33 replies to this topic

[phildunford]

This is to announce a major new project.



For the last few months Keith Brock, myself and Chris Dunford have been negotiating to save some of the firework-making buildings from the old Wells site at Joyce Green and to rebuild them at Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre in Sussex.

We obtained the agreement of the present owners a while ago and Amberley have agreed our proposal today. Therefore the project is very much under way.

We will need the following to make it happen:

1) To raise in the order of £6000 - not all needed at once.

2) To get together a team of people who can help with the deconstruction and reconstruction.

3) To source and prepare exhibits.

In the longer term, we would also like to occasionally staff the buildings to tell the public all about fireworks.

Please let us know if you can help with any of the above and please publicise the project as much as you can.

It’s such a major undertaking that I have created a new website for it at:

http://www.wellsatamberley.org/


There is a contact address on there, which is probably the best place to leave messages.


Lets make it happen!

Edited by phildunford, 28 January 2010 - 06:12 PM.

[pyrotechnist]

Sorry but this has to be done woooo hoooooooo :> finally some of wells is going to be preserved, do workers need skills or can anyone help? I aint a DIY expert but I can sure try and give a hand.

I see you used my re-colourized aerial shot on the sites photo section like the sound of the project a lot and hope to help. Is three buildings the maximum?

Some old 3D images I made a while back of the site part completed and the huts.
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Edited by pyrotechnist, 28 January 2010 - 10:33 PM.

[crystal palace fireworks]

Hi Pyrotechnist,

Yes anyone can help,......enthusiasm, commitment, and a willingness to help out in anyway is more important.

Three buildings is going to be the maximum (there isn`t any more room at amberley),...don`t worry if you have no DIY skills,.... we are still going to need people to move and load the sheds.

There are many opportunities to contribute in other ways, on the practical front, we are going to need;- prop builders, pyro tools, dummy firework makers, painters for the sheds, carpenters, handyman, builders, leaflet/poster distributors, researchers, or can you advertise our project to others? tell your friends, use your personal email connections (but don`t send spam).

Donations in any form are welcome, perhaps some funds could be raised by forum members clearing out there lofts or garages for a carboot sale!

The benefits to the UKPS members once this project is properly underway and completed is too numerous to mention,..the more people we get on board, the sooner we can move forward to even more important stuff.

[pyrotechnist]

Would some buildings be better suited for a complete re-build going off the original specs? which seems to be of a light wooden frame with plywood walls on the inside or plaster board with outer corrugated sheeting and corrugated roofing. Some sheds are even more simple with just inside wood panelling. Some windows are stashed away in the under ground bunker at the entrance of the site if you need windows that may be in tact.

How big is the plot of land we have allocated at amberley? it could be possible to fit some of them smaller sheds in near the out skirts of the main 3 buildings or even a longer but narrow shed like exists at the top of the site but may well be degraded by now for the displaying of finished fireworks on racks, this will be a tight fit but could be achievable without to much expense and if needed some of the main buildings could be made slightly smaller. Some suggestions , any chance of taking some buildings for a firework shed in your field or yard lol.

There are some Fireworks magazine issues detailing the factory layout and a typical shed construction with measurements and materials etc used. When a team is put together to help rampage the old site for good buildings ill try and tag along to help out plus get a glimpse of it before its ruined by any more travellers.

Some of the things I think that will be needed if the old buildings are to be re-cycled is for them awful corrugated metal sheets to be stripped off rust with phosphoric acid and primed and coated again and the wood to definitely be treated of damp rot and dried. The roofs use a sheet of 8 foot corrugated iron which maybe could be replaced with a plastic version for easier maintenance? the plastic sheetings come in a red colour to which is handy as the buildings roofs are red.

Edited by pyrotechnist, 29 January 2010 - 12:34 AM.

[crystal palace fireworks]

Would some buildings be better suited for a complete re-build going off the original specs? which seems to be of a light wooden frame with plywood walls on the inside or plaster board with outer corrugated sheeting and corrugated roofing. Some sheds are even more simple with just inside wood panelling. Some windows are stashed away in the under ground bunker at the entrance of the site if you need windows that may be in tact.

Quite a lot of the sheds are slightly different in design and size to accomodate different firework building functions, but most are complete and in reasonable condition anyway,..... we have some basic original carpenters drawings/plans of the sheds from the 1940`s to reconstruct or replace badly rotted panels should we need to rebuild from scratch.

Many of the wooden frame sheds we saw seem to have cream/white coated hardboard panels on the inside, the rest is how you described other than brick built storage ones,...... although you are right, I have seen pictures where the inside of the sheds are lined with wood panels (some painted I believe) only.

When we meet up with the maintenance guys from greenwich uni at Dartford, we did`nt get a lot of time to investigate the site as we would have wanted because of time restraints and the weather/ground and access conditions.

We dont know the whereabouts of the bunker, so it would be helpful if you can help us locate this and those window frames!

The sheds at the end of the day will be reconstructed as you see them in the flesh, but we are thinking of adding a extra barrier (rubber/mastic type sheeting to underside of the roofing (you wont see this) for reasons of water proofing and longevity when it come to housing props or electrics.

Also we will need to rebuild the concrete posts/paths that the sheds are mounted on, as well as some of the drainage channels plus one or two telegraph poles and perhaps the old ceramic/cast iron service boxes.

Did you know that the Wells site has its own sewage plant?

Edited by crystal palace fireworks, 29 January 2010 - 11:50 AM.

[phildunford]

Sorry but this has to be done woooo hoooooooo :> finally some of wells is going to be preserved, do workers need skills or can anyone help? I aint a DIY expert but I can sure try and give a hand.

I see you used my re-colourized aerial shot on the sites photo section like the sound of the project a lot and hope to help. Is three buildings the maximum?

Some old 3D images I made a while back of the site part completed and the huts.
first
Second

Hi Mate - Sorry I did not credit your excellent recolorised shot - I didn't know where it came from - please PM me with your details and I'll see it's done.

I think CPF has said it all, but to summaraise a few points.

1) All are welcome to help with the project, you don't need any special skills. There will however be a plan - the work needs to be coodinated.

2) The plan is adaptable. We looked at three possible plots at Amberley and what we can errect will depend on which one we finally agree on. Obviously this is largely up to Amberley. If we can convince them that this will be a crowd-pleaser we might get more space and the opportunity to errect more buildings - money and labour permitting.

3) It's entirely possible that we might (have to) make some buildings fro scratch to the original designs. It depends on what material we can recover and it's condition. I've costed for three buildings, pretty much from new materials.

4) The aim is to make the exhibit look like a miniature firework factory. We would like to lay the buildings out with a bit of space around them. There is also visitor flow to be considered. Amberley has 60,000 visitors a year.

5) There are two parts to the project. Putting up the buildings and putting something in them that is interesting and informative - we need help with both,

[pyrotechnist]

PM sent , if I guess we select the correct types and sizes of building we may be able to re-located more than 3 if possible and if Amberley give us the adequate spacing requirements. I know the far left of the site housed some narrow construction sheds which where made from red painted wood if I can remember and the rest having a white outer shell with red roofing etc. Interesting colour schemes may I add . Instead of using concrete blocks could we not use wooden dampers? like you use when erecting a garden shed etc for a more cost effective approach or simply concrete slabs or bricks. I think we are going to need a good supply of acid to clear that rust .

[concept]

Hi all, haven’t been on the forum for a while and was pleasantly surprised to see something finally happening with the old Wells site. Having been there several time several times I know the site pretty well. There are several bunkers on the site and all but one (that I know of) have been filled in, I never ventured down the one which contains windows ect myself but it's located near the front of the site. Maybe we should arrange a visit to have a look around the site and see what could be salvaged (any excuse to look at a firework factory). I’d be happy to help with any aspect of this project.



Cheers Doug

[pyrotechnist]

If you want to venture into the front bunker, as like concept said the one at the end of the site has been filled in god knows what's locked in it, you will need good lighting as its got all sorts of rodents in there and very dark and cramped though you do get or did and I hope they are still there toilets, windows, cabinets, bits of old tooling and cardboard lol and not sure what else. If anything the old windows could be used as a spec for building new frames. Maybe the glass could be replaced with perspex for a cheaper alternative.

[phildunford]

If we can get there, it sounds as if there is some good stuff...

I must just mention that this is being done 100% officially, with the full consent of UOG. As such, we must follow their guidelines, as they don't want to be held responsible for any accidents.

We surveyed the site with two of their buildings people late last year.

One of the many things we are now establishing is guidelines for UKPS access.

There is also site contamination to consider, particularly from asbestos. We have read the 100 page plus report and established where the problems are - obviously Amberley do not want anything nasty bought onto their site & we don't wantto be held responsible for exposing our people to contamination...

[fruitfulsteve]

I'll be happy to help out where i can. I have a high top long wheel base sprinter van that i could use to move sections of building etc. I also have a fairly wide selection of 110v tools that are a legal requirement for site work, jig saws, circular saws, angle grinders etc and access to a generator and oxy-acetylene if needed.

or i could just come along and make tea

[digger]

oxy-acetylene if needed.

mmmm oxy-acetylene, my second favourite tool after chainsaws.

On a serious note. Well done chaps. This is fantastic news.

I would love to help out, unfortunately I am a long way away though (maybe I will be able to get there for the odd day or two).

However, as a gesture to get the ball rolling I would like to make a pledge of £100 towards the fund to make this happen.

D

[phildunford]

Digger - Many thanks - very generous indeed.

Your name will be the first on the 'Blast Wall of Fame'!

[helix]

I'd love to help but out but its just too far for me to travel so I'll also donate £100.

have you looked at any potential funding sources - perhaps the lottery heritage for a grant?
http://www.hlf.org.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

James

[phildunford]

I'd love to help but out but its just too far for me to travel so I'll also donate £100.

have you looked at any potential funding sources - perhaps the lottery heritage for a grant?
http://www.hlf.org.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

James

James - again so very generous, thank you- I'm beginning to believe we can actually do this before I'm old(er) and grey(er)! Maybe you can come down for a visit when it's all done - or maybe the opening ceremony - getting ahead of myself here...

Yes, we are pretty much filling in the lottery forms as I speak. There are grants available for smaller projects like ours and a decision is taken within 10 weeks.

We will email all the firework firms in the country, with special attention to some high profile ones. We also know some people who worked at Wells and Pains and will be talking to them. There are also connections like the Wells company that still exists in S Africa and the fact that Disney was associated with Wells.

If you take Fireworks magazine, you will find a publicity flyer in it when it lands on your doorstep in the next couple of weeks.

I'm networking friends and family and hope others may do the same. There is an article in Spark (due out in about a month) and I will send an e-newsletter to all UKPS members this weekend.

Keith Brock says he will stand in Dartford Town Centre and hand out leaflets - dedication of the man!

If anyone can think of any other sources of funding, please let me know.