poured in.
4 tonne of weights are used to stop the top from lifting
Finally the first casting is poured on the 2nd December 1999
Laying of the plates in Eldon Square Newcastle
Use of a site crane is imperative as the plates weigh up to 1400 kgs each.
The plates are pre drilled and fitted with lifting eyes.
When laid the lifting eyes are unscrewed and the tapped holes are filled with studs.
The castings go together well and the general opinon is good and favourable.

Photographs by the artist Charlie Holmes
The finished plate, unfortunately with water spilt on from the sheet covering it for the opening. The orange hue is the plate oxidising and as people start to walk over it the colour will change to grey
Charlie Holmes the artist on the right and Ian the architect on the left. The plate attracted a lot of attention from passerbys. Later looking from 'Alister's'  office window the interest was spendid to watch ,with some people just glancing and walking on, others walking straight over and not noticing it at all. Others walking past and returning. The centre section provided people doing a circlular walk to read the writing around the edge.
Two couples did stop to say they liked it and how as it was positioned on the ground it was  not competing with other structural sculptures in the Grainger Town area.