Hello chaps, been a long, long time since I've posted on here! Only been about four years since my last report... So forgive me if my writeup skills are a little rusty!
Thamesteel is a large former foundry and steel rolling site in Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, which at the time of its sudden collapse into administration in 2012 employed 400 workers. Sadly there's not much on its history I can find, although it appears steel production on site started in about 1972. There certainly isn't much on this scale in the south east of England - the site even had its own rail yard - and though I've been here before this place more than most still fills me with a sadness for the loss of jobs and livelihoods - which from wandering about the mostly unmolested site, feels as though it could spring back into life any day now. Which according to a local paper in Kent is exactly what they're hoping to do with the plant - bring at least some of it back into service hopefully this year - an endeavour I wish them the best luck in the world with, but sadly I don't think anyone, let alone the former workers living in the surrounding towns, is holding their breath...
Anyhow, without further ado, on which the photographs:
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As I first visited this place only a few months after it closed back in 2012 it's fascinating how almost nothing has changed - apart from the removal of the specialist heavy vehicles of which there were loads on the site before, it doesn't seem to have been vandalised or really had anything much happen here. I'm curious to know if it's still being looked after at all - hopefully if things take off with the reopening deal (apparently with Ukrainian backers) before the rot really sets in, maybe there might still be a happy ending for at least some of those who lost their jobs here...
Thamesteel is a large former foundry and steel rolling site in Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, which at the time of its sudden collapse into administration in 2012 employed 400 workers. Sadly there's not much on its history I can find, although it appears steel production on site started in about 1972. There certainly isn't much on this scale in the south east of England - the site even had its own rail yard - and though I've been here before this place more than most still fills me with a sadness for the loss of jobs and livelihoods - which from wandering about the mostly unmolested site, feels as though it could spring back into life any day now. Which according to a local paper in Kent is exactly what they're hoping to do with the plant - bring at least some of it back into service hopefully this year - an endeavour I wish them the best luck in the world with, but sadly I don't think anyone, let alone the former workers living in the surrounding towns, is holding their breath...
Anyhow, without further ado, on which the photographs:
1:
2:
3:
4:
5:
6:
7:
8:
9:
10:
11:
12:
13:
14:
15:
As I first visited this place only a few months after it closed back in 2012 it's fascinating how almost nothing has changed - apart from the removal of the specialist heavy vehicles of which there were loads on the site before, it doesn't seem to have been vandalised or really had anything much happen here. I'm curious to know if it's still being looked after at all - hopefully if things take off with the reopening deal (apparently with Ukrainian backers) before the rot really sets in, maybe there might still be a happy ending for at least some of those who lost their jobs here...
