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Hi All
I`v wanted to do this site for a very long time it`s the former WW2 chemical weapons production site at Rhydymwyn called Valley works. The site is secure and has 24/7 security and is not open to the public unless you are a member of the local history society (it`s only £5), it`s also now a nature reserve and there are many bats nesting on site which makes some building off limits.
There are storage tunnels on site where Mustard gas was stored during WW2, but the site is still on the Chemical weapons storage and production register so the tunnels have to be maintained and inspected each year and can be inspected by any of the chemical weapons signatories from other Countries.
Valley works was also home to "Tube Alloys" the UK research plant during WW2 in to atomic weapons, this ran alongside to the Manhattan Project (see second post)
During WW2 this was one of the largest production pants in the UK for Mustard gas.
The sulfur mustards, or sulphur mustards, commonly known as mustard gas, is a class of related cytotoxic and vesicant chemical warfare agents with the ability to form large blisters on the exposed skin and in the lungs. Pure sulfur mustards are colorless, viscous liquids at room temperature. When used in impure form, such as warfare agents, they are usually yellow-brown in color and have an odor resembling mustard plants, garlic, or horseradish, hence the name. Mustard gas was originally assigned the name LOST, after the scientists Wilhelm Lommel and Wilhelm Steinkopf, who developed a method for the large-scale production of mustard gas for the Imperial German Army in 1916.
Mustard agents are regulated under the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Three classes of chemicals are monitored under this Convention, with sulfur and nitrogen mustard grouped in Schedule 1, as substances with no use other than in chemical warfare. Mustard agents could be deployed on the battlefield by means of artillery shells, aerial bombs, rockets, or by spraying from warplanes.
Right enough waffle on with a few pictures
Building 28 and the rail loading/unloading platform.
Rail inspectors cabin.
The site has surface air raid shelters, some of these still have there slopping blackout curtains intact.
Blackout curtains
We were very lucky on the day as the Mustard gas storage tunnels were having there yearly inspection, we were let up to the tunnel entrance but not an inch inside.
This is a famous marker but its not in the correct location.
There is a river that runs through the site, it has a divert that is covered and then it passes under the whole site.
There is loads of graffiti on site, lots date back to the time when Mustard gas was produced there, rather than writing stuff down in note books the plant workers worked out what was need and wrote it on the walls.
One last shot from a great day, this is a small observation post that overlooks the site and also covers the entrance to the two protected explosive Cartridge stores
Well there you go - Valley works, well done for getting this far down, have to say a massive thanks to TIGGER for getting me in and showing me around a fantastic site.
There are more pictures on my FlickR site so if you want more(and who wouldn`t).
https://www.flickr.com/photos/newage2/albums/72157658404018362
All comments are most welcome.
Cheers Newage
I`v wanted to do this site for a very long time it`s the former WW2 chemical weapons production site at Rhydymwyn called Valley works. The site is secure and has 24/7 security and is not open to the public unless you are a member of the local history society (it`s only £5), it`s also now a nature reserve and there are many bats nesting on site which makes some building off limits.
There are storage tunnels on site where Mustard gas was stored during WW2, but the site is still on the Chemical weapons storage and production register so the tunnels have to be maintained and inspected each year and can be inspected by any of the chemical weapons signatories from other Countries.
Valley works was also home to "Tube Alloys" the UK research plant during WW2 in to atomic weapons, this ran alongside to the Manhattan Project (see second post)
During WW2 this was one of the largest production pants in the UK for Mustard gas.
The sulfur mustards, or sulphur mustards, commonly known as mustard gas, is a class of related cytotoxic and vesicant chemical warfare agents with the ability to form large blisters on the exposed skin and in the lungs. Pure sulfur mustards are colorless, viscous liquids at room temperature. When used in impure form, such as warfare agents, they are usually yellow-brown in color and have an odor resembling mustard plants, garlic, or horseradish, hence the name. Mustard gas was originally assigned the name LOST, after the scientists Wilhelm Lommel and Wilhelm Steinkopf, who developed a method for the large-scale production of mustard gas for the Imperial German Army in 1916.
Mustard agents are regulated under the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Three classes of chemicals are monitored under this Convention, with sulfur and nitrogen mustard grouped in Schedule 1, as substances with no use other than in chemical warfare. Mustard agents could be deployed on the battlefield by means of artillery shells, aerial bombs, rockets, or by spraying from warplanes.
Right enough waffle on with a few pictures
Building 28 and the rail loading/unloading platform.
Rail inspectors cabin.
The site has surface air raid shelters, some of these still have there slopping blackout curtains intact.
Blackout curtains
We were very lucky on the day as the Mustard gas storage tunnels were having there yearly inspection, we were let up to the tunnel entrance but not an inch inside.
This is a famous marker but its not in the correct location.
There is a river that runs through the site, it has a divert that is covered and then it passes under the whole site.
There is loads of graffiti on site, lots date back to the time when Mustard gas was produced there, rather than writing stuff down in note books the plant workers worked out what was need and wrote it on the walls.
One last shot from a great day, this is a small observation post that overlooks the site and also covers the entrance to the two protected explosive Cartridge stores
Well there you go - Valley works, well done for getting this far down, have to say a massive thanks to TIGGER for getting me in and showing me around a fantastic site.
There are more pictures on my FlickR site so if you want more(and who wouldn`t).
https://www.flickr.com/photos/newage2/albums/72157658404018362
All comments are most welcome.
Cheers Newage
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