# Hickson and Welch Ltd Chemical Plant, Castleford - 09



## mexico75 (Oct 25, 2009)

I've been in and out of here for the last few months, trying to cover it all, the place is massive. I've taken hundreds of shot so whittling them down for a report is a nightmare.

_*History*_
Located on a 175 acre site in Castleford, England, Hickson & Welch was an organic fine chemicals producer and contract manufacturer focused on agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, pigments, explosives and detergents. During the 90's a huge explosion killed 5 workers and this contributed to the eventual demise of the site. The works were sold in 2003 to a Private equity company who promised to keep the plant open and assured unions there would be no job losses. As soon as the contract was signed they sacked all 300 employes, asset stripped the company and sold the site to a developer. Demolition began but ground to a halt last year because of planning difficulties. 

















































































Full set here,
HERE
​


----------



## Urban-Warrior (Oct 25, 2009)

**

Some excellent shots there fella.. an epic looking site all that pipe work, It reminds me of when I did Sevalco Chemicals in Avonmouth...

you get busted looking at ur flikr?


----------



## thompski (Oct 25, 2009)

Looks superb that does, well photographed


----------



## mexico75 (Oct 25, 2009)

Urban-Warrior said:


> you get busted looking at ur flikr?



 Yeah, police turned up looking for some pikeys the security guy had spotted. I hid right up untill they released the hounds, at that point I gave up. They where fine when they realised I wasn't a land pirate and let me go


----------



## Urban-Warrior (Oct 25, 2009)

mexico75 said:


> They where fine when they realised I wasn't a land pirate and let me go



LoL good work..


----------



## Reaperman (Oct 25, 2009)

Looks excellent its the sort of place that I really like - Interesting on a techincal and a photograpic level! It looks like the demolition work was fairly minimal?


----------



## mexico75 (Oct 25, 2009)

Reaperman said:


> Interesting on a techincal and a photograpic level.



Cheers yeah, I spent a lot more time exploring than I did taking photo's.


----------



## UrbanX (Oct 26, 2009)

Nice one! The control rooms look mint! 
Well done sir!


----------



## Canonite (Oct 26, 2009)

Nice one, this place was mentioned a while ago by Meanwood on UL. My urbex partner used to play football against the works' old team. I didn't think it was accessible. Some proper dodgy shit in the ground there though, i'm sure there's exposure risks.


----------



## mexico75 (Oct 26, 2009)

Canonite said:


> Nice one, this place was mentioned a while ago by Meanwood on UL.



Yeah, us Leeds lot have known about it for ages but not got round to it. Recce'd it about a year ago and the place smelt really unhealthy and there where piles of random chemicals lying about, but the EPA have been cleaning it up for about 8 or 9 months now and its not to bad


----------



## nursepayne (Nov 2, 2009)

Wow this looks like a brilliant explore.


----------



## night crawler (Nov 2, 2009)

Great report some superb photo's there


----------



## Bikereddie (Nov 3, 2009)

Nice images. They bring back a lot of memories for me. I worked there for 18 years.
The plant you have photographed was known as the Hydrogenation plant. It used to process Chlorine and Phosgene. (mustard gas) 
It was situated on what is basically an island between the canal and the river. Pardon the obvious pun, but this side of the chemical plant was know as 'The island Site'

I do know that there are numerous infrared cameras dotted about the factory, and allthough it looks inviting, I wouldnt want to try and go up the columns. The checker plating will be in bad state. they used to replace it evry two years because of the amount of contamination and weathering.

This is just a fraction of the site, and there is far more to see. The large column in the back ground is what I worked on. This was called 90 & 100 still base. It was situated next to a plant called '20 still house'. Now this is a good place to explore if you can get that far in, but beware of the cameras.

I keep meaning to go down there and see if I can use some clout as an ex employee to go and take some pics.

If I can be of any use regarding description of pictures etc, then let me know.

Once again, thanks for the memories


----------



## mexico75 (Nov 3, 2009)

Cheers mate, its great too hear from people who have a connection to the places I visit, I did get round most of the other side, just didn't bother with the offices. I know what you mean about the towers, the walkways and stairs are in very bad nick I just stuck to walking on the support beams to be on the safe side. What was the big plant in the middle of the site with the twin chimneys? I've been told it was a power plant but it looked more like a massive chemical dryer inside.


----------



## Bikereddie (Nov 3, 2009)

The place you mention is the boiler house. It provided steam for the whole site, which was used to heat chemicals etc. It used to be coal fired, but then changed over to gas in the late 80's. The drier you mention was the gas turbine.

Just outside the perimeter you will have seen the grey towers. This was a powerplant run independantly by external contractors.

The most dangerous place to wander in my opinion is towards the via duct. The whole field is contaminated with thousands of drums of waste chemicals. There is also a buried lagoon which contains all the chemical effluent from the last 50 years or so.

You mention you have taken 100's of shots. i would love to see them all if possible, and maybe help to give a description on each image.


----------



## mexico75 (Nov 3, 2009)

Cheers for the info mate, I work on gas turbines and didn't even recognise it if you click the link at the bottom of my report theres a few more pic's there including the top of the tower you said you worked on


----------



## Bikereddie (Nov 3, 2009)

I maybe wrong then. What you describe is the boiler house, but maybe you went into the building at the side of it?. That was where they used to produce powdered acid for use in 35mm film. which could explain the chemical drier/blender you describe.
Do you have a pic of it?


----------



## mexico75 (Nov 3, 2009)

No it was the big building, here, it was to big and full of machinery to get a shot of the whole thing and difficult to get anything in context,





This is it from out side, the one in the background with the chimneys,


----------



## Bikereddie (Nov 3, 2009)

Thats def inside the boiler house. Top middle of the 1st picture is the hopper where the coal was fed into. On the bottom picture there used to be a covered convey belt just to the left of the left hand chimney.

If you can imagine seing right through the building with the chimneys, there was the drier/ blender I mentioned. Also there was a plant there too, which, over the years has led to most of the workers who worked in there contracting bladder cancer. They used to manufacture a product called MBOCA (pronounced MOCA) which is now banned. Too late in my opinion.

The risks on the site will be low, as exposure to these chemicals takes years for any ill efects to show. Still, its makes sense to be careful about what you touch and walk through.


----------



## mexico75 (Nov 3, 2009)

Bloody hell mate, I hope there are some on going lawsuits You mentioned going and asking for a mooch about, the guy in charge of security is an ex employee so you may well know him, he has also written a book all about the history of the site which he sells from the gaurd house, I'm going to pick up a copy at the weekend if he's on shift. Thanks again for the info


----------



## Bikereddie (Nov 3, 2009)

mexico75 said:


> Bloody hell mate, I hope there are some on going lawsuits You mentioned going and asking for a mooch about, the guy in charge of security is an ex employee so you may well know him, he has also written a book all about the history of the site which he sells from the gaurd house, I'm going to pick up a copy at the weekend if he's on shift. Thanks again for the info



Yeah I know the guy,got the book. I emailed him today to see if he will let me have access. Let me know if ya going down there. We could meet up. If he lets me in and your with me, then jobs sorted.


----------



## mexico75 (Nov 3, 2009)

Bikereddie said:


> Yeah I know the guy,got the book. I emailed him today to see if he will let me have access. Let me know if ya going down there. We could meet up. If he lets me in and your with me, then jobs sorted.



Yeah that would be cool mate, although I'm not sure me being there will help your chances. There was a small inccident including him, me, some pikeys and the police


----------



## Bikereddie (Nov 3, 2009)

Oh shit. Still. im gunna wait for a reply. I reakon ya need at leats 3 hours to get round it all, at least whats left of it now.
I do know there is still a lot to see and photograph. I have some pics from the 90's when it was a running working plant. I will try and dig them out when I get chance. Will make a good comparison with the pics you took.

So you know Brian personally then?


----------



## mexico75 (Nov 3, 2009)

I didn't know he was called Brian, but we have met You'll have to put your old pic's in a report if you manage to get in, they sound interesting.


----------



## Bikereddie (Nov 3, 2009)

mexico75 said:


> I didn't know he was called Brian, but we have met You'll have to put your old pic's in a report if you manage to get in, they sound interesting.



Will do my best. I will also give your regards to Brian


----------



## mexico75 (Nov 3, 2009)

Yeah I was the tall guywith a camera in the back of the police van


----------



## Bikereddie (Nov 5, 2009)

mexico75 said:


> Bloody hell mate, I hope there are some on going lawsuits You mentioned going and asking for a mooch about, the guy in charge of security is an ex employee so you may well know him, he has also written a book all about the history of the site which he sells from the gaurd house, I'm going to pick up a copy at the weekend if he's on shift. Thanks again for the info



Just a bit of info regarding the above I mentioned. Allthough i left in 1998, I still have 6 monthly urine and blood checks paid for by Hicksons. They are bound by Law to give this screening to ex emplyees for life.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2516613.stm


----------

