The Gunpowder Factory, Sweden
History
The year was 1939 and Sweden's preparations for war times were anything but good. They had a shortage of most of modern armaments, and moreover had a new world war erupted. Unable to rely solely on Bofors could deliver sufficient quantities. Production needed to be extended.
The military estimated that Tyfors at the border between Dalarna and Värmland would be the perfect place to build gunpowder factory.
The position was strategic due to Tyfors located far inland from the coast, had good road connections and also a train that ended in the vicinity. Then you could simply load the gunpowder on freight trains without too many prying eyes.
The gunpowder factory was built in two parts. Some above ground and some underground. The underground was blasted out of the rock.
When construction began is unclear even today. The facility was certainly in operation during the war, but verbal information has emerged that even in 1938 people were employed there.
Powder Production focused on the manufacture of the rather primitive cotton gunpowder, but it suited well for mass production. Powder production occurred mainly in the premises below ground.
Powder Production stopped almost immediately after World War II ended. A calendar on the wall of one of the buildings shows the 21 th October 1945. Since then no one bothered to change the day.
The plant remained in full as reserves factory until 1973. In the 1980s, used the Bofors cavern as stocks. Today, some thirty buildings left in varying condition.
The area today is used to some extent by a motor club.
The Visit
I had been in Norway for a month or so and was in need of some new sites to look at, by chance I came across this site on a geo-cache site and after a bit of digging, found the exact location and set off on the 3 hour drive from Norway.
The site is quite spread out and to some extent (as with many military sites), it's quite 'samey' in places, but that did not stop me thoroughly enjoying the site, especially as the weather was a fantastic 25 degrees - a vast change to the weather I was used to back in the UK.
After exploring the above ground section, we headed to see if we could find the underground section. After a bit of a climb up a rather steep hill, we came across two other explorers who pointed us in the direction of the best way into the underground site.
Sadly though, we were running out of time due to having to drive all the way back home now, so all we managed to do was a quick walk around the main bit of the underground section, but no photos were taken - this part will have to wait until next year when we can give it the time it requires.
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Full gallery HERE
