I don’t normally do a part two on reports, I usually like to do it all in one go, or an updated report. But Bishopton is such a classic place in the UK, I felt it deserved more. The reason for my second part is that on my initial visit last year I got a section done but things went a bit pear shaped near the end. And I hate leaving things unfinished, I had a feeling there was so much to see. It was bugging me that I had not seen as much as I wanted to see. Then since my initial report I started seeing a few images come out from here and I knew it was true. So I managed to get permission from the other half to go back and complete what I started. I am glad I did not try it in one day as I spent hours here and covered so much more than my last visit. Even though I covered as much area last visit as this one, the buildings were so much more concentrated in this section. I can imagine at its peak of exploring here, most of these buildings would have gone unexplored for bigger and better stuff on site. But you have to go with what’s left, and to be honest what I saw was pretty great really. The other good thing was the weather, on my first visit it was grey and dark, the drizzle was constant. But this day their had been a heavy frost and the light was gorgeous. It is amazing how the light can make a difference. Was solo again on this one, like the previous time, I approached the site from a different way, blatantly hurling myself over a chain link fence in front of houses. I did not see a soul this time, which makes me think that maybe the guys I nearly stumbled upon last time were not security but site workers as this visit was a weekend morning. I got ridiculously close to what I can confirm is still a very active part, I thought I hope they have no cameras about, but nothing happened. Well anyway I hope this report compliments the first and gives a bit more justice to one of the best sites the uk ever had.
My report is here from last year.
www.28dayslater.co.uk
ROF Bishopton began life just before the Second World War when the need for these facilities were desperately needed. Two other sites were designated at Wrexham and Ranskill. The factory contained three self contained factories inside it and was used to produce propellant cordite for the army and airforce. And later on it produced cordite for the Royal Navy. There was also a bit called 0 factory, were the main explosive factories were numbered 1 to 3. O site was were most of the services were like the workshops, canteen, machine shops, fire brigade and so on. The site even had its own mortuary, grim indeed. Each factory had its own coal fired power station. The ministry of defence looked after the site and its own housing for the ministry of defence police. With two streets built just for the married officers. Bishopton was the biggest factory in the uk and some twenty thousand workers worked there at its height, many were women with the area suffering high unemployment. During the years the workforce number was dropped significantly with about three thousand working there in the seventies. This reduced to tow thousand when it was privatised in 1984 with the takeover by British Aerospace. In 1998 it was announced the factory would close due to a massive loss of a government contract. Most of the remaining four hundred and fifty workers would lose there jobs in 2002 when it finally closed. BAE Systems which own the site still had a small bit that houses a small environmental test facility and gas propulsion laboratory. The rest of the site was earmarked for four thousand houses with many now being built.
The first building I cam across was this big building, it is being used for storage by construction workers.
Several building clustered together on the road, many of these are very far gone.
Heading up hill I come across more buildings on the slopes. One had a nice tunnel going to an underground section. I came across a lot of tunnels in the end.
Hidden in an unsurprising building was this old control room. I had been tipped off about this being here. So had lights with me as it’s pitch black inside.
Now we are heading nearer the live site and can be seen from down below.
Thought this building had been hit by an arson attack. But someone told me it was flash burnt to get rid of trace glycerine.
This side office was gorgeous.
Another building next to the Glycerine building. Just a bath inside and a tank upstairs.
Looking at the glycerine building, sorry I don’t know much about the whole process at Bishopton.
I see a lot of these little toilet blocks dotted around the whole site.
Continued..
My report is here from last year.
Report - - ROF Bishopton, Scotland..December 2024 | Military Sites
This is a place I have known about for a long time, and a place I should have got to earlier. But my visits to Scotland don’t really involve much exploring. But the better half had to work, so I decided to give this place a look with my free time to see what’s left. Looking at various maps it...
www.28dayslater.co.uk
ROF Bishopton began life just before the Second World War when the need for these facilities were desperately needed. Two other sites were designated at Wrexham and Ranskill. The factory contained three self contained factories inside it and was used to produce propellant cordite for the army and airforce. And later on it produced cordite for the Royal Navy. There was also a bit called 0 factory, were the main explosive factories were numbered 1 to 3. O site was were most of the services were like the workshops, canteen, machine shops, fire brigade and so on. The site even had its own mortuary, grim indeed. Each factory had its own coal fired power station. The ministry of defence looked after the site and its own housing for the ministry of defence police. With two streets built just for the married officers. Bishopton was the biggest factory in the uk and some twenty thousand workers worked there at its height, many were women with the area suffering high unemployment. During the years the workforce number was dropped significantly with about three thousand working there in the seventies. This reduced to tow thousand when it was privatised in 1984 with the takeover by British Aerospace. In 1998 it was announced the factory would close due to a massive loss of a government contract. Most of the remaining four hundred and fifty workers would lose there jobs in 2002 when it finally closed. BAE Systems which own the site still had a small bit that houses a small environmental test facility and gas propulsion laboratory. The rest of the site was earmarked for four thousand houses with many now being built.
The first building I cam across was this big building, it is being used for storage by construction workers.
Several building clustered together on the road, many of these are very far gone.
Heading up hill I come across more buildings on the slopes. One had a nice tunnel going to an underground section. I came across a lot of tunnels in the end.
Hidden in an unsurprising building was this old control room. I had been tipped off about this being here. So had lights with me as it’s pitch black inside.
Now we are heading nearer the live site and can be seen from down below.
Thought this building had been hit by an arson attack. But someone told me it was flash burnt to get rid of trace glycerine.
This side office was gorgeous.
Another building next to the Glycerine building. Just a bath inside and a tank upstairs.
Looking at the glycerine building, sorry I don’t know much about the whole process at Bishopton.
I see a lot of these little toilet blocks dotted around the whole site.
Continued..
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