Croda Chemicals, Bromborough - February 2016

We visited Croda Chemicals over in Bromborough back in December 2015, a sprawling site of an industrial chemical plant, administration blocks and workshops, an excellent mooch was had by all.

February 2016 and Blober fancied a trip up into England for a look see, we joined Blober for some Mersey derp, being myself, Tbolt and Blacksnake.

Arriving on site most of the buildings had been demolished and we found contractors undertaking "extra curricular activities" for a bit of extra pocket money. It's amazing how health and safety goes out the window when contractors think no one is watching.











Still rather good, although somewhat smaller 7/10 and disappearing very fast.

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Croda Chemicals, Bromborough - December 2015

Opening in 1855 as Price's Patent Candle Company, Croda Chemicals Bromborough specialised in fatty acids and finally closed in December 2009, this sprawling chemical plant was a small part of a massive global chemical empire and the site is now ever so slowly being demolished to make way for housing.

Health and safety at this site had been award winning over the years, sadly however this may have slipped of late.



The site contains unparalleled health and safety signage, which was as well when we visited, given the clumsy twats that we are - we being myself, Mr Blacksnake, Tbolt, Judderman and that stumpy Hobbit like one known only as ZerO81.



As the rain tumbled down (again) and the wind blew in from the River Mersey no climbing of towers or chimneys occurred and the order of the day was trying to keep warm and dry as long as possible.

After a false start we left the site and spotted two Ninja like photographers which resulted in Mr Blacksnake testing the water with a rather cheeky almost "Sweeney" type entrance.

Walking into this place you immediately know your in for a photographic treat, from them little things that certain folk covet.





To the big stuff.





Let us have a wander around.



















 





On to the offices and medical centre, which for most parts looked as if an explosion had gone off.








With a final wander around the plant



















I'm going to give this place a stonking 9/10 being industrial derp at its near best, only let down by the weather on the day, totally derptastic, rounded off with snacks and drinks in the pissing down rain in a layby on the side of the Mersey.

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Bromborough Power Station - April 2013

A rare venture for myself into Merseyside, the relatively short journey down the East Lancs Road to Liverpool and beyond is not a trip I've made many times in my life. In fact this was my first trip ever under the River Mersey into Birkenhead, Port Sunlight and Bromborough.

Although thinking about it I did once take a ferry across the Mersey and they kept playing that bloody song on a loop - I think I've tried to mentally block the memories of that day.

On this not so fine day I find myself in the company of fellow explorer Urban Spaceman and the new boy to our crew, the ever wordy Tin Dog.

Bromborough Power Station, well what can we say except that sadly there is not very much left other than its got this very lovely control room which reminds me of a 1970s jigsaw I once owned as a kid, Jon Pertwee, Doctor Who.

As I say not much left, this is the old switch room for the now demolished power station originally build for the Lever Bros industrial hub in and around the Port Sunlight and Bromborough area of Merseyside.

So not very much to look at on the outside...

 

But once inside, a nice little gem.



With a Homer Simpson, oh you don't see it ? 

 

You can almost imagine the scene in the 70's, the big control desk buzzing away and some guy with his feet up between the dials. Bored shitless and chain smoking his head off, with the room filled with the stale smoke from his Benson & Hedges full fat - possibly with a large mug of coffee or perhaps over stewed tea carefully nestled on a pile of dog eared Mayfair, Penthouse or similar gentlemen's magazine. This was the 70's, it was bleak and newsagents still sold The Sun, this was Merseyside, as a bonus for any any hard working Scouser you could even see the Mersey from the window. This is my memory of most places of industry in the 1970s as now reinforced by watching Life on Mars a few times too many, except I came from Bolton with no Mersey just the mere trickle of a river, The Croal.

 

 







 

Small, compact, rewarding -  I rather liked this place.