Gretna, Hm Factory, Eastriggs Explosives Factory, Acids Section, Tanks

Canmore ID: 375028

NY26SW 38.43

NY 24977 65042

This badly broken concrete platform is situated in dense deciduous scrub woodland about 9.5m ESE of the Still House (NY26SW 38.31). It is slighted by both a standard gauge railway line (NY26NW 46.24) and a narrow-gauge railway line (NY26SW 46.27), but what little remains still stands up to 0.5m in height.

The platform is shown on the plan of, and in text referring to, the works (MMW 1919, plan, 85) given in the report by the Ministry of Munitions of War outlining the processes involved in the manufacture of the cordite propellant during the First World War at H.M. Factory, Gretna (Site 3).

The platform was rectangular on plan and measured about 27m from NNE to SSW by 7m transversely. A blueprint (SUPP10-27, 3802) and a ground-based contemporary official photograph (MUN5-297 pt5, 717) taken after construction and held in the National Archives at Kew show that three high brick walls running from NNE to SSW were built on the platform. These walls supported eight steel mixed acid storage tanks, their contents being delivered from the Preliminary Mixing Houses (NY26SW 38.36-7).

The tanks fell into lot 507, which was offered for sale by auction on 22-5 July 1924 (HM Treasury 1924, 101). The lot was bought by Messrs James Jackson & Co Ltd, St Vincent Street, Glasgow (Carlisle City Archives, DX 2040/3). After its removal from the site, only the foundations were left and these are readily visible on an aerial photograph (M124/13 04117) flown on 19 August 1940.

Visited by HES Heritage Recording (MMD and ATW), 10 May 2022.