Adieu Alcan Terminal

[jdal]

Well not quite yet, but when the Alcan smelter is closed, which is a racing certainty, this rather fine, well maintained, terminal will presumably be left to rot.



A lot more damage is done when these big industrial complexes are shut down than just the job losses, the Port of Blyth will struggle during the recession without this large customer. Mind you, Alcan was probably doomed even before the recession, Rio Tinto paid top dollar for it then aluminium prices slumped.

[David Morison]

Re: Adieu Alcan Terminal

I remember the Alcan factory at Kinlochleven on my first visit to climb the Mamores and the Grey Corries more years ago than I care to remember, it was an eyesore then but almost the only employer for the village and significant for Fort William. Now it is all gone except for the Old Laboratory building which is now the excellent Blackwater Independent Hostel and camp-site. I believe the British Forces still have a accommodation block there for adventure and mountain warfare training. Kinlochleven was a sad place when I went there eight years ago to stay in the hostel, I hope it is recovering through adventure tourism which has increased dramatically everywhere.

David

[jdal]

Re: Adieu Alcan Terminal

Not much chance of adventure tourism in Blyth I'm afraid, unless you get the bus there and embark on a saturday night pub crawl

Re the Alcan in the area of Fort William, I'm sure we once rode a bogie down an old tramway towards the aluminium works at the Fort when we were coming down from climbing on Nevis.

[Zuiko]

Re: Adieu Alcan Terminal

Great capture in stunning light, a definitive picture of the plant as it is now. It will be interesting to compare with the site once it has been shut a number of years and fallen into dereliction, or cleared and replaced with something else.

[Guest]

Re: Adieu Alcan Terminal

I agree with John, John. Fantastic light has momentarily transformed what would almost certainly be an unsightly plant into something like art!

[Ulfric M Douglas]

Re: Adieu Alcan Terminal

Not much chance of adventure tourism in Blyth ...

Ah, but it is worth a visit for the waitresses in the seafront chippy/icecream parlour.

That area seems a hotspot for photogenic Industrial decay.

[jdal]

Re: Adieu Alcan Terminal

..
That area seems a hotspot for photogenic Industrial decay.

It certainly is, there are ex pits, ex pit villages, ex power stations and soon an ex smelter,. Also some very strange places - little boatyards, nudist beaches etc etc.

[Zuiko]

Re: Adieu Alcan Terminal

Not much chance of adventure tourism in Blyth I'm afraid, unless you get the bus there and embark on a saturday night pub crawl

Re the Alcan in the area of Fort William, I'm sure we once rode a bogie down an old tramway towards the aluminium works at the Fort when we were coming down from climbing on Nevis.

There is (or was) certainly an old tramway that we used to use for the approach to the Grey Corries - a bit exposed in places if I remember correctly.