Gretna, Hm Factory, Eastriggs Explosives Factory, Nitroglycerine Compound, Brine Coolers

Canmore ID 374951

NY26SE 17.05

NY 26473 64177

Nothing remains of two buildings (NY 26473 64177, NY 27005 64258) that were situated 240m WNW and 320m ENE of the Refrigeration House (NY26SE 17.02). However, a faceted concrete block situated about 20m to the SE of the site may possibly have formed part of the foundations of the more westerly building.

These are briefly referred to as Brine Coolers or Evaporators in a report by the Ministry of Munitions of War (MMW 1919, 157) outlining the processes involved in the manufacture of cordite propellant during the First World War at H.M. Factory, Gretna (Site 3). However, they are shown on an undated plan (SUPP 10-39) held in the National Archives at Kew. Each was rectangular on plan and measured about 17m from E to W by 9m transversely with an outshot to their W. A blueprint (SUPP 10-24, 3135; SUPP 10-26, 3507; SUPP 10-27, 3796A) and ground-based, contemporary official photographs taken during construction (MUN 5-297 pt1, 189, 191, 235-237), also held at the National Archives at Kew, provide additional information about the character of the buildings. These sources show that the Brine Coolers were single-storey, timber-framed, corrugated iron clad structures with a Belfast roof. They were erected on a brick base with concrete steps leading up to double doors in the W gable and there was also a single doorway in the E gable. The N and S elevations contained single windows at the W end and pairs of windows at the E end which lit a sub-basement. The interior was divided into two compartments: a large, insulated room containing the coolers to the W and a room for the electric motors to the E.

The Brine Coolers fell into lot 491, which was offered for sale by auction on 22-5 July 1924 (HM Treasury 1924, 89; Carlisle City Archives, DX 170/38), when it was purchased by Greenwood & Another of Broomhills, Eastriggs (Carlisle City Archives, DX 2040/3). The W building is shown intact on an aerial photograph (M124/13 04135) flown on 19 August 1940, but its companion to the E had been demolished except for its steps. However, a later aerial photograph (CAM/031 06211) flown on the 13 October 1942, shows that the W building had also been demolished in the advance of the construction of explosives magazine R52 (NY26NW 46.12), while explosives magazine R55 (NY26NW 46.12) had been built over the site of its companion.

Visited by HES Heritage Recording (MMD and ATW) 22 July 2022.