Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History Royal Ordnance Factory Hooton

Many years ago I often travelled between Penrhyndeudraeth (think that is the spelling) and Bryn Glas. A factory on the left before the causeway travelling from Penrhyndeudraeth made black powder for ordinance but I am unsure if they supplied ROF Hooton.

Hi again dd - it seems that my Nan was employed quality checking the bullets (visually I hope!!) - my Dad confirms that Capenhurst was a indeed a 'filling' factory, although he doesn't know if shells were manufactured as there as well. (He worked at Capenhurst from the ealy 1950's)

He also recalls that the roofs of the original buildings were formed in a shallow 'vee' shape, so that if any explosion took place, any blast would blow the roof off and be directed upwards, rather than sideways.

Incidently, Capenhurst had numerous sidings off the Birkenhead - Chester line for transfer of ordnance and its own small internal railway system (including a very small engine shed!) - so it must have been a fairly large operation I would have thought.

Hope this helps.

Billy.

Thanks for the quick response Billy, I thought it was filling, but logically you'd expect it to be chemical/explosives with it being turned into nuclear after the war, so wasn't so sure.

A couple of questions:

Does anyone know when ROFTEN opened ?
Does anyone know who the builder was ?

Thanks

d.d. could probably help with the info bud and have some info!
could you empty you pm box bud nice one!

I re-sprayed a Mini in a unit at the rofton site that a m8 of mine rented about 15 years ago

I thought I had put the opening date up on the first post, but I didn't, I will see if I can find it again. No idea who built it, there is some story of a "team" going round building these sites but I don't think the timescales would have worked and it would have to be a bloomin' big team, some of the sites are HUGE.

Men worked 12&14 hours a day 7 days a week in those days DD, not like now turn up at 8 or 9 and away by 3 Mon to Thur, and midday Friday.

And they didn't have "fag" breaks, they smoked on the job. You tell the kids these days ....

Midday Friday???? what's that about, I thought it was "show your face and run" on a Friday.... Gotit, turn up at Midday and show your face!

And Women, don't be sexist, and thankfully something has been done about those long hours for next to no pay.

yes they made windows here i worked in the press shop there around the late sixties,

Capenhurst was never a ROF munitions site - it roots lay in the 'Mollington Petrol Depot' - (Ministry of Supply) - so would not have made happy bedfellows !

It was developed into a uranium enrichment site - uranium-tipped shells became available in the 50s - for use mainly in anti-tank rounds apparently.

BTW the Mollington mainline siding was certainly still operational as well in the 1980s - with one of Levers named diesel shunters always kept there on standby....

Just to clarify: the uranium used is depleted uranium, which is not fissile. It is a by-product of the uranium enrichment process by gaseous diffusion which was carried out at Capenhurst.

So perfectly harmless then - Chris !!

Yes, unless a chunk of it hits your tank.