My first introduction to exploring, I grew up here so this was a playground for me as a kid, many memories of being chased by the farmer!
Anyway, the history,
Edingham was built in 1939. McAlpine Construction was given the contract on a time and materials basis which meant there was no restriction to the final cost which amounted to £3.5 million.
Most of the factory was built by hand. Drag lines and basic diggers which had no cabs or hydraulic rams, were also used. Over 3000 men, the majority of them Irish, were used in the building and labouring. The Irish navvies stayed in wooden huts, which were later used to house prisoners of war from 1943 to 1947.
The area for the site was taken from six farmers who were paid a minimal fee. The total site was 300 acres, 180 of which came from Edingham Farm. One of the main reasons for choosing this site was the fact that the Dumfries to Stranraer railway line passed through it, making it an ideal location with easy transportation of cordite and nitro-glycerine for onward processing.
It took 8 miles of high security fencing to surround the site, which was made up of two identical halves, so as to prevent production being interrupted if a key building was hit and put out of action.
The buildings themselves were dug into the earth and then surrounded by steep sides, like a large pudding basin. This ensured that, should an explosion occur, the force of the blast went upwards causing less damage, and not outwards to damage other parts of the site.
Cordite and nitro-glycerine were the main products manufactured. These highly dangerous products were hauled around by unshod horses and carts, supplied by farmers, to prevent any sparks which might have sent the place sky-high.
Post-War Uses of the Site
The railway line continued in use for the public until the early 1960s.
After the War the Admiralty took over the whole site and used it as a store for such items as floating mines. In 1960 the land was sold back to the farmers with Mr Taylor of Edingham ending up with most of it.
As the pictures have been taken over a few years and different cameras the quality/editing will differ
UN-SAFE by Scott Hills, on Flickr
derelict 16 by Scott Hills, on Flickr
Fire point by Scott Hills, on Flickr
smoke grenade by Scott Hills, on Flickr
derelict 15 by Scott Hills, on Flickr
derelict 13 by Scott Hills, on Flickr
High 5 by Scott Hills, on Flickr
Telly by Scott Hills, on Flickr
Edingham by Scott Hills, on Flickr
Edingham (revisited) by Scott Hills, on Flickr
Edingham (revisited) by Scott Hills, on Flickr
Edingham (revisited) by Scott Hills, on Flickr
Edingham (revisited) by Scott Hills, on Flickr
Edingham (revisited) by Scott Hills, on Flickr
Take a seat by Scott Hills, on Flickr
Edingham by Scott Hills, on Flickr
Edingham by Scott Hills, on Flickr
Anyway, the history,
Edingham was built in 1939. McAlpine Construction was given the contract on a time and materials basis which meant there was no restriction to the final cost which amounted to £3.5 million.
Most of the factory was built by hand. Drag lines and basic diggers which had no cabs or hydraulic rams, were also used. Over 3000 men, the majority of them Irish, were used in the building and labouring. The Irish navvies stayed in wooden huts, which were later used to house prisoners of war from 1943 to 1947.
The area for the site was taken from six farmers who were paid a minimal fee. The total site was 300 acres, 180 of which came from Edingham Farm. One of the main reasons for choosing this site was the fact that the Dumfries to Stranraer railway line passed through it, making it an ideal location with easy transportation of cordite and nitro-glycerine for onward processing.
It took 8 miles of high security fencing to surround the site, which was made up of two identical halves, so as to prevent production being interrupted if a key building was hit and put out of action.
The buildings themselves were dug into the earth and then surrounded by steep sides, like a large pudding basin. This ensured that, should an explosion occur, the force of the blast went upwards causing less damage, and not outwards to damage other parts of the site.
Cordite and nitro-glycerine were the main products manufactured. These highly dangerous products were hauled around by unshod horses and carts, supplied by farmers, to prevent any sparks which might have sent the place sky-high.
Post-War Uses of the Site
The railway line continued in use for the public until the early 1960s.
After the War the Admiralty took over the whole site and used it as a store for such items as floating mines. In 1960 the land was sold back to the farmers with Mr Taylor of Edingham ending up with most of it.
As the pictures have been taken over a few years and different cameras the quality/editing will differ
UN-SAFE by Scott Hills, on Flickrderelict 16 by Scott Hills, on FlickrFire point by Scott Hills, on Flickrsmoke grenade by Scott Hills, on Flickrderelict 15 by Scott Hills, on Flickrderelict 13 by Scott Hills, on FlickrHigh 5 by Scott Hills, on FlickrTelly by Scott Hills, on FlickrEdingham by Scott Hills, on FlickrEdingham (revisited) by Scott Hills, on FlickrEdingham (revisited) by Scott Hills, on FlickrEdingham (revisited) by Scott Hills, on FlickrEdingham (revisited) by Scott Hills, on FlickrEdingham (revisited) by Scott Hills, on FlickrTake a seat by Scott Hills, on FlickrEdingham by Scott Hills, on FlickrEdingham by Scott Hills, on Flickr
