Recent visit to Bucklands Sand and Silica plant.
History
Bucklands Sand and Silica was a family run business that started in 1923. They extracted high quality sand for glass manufacturing.
It was acquired in 1978 by Amalgamated Roadstone Corporation, then acquired by Hanson in 1990.
The site is formed of two parts split across the A25 one side has the Tapwood and the other is Park Pit. Park pit has been flooded and is now used as a fishing private fishing ground (for some 10+ years now). Park Pit now has demo well under way on to remove the old sand processing plant.
According to Hanson’s “Site Biodiversity Action Plan” Tapwood was fully exhausted during 2014. All plant machinery has been removed, and all that remains are some pumps keeping the water level from rising further (presumably while landscaping takes place). The end goal is to raise the water level to create an artificial lake.
Found HERE for those interested in the site biodiversity action plan from Hanson.
Front of Park Pit, apparently a Quarry is not a play area…
All good sites need a weigh bridge.
Secca hut.
Old sand plant building empty and looking risky as due to ongoing demo.
The big “live” sign and the humming from inside was enough to keep me out of here. There is a pumping station onsite and could well be being fed from here.
Floating pumping station (live).
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Damp Squibb
Switch gear.
Onto the Tapwood site not much to see here but site impressive due to its size.
The view that greeted us upon entry.
By this stage the light was fading but the clouds over the water just looked really awesome.
Lonely bucket, never to build another sand castle.
Looking down.
Onsite diesel water pump
I was disappointed to arrive on site to find that I had missed most of the plant but hopefully this report will serve to educate anyone thinking of visiting that there’s soon not going to be anything to see other than two manmade lakes (unless you like that sort of thing…).
Full Flickr set HERE.
History
Bucklands Sand and Silica was a family run business that started in 1923. They extracted high quality sand for glass manufacturing.
It was acquired in 1978 by Amalgamated Roadstone Corporation, then acquired by Hanson in 1990.
The site is formed of two parts split across the A25 one side has the Tapwood and the other is Park Pit. Park pit has been flooded and is now used as a fishing private fishing ground (for some 10+ years now). Park Pit now has demo well under way on to remove the old sand processing plant.
According to Hanson’s “Site Biodiversity Action Plan” Tapwood was fully exhausted during 2014. All plant machinery has been removed, and all that remains are some pumps keeping the water level from rising further (presumably while landscaping takes place). The end goal is to raise the water level to create an artificial lake.
Found HERE for those interested in the site biodiversity action plan from Hanson.
Front of Park Pit, apparently a Quarry is not a play area…
All good sites need a weigh bridge.
Secca hut.
Old sand plant building empty and looking risky as due to ongoing demo.
The big “live” sign and the humming from inside was enough to keep me out of here. There is a pumping station onsite and could well be being fed from here.
Floating pumping station (live).
Damp Squibb
Switch gear.
Onto the Tapwood site not much to see here but site impressive due to its size.
The view that greeted us upon entry.
By this stage the light was fading but the clouds over the water just looked really awesome.
Lonely bucket, never to build another sand castle.
Looking down.
Onsite diesel water pump
I was disappointed to arrive on site to find that I had missed most of the plant but hopefully this report will serve to educate anyone thinking of visiting that there’s soon not going to be anything to see other than two manmade lakes (unless you like that sort of thing…).
Full Flickr set HERE.
