LUSTY tales of old-time boiler making are related by the former boss of a Cowling engineering firm in his latest book.

Alan McEwen reveals stories from his days as the youngest member of Carrot Crampthorne’s Squad working in Lancashire mill towns during the 1960s.

His book, Rivet Lad, is said to reveal the exciting exploits of a “hard-as-nails, ale-supping, chain-smoking” gang of larger-than-life characters.

Readers will meet Rueben Ramsbottom, Teddy Tulip and Paddy O’Boyle as they gain an insight into a long-gone working-class world.

A spokesman said: “The larger-than-life characters, not least Alan himself, are to a man throwbacks to times gone by when British industry was the envy of the world.

“In his own inimitable style Alan takes the reader back to the exciting days of the 1960s.

“The squad worked in heavy structural repairs on Lancashire and Cornish boilers, a Cochrane vertical boiler, a stationary locomotive boiler, and a huge steam accumulator converted from a Lancashire boiler.”

In 13 chapters Alan relates jobs that the squad carried out at Bediah Blackroots Owl Gob Mill, Samuel McGrew’s Grasshopper Brewery, and Cranberry Sawmills.

Retired master boilermaker Alan has published several books through Cowling-based Sledgehammer Engineering Press.

He is a retired master boilermaker and former managing director and chief engineer of Cowling-based industrial boiler engineers HA McEwen (Boiler Repairs) Ltd.

Alan has written seven books in all, including Historic Steam Boiler Explosions, Jaggermen’s Bridges on Packhorse Trails, and Fred Dibnah’s Chimney Drops.

Allan is currently in the throes of research and writing a book to be titled the Steam Crane Makers of Northern England.

Rivet Lad, which is 183 pages long and has with 145 photographs, costs £35 plus £3 postage and packing.

Each of the other boxes for £16.95 from World From Rough Stones House, Farling Top, Cowling, BD22 0NW, or by emailing lankyboilermaker@btconnect.com or calling 01535 637153.

Fred Dibhan’s Chimney Drops sees Alan relating stories of his long-time friend, the famous chimney demolition expert, over 200 pages.

One reviewer said Alan had passionately and vividly chronicled 28 of Fred's amazing and often exceedingly-dangerous chimney drops.

Historic Steam Boiler Explosions saw Alan delving into the archives to find newspaper reports of mostly 19th century accidents.

He relates tales of lives lost and dreadful injuries sustained along the treacherous road to the development of ‘safe’ steam boilers.

One reviewer said: “The telling of these stories, with appropriate analysis of cause, forms the bulk of the text, but there are also pages of extremely interesting facts, figures and simple physics.

“The development of the design of boilers from earliest times, the gradual realisation of the potential forces contained within these great metal 'pots' and the evolution of safety measures are covered in satisfying detail. The whole is extremely readable and the subject truly fascinating.”