Pricing Change
New pricing for orders of material from this site will come into place shortly. Charges for supply of digital images, digitisation on demand, prints and licensing will be altered.
Greenock, 150 Lynedoch Street, Westburn Refinery
Sugar Refinery (19th Century)
Site Name Greenock, 150 Lynedoch Street, Westburn Refinery
Classification Sugar Refinery (19th Century)
Canmore ID 68388
Site Number NS27NE 21
NGR NS 2789 7533
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/68388
Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer.
© Bluesky International Limited 2024. Public Sector Viewing Terms
- Correction
- Favourite
SC 455014
Greenock, Westburn Refinery View from N
Papers of Professor John R Hume, economic and industrial historian, Glasgow, Scotland
3/9/1975
© HES. Reproduced courtesy of J R Hume
SC 1494615
Interior view of Carbonation and Recovery Basement, showing the Carbon Dioxide Gas Compressors which supplied the gas for the Carbonation Plant Saturators. The Carbon Dioxide was supplied from the flue gases from the refinery's main boilers (T&L No.: 21177/11)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494621
Interior view of the Acrylic and Styrene Resin Cells used for further decolourisation of the filtered Brown Liquor. Removal of colourants in this process was by ionic exchange and absorption (T&L No.: 21176/5)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494622
Interior view of the Recovery Process's Recovery Syrup cast-iron Storage Tanks. The Recovery Process was designed to remove excess sugar produced from the syryp run-off from the Affination Station. The recovered sugar was then returned to the beginning of the process (T&L No.: 21183/3)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494623
Interior view of cast-iron Recovery Syrup Storage Tanks (T&L No.: 21183/1)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494625
Interior view of the First and Tail Pan Crop Crystalliser drives. The crystal syrup mix was held in Crystallisers over a period of time, cooling continuing the process of re-crystallisation (T&L No.: 21176/7)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494635
Interior view of Fine End roof top Scalper Room, the start of the sieving and routing for the various grades of White and Industrial sugars (T&L No.: 21179/7)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494638
Interior view of the top of the Complex Silos, used for storing sugar for bulk customers (T&L No.: 21181/1)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494644
Interior view of the S.I.G. 1kg Packing Machine (T&L No.: 21185/5)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494648
Detailed view of the Telpher Crane, which hoisted coal from outside the Boiler House into the boiler coal hoppers (T&L No.: 21182/11)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494653
Interior view of top of No.1 Boiler, showing the boiler's superheater section (T&L No.: 21182/5)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494662
Interior view looking from Fine Centrifugal Machine floor towards Fine End (T&L No.: 21179/1)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494665
Detailed view of old manual telephone in Warehouse (T&L No.: 21180/1)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1686489
Greenock, 150 Lynedoch Road, Westburn Refinery, oblique aerial view, taken from the SE.
RCAHMS Aerial Photography
4/9/1995
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607582
View from ESE of E end of N portion of factory, showing vehicle loading area (building no. 34, NS2796 7545), with Warehouse 1 behind (building no. 33, NS2794 7545), and the S portion of the factory visible to left
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607606
Interior view of the Affination Centrifugal Machines, showing the motor drives and the Magma Supply Hopper. The machines separated the impurities coating the sugar crystal from the crystal (T&L No.: 21178/7)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607612
Interior view of Autofilter floor from west. Liquor from the Carbonation Saturators was routed to this station to filter out the Calcium Carbonate precipitate (T&L No.: 21176/1 )
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607614
Interior view of the Acrylic and Styrene Resin Cells used for further decolourisation of the filtered Brown Liquor. Removal of colourants in this process was by ionic exchange and absorption (T&L No.: 21176/5)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607623
Interior view of front of No.2 Fine Sugar Pan (1 of 4) in the Crystallisation Building. In a similar way to the Recover Pans, the Fine Pans produced product sugars from re-crystallising the now purified main process stream from the Resin Cells. Operating under vacuum, the pans boiled at lower temperatures, thus reducing the formation of colour (T&L No.: 21175/7)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607637
Interior view of the S.I.G. 1kg Packing Machine (T&L No.: 21185/5)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607648
Interior view of the refinery Steam Accumulator, used for storing steam for the process. Visible in the foreground is the old railway siding used in the past for supplying coal to the Boiler House (T&L No.: 21178/3)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607649
Interior view of the Turbine Room, containing three 1,000kva Turbines, with the overhead crane in the background (T&L No.: 21181/7)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607658
Detailed view of old manual telephone in Warehouse (T&L No.: 21180/1)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 505330
Greenock, 150 Lynedoch Road, Westburn Refinery, oblique aerial view, taken from the E.
4/9/1995
© RCAHMS
SC 1494613
Interior view of the Affination Centrifugal Machines, showing the motor drives and the Magma Supply Hopper. The machines separated the impurities coating the sugar crystal from the crystal (T&L No.: 21178/7)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494620
Interior view from east of Autofilters (used to filter out Calcium Carbonate precipitate from the Liquor) (T&L No.: 21176/3)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494634
Interior view of the Wet Dust Collector Plant, which sucked sugar dust from various areas in the Refinery to product light brix liquid (sweet water), which was recycled into the process (T&L No.: 21180/7)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494639
Interior view of the bottom of the Complex Silos, with the associated outlet screw-conveyor system (T&L No.: 21184/9 )
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494642
Interior view of the Paglierani 25kg and 50kg Bag Filling Machine. Part of the downstream conveyor belt system with the in-line metal detector is shown in the foreground (T&L No.: 21177/3)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494663
Interior view of Old Granulators Flat (affectionately known as the 'Granny Flat'), en route from Fine Centrifugal Machines to the Fine End (T&L No.: 21179/3)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1686491
Greenock, 150 Lynedoch Road, Westburn Refinery, oblique aerial view, taken from the NE.
RCAHMS Aerial Photography
4/9/1995
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607584
View from ENE of N part of factory, showing (L to R) Boiler and Power Houses (building nos. 18, NS2794 7538 and 18A, NS2792 7589), workshops/liquid sugar storage & bulk liquid tanker loading facility (building nos.17, NS2794 7541 and 17A, NS2793 7540), and in distance, Carbonation & Recovery (building no. 15, NS2789 7541) and Granulating/Drying/Cooling (building no. 9, NS2787 7542)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607593
General view from NW of W end of S block of factory, showing (L to R) West Gangway over Drumfrochar Road (building no. 27, NS2783 7544), Granulating/Drying/Cooling (building no. 9, NS2787 7542), Sieving & Bag Filling (building no. 8, NS2784 7543), gatehouse (building no. 4, NS 2782 7544) and East Warehouse buildings (building no. 25, NS 2784 7540)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607599
Angled view from NNE looking up at pilastered brickwork and segmentally arched windows of Granulating/Drying/Cooling department (building no. 9, 2787 7542)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607610
Interior view of the Carbonation Plant Brown Liquor and Lime Mixing Tank where the melted liquor from the Affination Station was mixed with slaked lime (T&L No.: 21183/7)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607611
Interior view of Carbonation Plant Saturator Vessels through which flowed the limed Brown Liquor, and through which bubbled the gas containing the Carbon Dioxide. The produced a Calcium Carbonate precipitate which removed gums, waxes and colourants from the Brown Liquor (T&L No.: 21183/5)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607616
Interior view of cast-iron Recovery Syrup Storage Tanks (T&L No.: 21183/1)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607630
Interior view of the vibratory sugar Vimec Conveyors in the Fine End, used to route sugar to the specific Storage Boxes (T&L No.: 21179/11)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607635
Interior view of the Paglierani 25kg and 50kg Bag Filling Machine. Part of the downstream conveyor belt system with the in-line metal detector is shown in the foreground (T&L No.: 21177/3)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607641
Detailed view of the Telpher Crane, which hoisted coal from outside the Boiler House into the boiler coal hoppers (T&L No.: 21182/11)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607647
Interior view within boilerhouse of chimneys at the rear end of the three boilers (T&L No.: 21182/7)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494627
Exterior view across the Brown Water Roof Tanks, supplied by water from Loch Thom, and used for condensing the hot vacuum pan vapours. The tanks were situated on the roof of the Fine End building (T&L No.: 21180/3)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494628
Exterior view of the roof of the Fine End building, looking towards the Raw End and Affination building (T&L No.: 21180/5)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494630
Interior view of front of No.2 Fine Sugar Pan (1 of 4) in the Crystallisation Building. In a similar way to the Recover Pans, the Fine Pans produced product sugars from re-crystallising the now purified main process stream from the Resin Cells. Operating under vacuum, the pans boiled at lower temperatures, thus reducing the formation of colour (T&L No.: 21175/7)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494636
Interior view of the gyrating sugar Rotex Machines in the Fine End, used for sieving and separating the sugar stream into the variouis sugar fractions for the different sugar products (T&L No.: 21179/5)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494658
Interior view within Refinery Engineering Workshop, showing the Engineering Department Machine Shop, used for the maintenance of the refinery plant and equipment (T&L No.: 21184/5)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1686487
Greenock, 150 Lynedoch Road, Westburn Refinery, oblique aerial view, taken from the W.
RCAHMS Aerial Photography
4/9/1995
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607589
View from NE of Carbonation and Recovery Plant (building no. 15, NS2789 7541), with part of East Pedestrian Gangway (building no. 29, NS2788 7544)and Granulating/Drying/Cooling and Sieving & Bag Filling (building nos. 9, NS2787 7542 and 8, NS2784 7543) also visible
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607597
Angled view from NNE looking up at pilastered brickwork of Carbonation and Recovery Building (building no. 15, NS2789 7541)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607607
Interior view in the foreground of the Recovery Basement, with the Affination Basement seen in the background. The Basements contained various equipment associated with the main Recovery and Affination Stations (T&L No.: 21177/9)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607617
Interior front view of the Recovery First Crop and Tail Boiling Vacuum Pan. The Vacuum pans were used to re-crystalise the syrups, which produced a crystal syrup mix ready for the Recovery Centrifugal Machines (T&L No.: 21176/11)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607621
Exterior view of the roof of the Fine End building, looking towards the Raw End and Affination building (T&L No.: 21180/5)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607624
Interior view of side of No.2 Fine Sugar Pan (1 of 4) in the Crystallisation Building (T&L No.: 21175/5)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607625
Interior view of No.59 Crystalliser (1 0f 4), used for storage of the crystal syrup mix from the Fine Pans, prior to Centrifugation (T&L No.: 21175/3)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607626
Interior view of the Fine Centrifugal Machines in the Crystallisation Building, showing motor drives and Massecuite Supply Hopper (T&L No.: 21175/1)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607629
Interior view of the gyrating sugar Rotex Machines in the Fine End, used for sieving and separating the sugar stream into the variouis sugar fractions for the different sugar products (T&L No.: 21179/5)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607631
Interior view of the top of the Complex Silos, used for storing sugar for bulk customers (T&L No.: 21181/1)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607634
Interior view of the Boxes which stored sugar for bag filling, 1kg packing and gran dissolving, with their outlet slide valves and screw-conveyor systems shown in the foreground (T&L No.: 21177/1)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607652
Interior view within the Refinery Engineering Workshop, showing a Machine Shop Lathe (T&L No.: 21184/3)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607657
Interior view of Refinery Basement Brown Water Meter Room, the inlet to the Refinery for the pan condensing water (T&L No.: 21177/7)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607866
General view from W of W end of works, showing (R to L) East Warehouse (building no. 25, NS2784 7540), Bulk Gran Tanker Loading facility (building no. 23, NS2783 7542), Gatehouse (building no. 4, NS2782 7544), West Gangway (building no. 27, over Drumfrochar Road NS2783 7545), and Filling, Packing & Despatch (building no.30, far left, NS2786 7547)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494614
Interior view in the foreground of the Recovery Basement, with the Affination Basement seen in the background. The Basements contained various equipment associated with the main Recovery and Affination Stations (T&L No.: 21177/9)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494618
Interior view of Carbonation Plant Saturator Vessels through which flowed the limed Brown Liquor, and through which bubbled the gas containing the Carbon Dioxide. The produced a Calcium Carbonate precipitate which removed gums, waxes and colourants from the Brown Liquor (T&L No.: 21183/5)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494624
Interior front view of the Recovery First Crop and Tail Boiling Vacuum Pan. The Vacuum pans were used to re-crystalise the syrups, which produced a crystal syrup mix ready for the Recovery Centrifugal Machines (T&L No.: 21176/11)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494632
Interior view of No.59 Crystalliser (1 0f 4), used for storage of the crystal syrup mix from the Fine Pans, prior to Centrifugation (T&L No.: 21175/3)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494646
Interior view of the Warehouse showing pallets of 1kg product, stored prior to shipment (T&L No.: 21185/1)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494651
Interior view of front of No.1 Boiler, showing drive mechanism for grate (T&L No.: 21182/3)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494656
Interior view of the Turbine Room, containing three 1,000kva Turbines, with the overhead crane in the background (T&L No.: 21181/7)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494661
General interior view within Old Warehouse, used latterly as an equipment store (T&L No.: 21184/11)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607579
General view from E of E end of S part of factory, showing (left) coal receiving plant (building no. 19, NS2796 7537), the Boiler House and Chimney (building no.18, NS2794 7538), Power House (building no. 18A, NS2792 7589), and in background/right, liquid sugar storage and bulk liquid tanker loading facilities, and workshops (buildings 17, NS2794 7541 and 17A, NS2793 7540)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607580
Detailed view from ENE of coal receiving plant gantry (building no. 19, NS2796 7537) and associated Boiler House (building no. 18, NS2794 7538)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607594
General view from N (in Lynedoch Street) of N side of N block of factory, containing Filling, Packing & Despatch (building no. 30, NS2786 7547) and to left, Warehouse 1 (building nos. 32, NS2791 7547 and 33, NS 2794 7545)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607595
Detailed view from NNW showing brick construction of lower storeys of Carbonation & Recovery (building no. 15, NS2789 7541)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607598
Detailed view from NNE of brickwork construction of Workshops (building no. 17, NS2794 7541)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607620
Exterior view across the Brown Water Roof Tanks, supplied by water from Loch Thom, and used for condensing the hot vacuum pan vapours. The tanks were situated on the roof of the Fine End building (T&L No.: 21180/3)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607622
Interior view of Fine Pan Heat Exchangers and Condensers (T&L No.: 21175/9)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607628
Interior view of Fine End roof top Scalper Room, the start of the sieving and routing for the various grades of White and Industrial sugars (T&L No.: 21179/7)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607636
Interior view of Liquid Surgar Storage Tank Farm, for supplying liquid-sugar customers (T&L No.: 21184/1)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607643
Interior view showing contral panel for the three Steam Boilers. Two boilers were generally in operation at any one time (T&L No.: 21181/11)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 455020
Greenock, Westburn Refinery View of W end of S block ,from W
Papers of Professor John R Hume, economic and industrial historian, Glasgow, Scotland
3/9/1975
© HES. Reproduced courtesy of J R Hume
SC 1494609
Interior view of of the raw sugar intake Top Steel Band, which fed the raw sugar from the lorries supplying the Refinery, feeding into Raw Sugar Storage Bins (T&L No.: 21175/11)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494619
Interior view of Autofilter floor from west. Liquor from the Carbonation Saturators was routed to this station to filter out the Calcium Carbonate precipitate (T&L No.: 21176/1 )
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494643
Interior view of Liquid Surgar Storage Tank Farm, for supplying liquid-sugar customers (T&L No.: 21184/1)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494652
Interior view of rear of No.1 Boiler (T&L No.: 21181/9)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494654
Interior view within boilerhouse of chimneys at the rear end of the three boilers (T&L No.: 21182/7)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494655
Interior view of the refinery Steam Accumulator, used for storing steam for the process. Visible in the foreground is the old railway siding used in the past for supplying coal to the Boiler House (T&L No.: 21178/3)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494664
Interior view of Refinery Basement Brown Water Meter Room, the inlet to the Refinery for the pan condensing water (T&L No.: 21177/7)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1494667
Interior view of the top of the Complex Silos, used for storing sugar for bulk customers (T&L No.: 21181/3)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607575
General view from W of W end of works, showing (R to L) East Warehouse (building no. 25, NS2784 7540), Bulk Gran Tanker Loading facility (building no. 23, NS2783 7542), Gatehouse (building no. 4, NS2782 7544), West Gangway (building no. 27, over Drumfrochar Road NS2783 7545), and Filling, Packing & Despatch (building no.30, far left, NS2786 7547)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607576
View from WSW of part of W end of works, showing (R to L) part of Gatehouse (building no. 4, NS2782 7544), West Gangway (building no.27, NS2783 7545), and Filling, Packing & Despatch (building no. 30, NS2786 7547)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607578
General view from E of E end of S part of factory, showing (left) coal receiving plant (building no. 19, NS2796 7537), the Boiler House and Chimney (building no.18, NS2794 7538), Power House (building no. 18A, NS2792 7589), and in background/right, liquid sugar storage and bulk liquid tanker loading facilities, and workshops (buildings 17, NS2794 7541 and 17A, NS2793 7540)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607581
View from ESE of E end of N portion of factory, showing vehicle loading area (building no. 34, NS2796 7545), with Warehouse 1 behind (building no. 33, NS2794 7545), and the S portion of the factory visible to left
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607587
View from NE of (L to R) Granulating/Drying and Cooling (building 9, NS2787 7542) and Sieving & Bag Filling (building no. 8, NS2784 7543), also showing East Pedestrian Gangway (building no. 29, NS2788 7544) in foreground, and other two gangways (building nos 28, NS 2785 7544 and 27, NS2783 7544) visible in background
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607588
View from NE of (L to R) Granulating/Drying and Cooling (building 9, NS2787 7542) and Sieving & Bag Filling (building no. 8, NS2784 7543), also showing East Pedestrian Gangway (building no. 29, NS2788 7544) in foreground, and other two gangways (building nos 28, NS 2785 7544 and 27, NS2783 7544) visible in background
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607591
View from SE of buildings containing Vehicle Loading area and Warehouse 1 (building nos. 34, NS2796 7545 and 33, NS2794 7545), situated at E end of N block of factory
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
4/8/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607603
Interior view of the Bottom Steel Band which reclaimed sugar from the storage bins to supply the Affination Station (T&L No.: 21178/1 )
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607604
Interior view of The Raw End and Affination Station area, with the Raw Sugar Storage Bins in the background (T&L No.: 21178/9)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2607608
Interior view of Carbonation and Recovery Basement, showing the Carbon Dioxide Gas Compressors which supplied the gas for the Carbonation Plant Saturators. The Carbon Dioxide was supplied from the flue gases from the refinery's main boilers (T&L No.: 21177/11)
Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu
15/12/1997
© Crown Copyright: HES
First 100 images shown. See the Collections panel (below) for a link to all digital images.
- Council Inverclyde
- Parish Greenock
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Inverclyde
- Former County Renfrewshire
NS27NE 21.00 2789 7533
NS27NE 21.01 NS 2776 7541 offices
NS27NE 21.00 27 75
(Location cited as NS 278 753). Westburn refinery was damaged by bombing during the Second World War and partly rebuilt, but some classic red-brick, 6- and 7-storey blocks remain.
J R Hume 1976
This is the last working cane sugar refinery in Scotland.
Information from RCAHMS (MKO) 14 August 1995
Westburn Refinery was founded in 1896 as 'Berryards Refinery', and operated continuously until 1997, apart from a spell between 1941 and 1946, during which it was extensively re-built following air-raid bomb damage. After its take-over by Tate & Lyle in 1976, it became the last survivor from a group of at least a dozen sugar refineries which combined to make Greenock one of the most important sugar producing centres in the UK.
The Greenock Refinery produced sugar from raw cane sugar, which was delivered to the James Watt Dock, where it was stored in huge polychrome-brick warehouses. Closure of the refinery resulted from tight European Union quotas and high taxes on cane sugar, which is imported mostly from the Caribbean, the purpose being to protect the interests of European sugar beet farmers. The result has been that, although sugar cane is 70% sugar and sugar beet only 17%, trade restrictions allowed Tate & Lyle to retain only one cane refinery, the company choosing to opt for its plant in London.
The Greenock Refinery occupies a site of 9.5 acres, at the heart of which are six- and seven-storeyed red-brick buildings, within which most of the refining processes took place. There are also detached office buildings at the west side of the site, and a large block of buildings on the north side containing filling, packing, despatch and warehousing departments. Steam for many processes was provided by coal-fired boilers in a boiler house which also contained it's own steam-powered electricity generating station. There were plans to demolish most of the refinery buildings following closure.
Visited by RCAHMS (MKO) December 1997
Tate and Lyle 199[?]
