Royal Navy Fuel Depot, Invergordon - Dec 2012

Visited with Lost, thanks for showing me around!

This former Royal Navy Fuel Storage Depot was built in conjunction with a secret underground oil storage tank a few miles away. *The underground tanks were built to hold 32 million gallons of oil fuel and were built into a solid rock hill to protect it from bombs. *This site is open for public tours however, I haven't been to it yet...

The fuel depot I visited isn't so secret, but its one I have wanted to do for a while, simply due to the size of the site! *In all there were 46 large tanks and one smaller built to serve in conjunction with the underground tanks for the supply of Royal Navy Fuel requirements during the WWII and remained in use until 1956.

Cribbed from Secret Scotland...

On February 15, 1941 a Junkers 88 is reported to have carried out a solo attack on the Seabank tank farm. Approaching from the east at only 40 feet it dropped two 500-pound bombs. The first bomb passed through one tank and into the next. Although it exploded it failed to start a fire, but tons of oil spilled out on to the adjacent railway tracks and nearby station. The second bomb also passed went through another tank, but failed to explode after landing in the oil slick. The aircraft then made a sharp turn to avoid a church steeple, and machine gunned a Sunderland moored in the firth, causing slight damage, before making its escape.

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The site now contains 45 massive tanks...


On with the pics....





The only accessible one found, that hole is not very big, but manageable...






Inside the tanks are amazing, they don't smell to bad though!




I think all the pipes were used to heat the oil to allow it to flow better..



The acoustics in this was amazing, the smallest noise would echo for a good 10 seconds!




Pipe lines supplying the tanks with the fuel






Some old school manual valve controls






The pump house for the tanks




Access to a older style tank wrapped up in barbed wire




Hoop ladder round the other side




The smallest tank on the site




The site must go for approx 3/4 k/m, I didn't walk that far, as it was starting to get dark.




Inside the main building which I think had the main valve controls, and some old burnt out lorries and plenty of tyres!




More Valve controls









Thanks for looking!

1 word: WOW

Thanked.
+1 for this shot in particular:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8080/8337703393_10594701a5_c.jpg

MrDan said:

1 word: WOW

Thanked.
+1 for this shot in particular:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8080/8337703393_10594701a5_c.jpg

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Thanks, that is one of my favourites I managed to get!

Must have been odd, standing in a giant Jerry can!

Its hard to imagine that amount of oil swilling around!great photos.

Very impressive!

Your shots turned out well, it's a really cool place. I'd like to go back for night shots.

lost said:

Your shots turned out well, it's a really cool place. I'd like to go back for night shots.

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Thanks for showing me around the place, and for pushing me through the wee hole! I would have been stuck there otherwise prime for some passerby to have their way with me haha!

Again apologies for dropping your bag inside, hope your back on two feet soon!

Always nice to see Seabank

It's a shame it's gotten so trashed recently, I blame The 'IYT' The lorries are well-fooked now

Some good shots there

Did you get into the Boiler House?

zimbob said:

Always nice to see Seabank

It's a shame it's gotten so trashed recently, I blame The 'IYT' The lorries are well-fooked now

Some good shots there

Did you get into the Boiler House?

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No didn't see the boiler house, its was starting to get dark and we had one more explore to do, next time though!

Wow, that's pretty damned cool!

I visited the naval base on Hoy up in Scapa Flow a couple of times over the years I was diving and they had a tank farm there too and the hollowed out "mountain" with four huge tanks which we managed to get inside of. That was awesome. Now there's only a couple of the tanks left and one of them has been cleaned out and turned into a multimedia display with video and what have you and a collection of WW2 memorabilia such as Bofors guns etc.

Stussy said:

No didn't see the boiler house, its was starting to get dark and we had one more explore to do, next time though!

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Ah, good stuff - it's the least 'trashed' bitty now...

Cool place, awesome photos!

It just occurred to me that I've never seen these pics full size. Well done again, there's some crackin shots there. And the lorries! You never mentioned the lorries.