Bit of an older post, but it is still one of my favourite industrial locations I have done, mainly for its uniqueness I guess. Me and man gone wrong were debating what to do so we come up with a choice of places and decided to have a go at this and a few other places he had never been and I had visited a few yeas back,but had missed huge parts of it. So off we go hoping that we get through the secca barrier ok and in before the port authority drive down the road, and we got in ok and it was a bit different way in this time.
Construction of the factory started in 1898 and completed in 1901. The factory was built to accommodate the massive fishing industry growing in Grimsby and it became the largest factory of its type in the world and one of the largest refrigeration buildings in the world. A massive decline in the need for ice with onboard refrigeration in the boats meant the factory slowly cut down production and in 1990s the factory shut down for good. The ice was originally made by ammonia compressors starting the process powered by steam engines, the steam was provided by six lancashire boilers but in 1930 new electric compressors were added a total of four made by J and L hall and were powered by Wellington Vickers motors, these were the largest of this sort ever built, and the only remaining ones left. A fifth one was added in 1950. The water was poured into massive trays lined with brine and then it was crushed and then taken up and on conveyor belts straight to the docks and on the boats. There was seven ice rooms in total at its peak with the factory producing 1200 tonnes a day. There is a group trying to save the building but not having to much joy there as the are struggling to get funding and the port authority really seem to have no interest in the building which is a crying shame really
Looking over the four main compressors.
The newer compressor in a separate room to the side.
A little store room I found hidden above another room.
The pump house were the water would be extracted from boreholes in the ground.
Upstairs is ice tank rooms one and two. Looking over room one.
Looking across from one to two.
I crossed that really dodgy bridge to the other side. This part is on a right state. And housed tank rooms five and six.
Looking over tank room for five.
Heading back down and we have two levels of ammonia tanks.
The original boiler house which is empty but once housed six boilers.
Down below is tank rooms three and four.
These ice tanks would tip the ice out were it would be crushed and then sent up conveyors to the market over the road and loaded onto the boats.
We had a friendly fox follow us around quite a bit.
Construction of the factory started in 1898 and completed in 1901. The factory was built to accommodate the massive fishing industry growing in Grimsby and it became the largest factory of its type in the world and one of the largest refrigeration buildings in the world. A massive decline in the need for ice with onboard refrigeration in the boats meant the factory slowly cut down production and in 1990s the factory shut down for good. The ice was originally made by ammonia compressors starting the process powered by steam engines, the steam was provided by six lancashire boilers but in 1930 new electric compressors were added a total of four made by J and L hall and were powered by Wellington Vickers motors, these were the largest of this sort ever built, and the only remaining ones left. A fifth one was added in 1950. The water was poured into massive trays lined with brine and then it was crushed and then taken up and on conveyor belts straight to the docks and on the boats. There was seven ice rooms in total at its peak with the factory producing 1200 tonnes a day. There is a group trying to save the building but not having to much joy there as the are struggling to get funding and the port authority really seem to have no interest in the building which is a crying shame really
Looking over the four main compressors.
The newer compressor in a separate room to the side.
A little store room I found hidden above another room.
The pump house were the water would be extracted from boreholes in the ground.
Upstairs is ice tank rooms one and two. Looking over room one.
Looking across from one to two.
I crossed that really dodgy bridge to the other side. This part is on a right state. And housed tank rooms five and six.
Looking over tank room for five.
Heading back down and we have two levels of ammonia tanks.
The original boiler house which is empty but once housed six boilers.
Down below is tank rooms three and four.
These ice tanks would tip the ice out were it would be crushed and then sent up conveyors to the market over the road and loaded onto the boats.
We had a friendly fox follow us around quite a bit.
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