underground factories
Nick McCamley
that is a report of a whole series of visits made by men from the Ministry
of Aircraft Production to underground sites throughout Britain, looking for
suitable sites for underground factories. Apart from those by now
well-known and well documented locations like Westwood, Spring Quarry,
Warren Row, Drakelow, etc. it lists a load more I know little or nothing
of. None of these latter locations were ever used, but some do seem to be
very large underground sites worthy of further investigation. Details of a
few for starters are:
(1) Middleton Quarry near Gorebridge in Midlothian. 75,000 sq ft,
20-foot headroom, 100 feet underground.
(2) No.1 Mine at Philpstoun near Linlithgow, West Lothian. Very
extensive shale mine owned by Scottish Oils Ltd. 6-9 foot headroom
approached by a 630-foot long inclined tunnel measuring 10 x 8 feet
(3) Thornton Hall Quarry 7.5 miles SE of Glasgow. Very large,
possibly used by the Admiralty for storage
(4) Murrayshill Quarry near Cambusbarron, 1.5 miles SW of Stirling.
750,000 sq ft limestone quarry. Two entrances, headroom 7-8 feet.
Overhead cover varies between 40 and 140 feet
(5) Burdie House quarry, 5 miles south of Edinburgh. 150,000 sq ft
limestone quarry. 5 entrances. Headroom 10-30 feet
(6) Cocklakes gypsum mine, 6 miles from Carlisle. 435,600 sq feet,
accessed by one inclined shaft. Headroom 8-18 feet. Quarry is on a gentle
slope, overhead cover increases from 40 -120 feet.
(7) Brunswick Tunnel, Harrogate. 25,000 sq ft disused railway tunnel.
When investigated it was discovered that part of the tunnel (additional to
the 25,000 sq ft) was already leased to Harrogate Corporation and used as an
air-raid shelter.
I'll post details of some of the other ones later. Meanwhile, if anybody
'up north' knows more about the current status of these places I would be
most interested
Nick
Panther650
>accessed by one inclined shaft. Headroom 8-18 feet. Quarry is on a gentle
>slope,
Cocklakes is still AFAIK a working Gypsum mine owned and operated by British
Gypsum.
Russell Barnes may have more up to date information
Russell W. Barnes
"Nick McCamley" <ni...@nmccamley.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:bdu4pn$51v$1...@news6.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Recently someone kindly gave me a very interesting document dating from
1940
> that is a report of a whole series of visits made by men from the Ministry
> of Aircraft Production to underground sites throughout Britain, looking
for
> suitable sites for underground factories. Apart from those by now
> well-known and well documented locations like Westwood, Spring Quarry,
> Warren Row, Drakelow, etc. it lists a load more I know little or
nothing
> of. None of these latter locations were ever used, but some do seem to
be
> very large underground sites worthy of further investigation.
Cocklakes mine closed on 2oth July 1966, with the surface works being put on
care and maintenance in 1975. Systematic and gradual closure took place in
the early 1980s. The mine is now totally sealed, and all the original
buildings demolished with the exception of a cottage and some plant. The
portals of the Number 4 gate are still extant, but go nowhere. The workings
within are completely flooded.
Read Ian Tyler's book 'Gypsum In Cumbria' (ISBN 0 9523028 4 5 Blue Rock
Publications and still, I believe, in print) for a detailed chapter on
Cocklakes and other Gypsum stuff in Cumbria.
--
Regds,
Russell W. B.
http://www.huttonrow.co.uk
Please take out dog before replying by Email!
Panther650
Shows how out of touch I am.
I always assumed it was working along with Kirby Thore
Thanks Russell
Russell W. Barnes
news:20030702140025...@mb-m07.aol.com
Kirkby Thore mine still up and running, but is the only U/G entrance.
Long Marton, Newbiggin and others sealed up - AFAIK. The locomotives
from Cocklakes were transferred to Kirkby Thore, along with other plant.
Interestingly nearby Acorn Bank gypsum mine was considered by the RAF
for bomb-storage (mentioned briefly in Nick McCamley's 'Secret
Underground Cities'!) but was rejected as being too damp.
Ian Tyler's book about gypsum mining has a chapter devoted to the
anhydrite mine at Marchon, Whitehaven, which used the anhydrite to
produce sulphuric acid. The drift was back-filled, but there was a
shaft and pumps in a building about Sandwith, near St. bees Head. I
don't know if this building is still there.
It also mentions Long Meg mine, also back-filled at the drift head.
There is, I believe, a fenced-off air-shaft near Glassonby, which might
be a way in. I have never found it, however, despite several attempts.
--
Regds,
Russell W. B.
--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG
Mark Gaskell
Blackpool being used as a machine shop to produce steel components for
Wellington production at the Vickers Shadow Factory next to Squires Gate
airport.
I belive it is now a sports centre/gym ?
Regards
Mark
"Nick McCamley" <ni...@nmccamley.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:bdu4pn$51v$1...@news6.svr.pol.co.uk...
Jon
Underground Tunnel on the Central Line between Redbridge and Gants Hill
stations? During the war this tunnel was used as an underground factory to
produce aircraft parts for the war effort after the original manufacturers
site was bomb damaged
"Nick McCamley" <ni...@nmccamley.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:bdu4pn$51v$1...@news6.svr.pol.co.uk...
Panther650
>Underground Tunnel on the Central Line between Redbridge and Gants Hill
>stations?
Another very well known and well documented one
Nick McCamley
(1) Coatham Stob at Eaglescliffe County Durham. described as 'two bad
tunnels in the side of an open quarry' 20,000 square feet with 20-30 feet
headroom
(2) Acorn Bank near Penrith, which I've already dealt with in 'Secret
Underground Cities' and has been discussed in this forum
(3) Kirkby Thore, Stamphill nr Penrith: 3 x 300 ft long galleries
(4) Grange Quarry near Hollywell... dealt with in 'Secret Underground
Cities'
(5) Prince Llewellyn Quarry at Dolwyddelon. 23,000 sq ft. three chambers
on upper floor and two on lower floor, approached by three access tunnels
(6) Dudley Caverns... dealt with in 'Secret Underground Cities'
(7) Burbage Tunnel near Buxton, on the Buxton & High Peak Railway
(8) Pontardawe Railway tunnel
(9) Llanfair Slate Quarry 17,000 sq feet, headroom 8-70 feet
(10) Aberllefenni Slate Quarry, 16,900 sq feet. Roof height varies
between 60 and 200 feet. One tunnel with narrow gauge track ion place.
And, of course, a shed load of Bath stone quarries.
"Panther650" <panth...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030705111446...@mb-m14.aol.com...
Adam Aglionby
From: "Nick McCamley" <ni...@nmccamley.freeserve.co.uk>
Newsgroups: uk.rec.subterranea
Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2003 6:38 PM
Subject: underground factories
> Recently someone kindly gave me a very interesting document dating from
1940
> that is a report of a whole series of visits made by men from the Ministry
> of Aircraft Production to underground sites throughout Britain, looking
for
> suitable sites for underground factories. Apart from those by now
> well-known and well documented locations like Westwood, Spring Quarry,
> Warren Row, Drakelow, etc. it lists a load more I know little or
nothing
> of. None of these latter locations were ever used, but some do seem to
be
> very large underground sites worthy of further investigation. Details of
a
> few for starters are:
>
>
>
> (1) Middleton Quarry near Gorebridge in Midlothian. 75,000 sq ft,
> 20-foot headroom, 100 feet underground.
There is still a huge open cast quarry at Middleton and a modern lime works,
area is peppered with old lime ovens.Have to look this oneup a bit
further.Remember at height of Rave cops raided a "cave " and confiscated a
sound system to be used at a rave near Gorebridge....
> (2) No.1 Mine at Philpstoun near Linlithgow, West Lothian. Very
> extensive shale mine owned by Scottish Oils Ltd. 6-9 foot headroom
> approached by a 630-foot long inclined tunnel measuring 10 x 8 feet
West Lothian is covered with shale bings and is the place where the worlds
oil industry started. Think they are all sealed now though.
> (3) Thornton Hall Quarry 7.5 miles SE of Glasgow. Very large,
> possibly used by the Admiralty for storage
>
> (4) Murrayshill Quarry near Cambusbarron, 1.5 miles SW of Stirling.
> 750,000 sq ft limestone quarry. Two entrances, headroom 7-8 feet.
> Overhead cover varies between 40 and 140 feet
>
> (5) Burdie House quarry, 5 miles south of Edinburgh. 150,000 sq ft
> limestone quarry. 5 entrances. Headroom 10-30 feet
Possibly now the site of Ikea and Straiton retail park, was once apparently
famous for fossil finds, area hugely prone ot sibsidence and just round from
Ferniehill which had limestone mining related catastrophic subsidence
http://www.capersville.f9.co.uk/ferniehill_terrace1.htm
> (6) Cocklakes gypsum mine, 6 miles from Carlisle. 435,600 sq feet,
> accessed by one inclined shaft. Headroom 8-18 feet. Quarry is on a
gentle
> slope, overhead cover increases from 40 -120 feet.
>
> (7) Brunswick Tunnel, Harrogate. 25,000 sq ft disused railway
tunnel.
> When investigated it was discovered that part of the tunnel (additional to
> the 25,000 sq ft) was already leased to Harrogate Corporation and used as
an
> air-raid shelter.
>
>
>
> I'll post details of some of the other ones later. Meanwhile, if anybody
> 'up north' knows more about the current status of these places I would be
> most interested
>
>
>
> Nick
>
Other one could add is known locally as "Giants Caves" near Burntisland
Fife, beleive used as ammo dump during WW2 extended mine also used to train
divers from RN Rosyth in the lower flooded reaches. Various rumours of
tunnels underneath the now closed Alumina works in Burntisland itself.
Adam