Brunner Mond Soda Ash - Winnington - February 2012
Visited with Gone, Bekoir, DrHowser and Everyonefreezeslikeanicepop
For the Lulz.
Winnington is the home to Brunner Mond UK chemical works, where soda ash is created. Polythene, the material used in many plastic items (e.g. plastic bags), was first made at the chemical works by R.O. Gibson and E.W. Fawcett in 1933, during an experiment that 'went wrong'. Most residents in Winnington were employed by ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries); however, many people now work in the town centre, with Brunner Mond still employing hundreds of people. Most of the houses built closer to the ICI plant were built by the company to house their workers.
Much of the former “Mond†division of what was the world’s biggest chemical company lies on the banks of the River Weaver in Cheshire – the soda ash works on Wallerscote Island was just one part of it. The remaining silos and sheds are only a small part of the former ammonia-soda plant: its huge steel skeleton was demolished a couple of years ago, after two decades of dereliction.
What remains is still a live site, but were it not for the constant stream of unloading tankers and compresed air leaking from hoses it would be easy to believe it was completely abandoned.
We didn't see as much as I'd have hoped, but i'll be back for more.
Cheers
Visited with Gone, Bekoir, DrHowser and Everyonefreezeslikeanicepop
For the Lulz.
Winnington is the home to Brunner Mond UK chemical works, where soda ash is created. Polythene, the material used in many plastic items (e.g. plastic bags), was first made at the chemical works by R.O. Gibson and E.W. Fawcett in 1933, during an experiment that 'went wrong'. Most residents in Winnington were employed by ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries); however, many people now work in the town centre, with Brunner Mond still employing hundreds of people. Most of the houses built closer to the ICI plant were built by the company to house their workers.
Much of the former “Mond†division of what was the world’s biggest chemical company lies on the banks of the River Weaver in Cheshire – the soda ash works on Wallerscote Island was just one part of it. The remaining silos and sheds are only a small part of the former ammonia-soda plant: its huge steel skeleton was demolished a couple of years ago, after two decades of dereliction.
What remains is still a live site, but were it not for the constant stream of unloading tankers and compresed air leaking from hoses it would be easy to believe it was completely abandoned.
We didn't see as much as I'd have hoped, but i'll be back for more.
Cheers