Coalite Offices and Plant, Bolsover - 01/08/06

[Oxygen Thief]

Coalite aka Low Temperature Carbonisation Ltd, Bolsover.

Having read about this place, then driving past it on the M1 the other day, decided to pop in for a visit. Thanks to Dweeb also.

Access is stunningly easy. Because of this, the office block is royally ruined. However some gems remain, these being...

The 'record room' - this has the company archives dating to the first world war.
The 'merchandising room' - formerly the kitchen and canteen, full of promotional gear.
The filing cabinets in the old canteen, which hold the old HR records going back to the 20s', and records and plans of old factories and mines long closed.

Anyway, after doing the offices, decided to take a wander around the plant which is currently being demolished. Made it to the towers but it was getting a bit hairy with staff wandering around frequently. So I went over the (internal) road to to check out another building, only to walk past a canteen window with a dozen guys sat in there. Oh well, I needed the exercise so a quick leg-it was in order.

Here's some pictures...

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b266/cjwinternet/Coalite%20020806/IMG_0971.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b266/cjwinternet/Coalite%20020806/IMG_0990.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b266/cjwinternet/Coalite%20020806/IMG_0994.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b266/cjwinternet/Coalite%20020806/IMG_0997.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b266/cjwinternet/Coalite%20020806/IMG_0998.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b266/cjwinternet/Coalite%20020806/IMG_1000.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b266/cjwinternet/Coalite%20020806/IMG_1013.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b266/cjwinternet/Coalite%20020806/IMG_1014.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b266/cjwinternet/Coalite%20020806/IMG_1015.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b266/cjwinternet/Coalite%20020806/IMG_1028.jpg

[Glowing dude]

Yours truly used to work at this Place!!!!!! Trust me it was god awful!!! I still have text books that smell of the place 11 years after leaving!!!!! It was still running with steam pumps on the old site when I left!!!!!!!!!!!
It got into trouble when the milk from the local dairy heard recorded the highest levels of Dioxin anywhere in the world. (dioxin is a big unkown but suspected with major links to cancer). You name it the place will be contaminated with it from chlorine to phenolic acids..
That said the blokes who worked their were legend proper old school....

[Raddog]

My T-shirt still stinks of that place....:eek:

[Glowing dude]

I lived in Boza itself till i was 18 then got as far away from the fall out as I could!!!! Over 100 miles away now and still not sure if its far enough!!!!:o
The Coloums that are still standing are Tar Acid Fraction coloums!!(T.A.F. B as they were known). We used to have to work at the top.. The ladders were Fuxked when I used to go up so anybody who has the gonads to attempt them now is a top dog!!!!! trust me 180ft up rusty vertical ladders while the column sways will get you sphincter nipped down very tight!!!!