Whilst on a Christmas break in Scotland I thought I would go check this inconspicuous building at Nobel explosives at Ardeer. Set away from the main explosives site sits this old electric substation. The girlfriend wanted to go the shops so I went here instead. It was a very wet day, even by Scottish standards. The roads were flooded and the wind howling. Clambering over a palisade gate was not the greatest thing in them conditions, but needs must.
Most know that Nobel explosives was a huge dynamite works set up in the dunes at Ardeer. The company was so big it had its own train station to being a lot of the 13,000 employees in to work. Situated away from the main explosives site ICI opened a large nylon works in 1969. It had its own cooling tower, so I presume it had a power station and that this building was linked to it. The cooling tower collapsed in 1972 and virtually imploded on itself. Looking at local forums from former workers it seems it was built wrong with a bulge and several said it would collapse. ICI got in a panic after loosing thousands a day. They quickly brought in lots of local carpenters who built some temporary wood structures to carry on production. These worked a treat as well. The plant closed in 1981 after a very short life. Not sure when this sub station was closed as some paperwork in there was 1988, so guessing around then.
Was not sure if to put this in NP. But suppose it might keep people away. If not NP worthy then feel free to move it out.
Old archive pic of collapsed cooling tower.
Starting below is the old electrical rooms. These have been virtually stripped out.
Some nice signs remain.
Heading up the stairs to the top rooms.
Main corridor through.
A nice decaying back room with some nice cupboards.
Down the far end is this rather nice control room.
This is what makes me think it was maybe connected to a former power station. Ardeer did have three of them.
Old paperwork laying about.
And back out again
Most know that Nobel explosives was a huge dynamite works set up in the dunes at Ardeer. The company was so big it had its own train station to being a lot of the 13,000 employees in to work. Situated away from the main explosives site ICI opened a large nylon works in 1969. It had its own cooling tower, so I presume it had a power station and that this building was linked to it. The cooling tower collapsed in 1972 and virtually imploded on itself. Looking at local forums from former workers it seems it was built wrong with a bulge and several said it would collapse. ICI got in a panic after loosing thousands a day. They quickly brought in lots of local carpenters who built some temporary wood structures to carry on production. These worked a treat as well. The plant closed in 1981 after a very short life. Not sure when this sub station was closed as some paperwork in there was 1988, so guessing around then.
Was not sure if to put this in NP. But suppose it might keep people away. If not NP worthy then feel free to move it out.
Old archive pic of collapsed cooling tower.
Starting below is the old electrical rooms. These have been virtually stripped out.
Some nice signs remain.
Heading up the stairs to the top rooms.
Main corridor through.
A nice decaying back room with some nice cupboards.
Down the far end is this rather nice control room.
This is what makes me think it was maybe connected to a former power station. Ardeer did have three of them.
Old paperwork laying about.
And back out again
