Brief History (most of it ripped off)
The former Coalite site covers a huge 120 acres. It was a type of low-temperature coke used as a smokeless fuel. It was invented by Thomas Parker in 1904 and was popular in domestic use due to its attractive flame. Two years after Thomas Parker died in 1915, the forerunner of the Coalite company was formed with the building of a production unit near Barnsley. Then in the 1920s, two more plants at Askern (near Doncaster) and at East Greenwich (in London) were opened.
The main manufacturing plant at Buttermilk Lane, Bolsover in Derbyshire was opened by Prince George, Duke of Kent. Back in the day it was the largest one of its type in the world. By that time Coalite had a group of companies with Derbyshire Coalite Co.Ltd running the solid fuel production at Bolsover. Coal was delivered by rail to the site from the nearby Bolsover colliery.
In the 1950s, Coalite’s older plants were closed and production concentrated at the expanded Bolsover and Askern plants. The coal oil and liquor from all these plants was processed at the central refinery at the Bolsover plant. At its peak, in 1972, the Bolsover site employed 1,200 people
The solid-fuel side of the business began to shrink in the 1980s and the company was taken over by Anglo United in 1989. During the 1990s there were financial difficulties. Deprived of critical investment funds, by the late 90s it was making losses of £2 million per annum. The adverse publicity over land and river pollution further adversely affected the sales of its products.
In 2002, Anglo was bought by a consortium. They duly transferred all the group’s debt over to Coalite and the company then went into receivership. The ovens continued producing Coalite until the Bolsover works finally closed down in 2004. From 2005 the Bolsover works were gradually cleared, and the buildings demolished. Bolsover Land Ltd bought the land in 2012 with an aim to regenerate the land.
in July 2019 news reported that HS2 would cut straight through the site.
the site would offer warehouse space for new businesses, with work not starting until next year and will not be completed until 2024.
2. The Explore
There is not a great deal left of the site the main part remaining is the sludge reclamation plant where there are several tanks containing foul smelling sludge and liquid. There's also a large hydraulic press.
Just over the river is the remains of a cooling tower and pump house set up and weigh bridge.
Pretty much every structure is covered in quality graffiti by coloquix and brayk.
Since my first visit 12 months ago it appears that the pikeys have removed some of the valves and pumps (most likely stainless steel) from the plastic pipework connected to the settling tanks. This has resulted in strong smelling sludge contaminating a large area and no doubt polluting the area and waterways.
Was passing and the light was great at sunset so thought it worth another look.
Here is a mix of this visits pics and a few from last year.
No security to speak of a total walk in
The former Coalite site covers a huge 120 acres. It was a type of low-temperature coke used as a smokeless fuel. It was invented by Thomas Parker in 1904 and was popular in domestic use due to its attractive flame. Two years after Thomas Parker died in 1915, the forerunner of the Coalite company was formed with the building of a production unit near Barnsley. Then in the 1920s, two more plants at Askern (near Doncaster) and at East Greenwich (in London) were opened.
The main manufacturing plant at Buttermilk Lane, Bolsover in Derbyshire was opened by Prince George, Duke of Kent. Back in the day it was the largest one of its type in the world. By that time Coalite had a group of companies with Derbyshire Coalite Co.Ltd running the solid fuel production at Bolsover. Coal was delivered by rail to the site from the nearby Bolsover colliery.
In the 1950s, Coalite’s older plants were closed and production concentrated at the expanded Bolsover and Askern plants. The coal oil and liquor from all these plants was processed at the central refinery at the Bolsover plant. At its peak, in 1972, the Bolsover site employed 1,200 people
The solid-fuel side of the business began to shrink in the 1980s and the company was taken over by Anglo United in 1989. During the 1990s there were financial difficulties. Deprived of critical investment funds, by the late 90s it was making losses of £2 million per annum. The adverse publicity over land and river pollution further adversely affected the sales of its products.
In 2002, Anglo was bought by a consortium. They duly transferred all the group’s debt over to Coalite and the company then went into receivership. The ovens continued producing Coalite until the Bolsover works finally closed down in 2004. From 2005 the Bolsover works were gradually cleared, and the buildings demolished. Bolsover Land Ltd bought the land in 2012 with an aim to regenerate the land.
in July 2019 news reported that HS2 would cut straight through the site.
the site would offer warehouse space for new businesses, with work not starting until next year and will not be completed until 2024.
2. The Explore
There is not a great deal left of the site the main part remaining is the sludge reclamation plant where there are several tanks containing foul smelling sludge and liquid. There's also a large hydraulic press.
Just over the river is the remains of a cooling tower and pump house set up and weigh bridge.
Pretty much every structure is covered in quality graffiti by coloquix and brayk.
Since my first visit 12 months ago it appears that the pikeys have removed some of the valves and pumps (most likely stainless steel) from the plastic pipework connected to the settling tanks. This has resulted in strong smelling sludge contaminating a large area and no doubt polluting the area and waterways.
Was passing and the light was great at sunset so thought it worth another look.
Here is a mix of this visits pics and a few from last year.
No security to speak of a total walk in
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