real time web analytics
Report - - Octel Bromine Works, Amlwck, Angelsey, North Wales, July 2020 | Industrial Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Octel Bromine Works, Amlwck, Angelsey, North Wales, July 2020

Hide this ad by donating or subscribing !

HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
1. The History
The roots of Octel date back to the second world war as a producer of anti-knock compounds for aircraft fuel. Engine “knocking” was a common problem, when the mixture of air and fuel didn’t burn efficiently. Set up in Northwich in 1940, it was initially owned by the government and operated by ICI. It then became the Associated Ethyl Co before later being renamed Asociated Octel.

After their purchase of a new site in 1948, Octel looked for a site to produce bromine to supply the works with. Amlwck was considered a suitable site so in 1952 a plant was set up there to extract bromine from seawater. The site was chosen because of the depth of the sea in the area, the strong tidal flow and Gulf Stream sea temperatures and was the largest bromine plant of its kind in the world

For more than 50 years the plat produced bromine and at its peak the plant employed 120 workers. In 1994, one of the biggest fires ever seen on Anglesey started at the Octel plant. Around 5 people were injured, and a 15-mile exclusion zone was declared around the island’s north coast after rubber sheeting in one of the plant’s towers caught fire.

The development of unleaded petrol when the health effects of lead in vehicle exhaust gases became better understood reduced the demand for Octel’s anti-knock additive. Hence the Octel factory diversified into other bromine products and was taken over by Great Lakes Chemical Corporation. In 2003, the corporation decided to close the works with the loss of more than 100 jobs. Two years later in 2005 the plant was shut completely. The site then went through a 9-month process of decontamination.

Old site plan:

50264479668_c837edf411_b.jpg


For an excellent report from August 2015, prior to a number of buildings being demo'ed, check out @Speed 's report HERE

2. The Explore
Had this place on my list for a while. Ended up on our holidays literally 5 minutes down the road so it was a no-brainer to pop over to see what was left. I knew that a large part of the site had been demo’ed but was surprised at the extent of what remained. The place is a complete walk in. Even in its pretty trashed state there was still a lot to see and hold your attention for a couple of hours.

3. The Pictures

50220209606_65ef0fe879_b.jpg


Started by going to the far side of the site and looking at the seawater pump house:

50267103737_2d26648f56_b.jpg


50220219271_d82b9b42bd_b.jpg


50220443657_89cb9906b2_b.jpg


50242810222_60be4f14fe_b.jpg


50242809807_9bd4dbac56_b.jpg


50242809517_3fbe21e02e_b.jpg


50241957493_2e076b3888_b.jpg


50220444282_f138597db8_b.jpg


50219575158_066c2026c4_b.jpg


50220446967_d46697c26d_b.jpg


50220444967_4fe5f24ef1_b.jpg


Only one of the blowing out towers (BOT1) remains after BOT2 burnt down:

50219569283_c32af82158_b.jpg


50219570538_e37d01e64a_b.jpg


50220220411_b842e72667_b.jpg


50219571413_e855604777_b.jpg


On to what’s left of the process labs:

50219567423_5745be0e6a_b.jpg


50242808437_5ce619f278_b.jpg


50220218461_aed411929e_b.jpg


50241956658_23ea4f8a5f_b.jpg


50241956503_17c8536843_b.jpg


50220439147_908de5e482_b.jpg


50220438437_d3d82d9ff9_b.jpg
i

The main sub-station has got a lot of stuff in it still:

50242807962_ce9bcfe4b8_b.jpg


Sub-station No.2:

50219566403_76376bc8d3_b.jpg


50219565883_cf38b043d0_b.jpg
 
Last edited:

HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
CONTINUED:

These offices where porta cabins on two levels. They were absolutely smashed to f*ck which is a shame as there looked like there was a lot of interesting stuff in them at one time:

50266263398_7057a559d8_b.jpg


50220436267_ae6a951d98_b.jpg


50220435807_acbc2eb799_b.jpg


A few from the workshops, offices, and stores building:

50219564663_d802f12021_b.jpg


50220213821_bcdf219136_b.jpg


50219563578_68cc160b4b_b.jpg


50266923681_a6051424c6_b.jpg


50242621361_721436bf67_b.jpg


Reception office block:

50219560038_903bb87080_b.jpg


The Central Works and safety centre:

50241959928_8b2c4d761b_b.jpg


50242599461_37a3d4f17a_b.jpg


50242811152_8aa6bcd15c_b.jpg


50242599276_feb524d6c3_b.jpg


50242598991_8555363e76_b.jpg


50242810682_1cb50671b2_b.jpg


50242810582_9218517ff4_b.jpg


The shower block and locker rooms were probably my favourite:

50241981973_cdbc2c1dff_b.jpg


50219563133_c0d44ed653_b.jpg


50220211951_7139a05266_b.jpg


50219561668_6c4fab8876_b.jpg


50242620921_428b07fb70_b.jpg


50219561213_22d3cc0378_b.jpg


50220431772_83a32d56c3_b.jpg


And finally, the water tower:

50220437422_9889f526d4_b.jpg


And an old white-line painter for the work’s football pitches:

50266262803_49581d0e73_b.jpg
 

Calamity Jane

i see beauty in the unloved, places & things
Regular User
Very comprehensive, lots to see, industry mixed with nature, looks like a great explore. Was there a decontamination area?
 

mw0sec

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Must get in there myself some time - I've only lived just down the road for the last 20 years...
 

monk

mature
28DL Full Member
Jeez that's royally fuck*d now, good report still... Brucey bonus points if you can pronounce Amlwch :thumb
 
Last edited:

Who has read this thread (Total: 298) View details

Top