Shoreham Cement Works, West Sussex

Shoreham Cement Works

Shoreham Works was established in 1883 to produce cement. The first ever Vickers Armstrong design of rotary kiln was installed in 1940s. The site closed in 1991.

Visited April 2014  UK West Sussex, England Decommissioned

The Beeding Portland Cement Company was founded in 1878 and began producing cement at the site in Upper Beeding near Shoreham in 1883. Six Johnson Chamber kilns were used and could produce up to 144 tonnes of cement per week.

In 1897 the site was taken over by Sussex Portland Cement and was expanded considerably. Eight Michelle Chamber kilns were established, along with two Schneider kilns which burnt off excess dried slurry. By 1900 two rotary kilns had been installed, these are likely to be the first operational rotary kilns in the country. They were powered by DC electricity generated on site.

The plant was completely re-built in 1948-1950 and the arrangement of buildings that still stands today was established in the chalk quarry basin. These buildings contain the first ever installation of a Vickers Armstrong design of rotary kiln, which was subsequently widely replicated elsewhere. This installation was considered state-of-the-art at the time. Typical output of each kiln was around 550 tonnes per day. The establishment of good transport links by rail and road made such output feasible.  [1]

The kilns are 350ft long and 10ft wide. Slurry was fed into them and pulverised coal was then blown in and ignited. This process burnt the slurry at 2500°F and the resultant red-hot clinker was dropped into open ended cooling tubes. The tubes carried air upwards to avoid dust escaping inside the building.  High-output levels coupled with this dust extraction method inevitably brought with it high levels of pollution. For many years the area surrounding the site had a constant covering of dust, giving everything a whitish-grey tint. [2]

The kilns were highly successful but they were labour intensive to operate. They were converted to filter cake feed in 1983 with a filter press. This arrangement ultimately limited production, and along with the high dust loss was one of the reasons for the plants closure in 1991.

The site was acquired by a developer in 1997 who have since made the extensive hard standings and buildings available for mixed-used business purposes. Proposals for comprehensive redevelopment of the entire site are ongoing. [3]

Shoreham Cement Works - Parallel Pipes - The twin kilns run the length of the building
Shoreham Cement Works – Parallel Pipes – The twin kilns run the length of the building
Shoreham Cement Works - Parallel Pipes - Evening light beams between the huge pipes
Shoreham Cement Works – Parallel Pipes – Evening light beams between the huge pipes
Shoreham Cement Works - View down side of rotary kiln
Shoreham Cement Works – View down side of rotary kiln
Shoreham Cement Works - View of kilns from the other end
Shoreham Cement Works – View of kilns from the other end
Shoreham Cement Works - End of the rotary kilns
Shoreham Cement Works – End of the rotary kilns
Shoreham Cement Works -Klinker Coolers
Shoreham Cement Works – Klinker Coolers
Shoreham Cement Works - Between the Vickers Armstrong rotary kilns
Shoreham Cement Works – Between the Vickers Armstrong rotary kilns
Shoreham Cement Works - Feed into the kilns
Shoreham Cement Works – Feed into the kilns
Shoreham Cement Works - The underbelly
Shoreham Cement Works – The underbelly
Shoreham Cement Works - Machinery inside
Shoreham Cement Works – Machinery inside
Shoreham Cement Works - Danger Keep Out sign.
Shoreham Cement Works – Danger Keep Out sign.
Shoreham Cement Works - Quad pipes
Shoreham Cement Works – Quad pipes
Shoreham Cement Works - Above the feeder end
Shoreham Cement Works – Above the feeder end
Shoreham Cement Works - Large pipe symmetry
Shoreham Cement Works – Large pipe symmetry
Shoreham Cement Works - Pipes through broken windows
Shoreham Cement Works – Pipes through broken windows
Shoreham Cement Works - Triple pipes
Shoreham Cement Works – Triple pipes
Shoreham Cement Works - View from control room window
Shoreham Cement Works – View from control room window
Shoreham Cement Works - Machinery
Shoreham Cement Works – Machinery
Shoreham Cement Works - Silos inside main building
Shoreham Cement Works – Silos inside main building
Shoreham Cement Works - Central avenue next to main building
Shoreham Cement Works – Central avenue next to main building
Shoreham Cement Works - Trucks lines up outside
Shoreham Cement Works – Trucks lines up outside
Shoreham Cement Works - Truck in front of building
Shoreham Cement Works – Truck in front of building
Shoreham Cement Works - External from quarry
Shoreham Cement Works – External from quarry

References

1. Source: http://www.cementkilns.co.uk/cement_kiln_shoreham.html
2. Source: http://www.shorehambysea.com/chalk-a-history-of-shoreham-beeding-cement-works.html
3. Source: http://www.hargreaves.co.uk/component/iproperty/?view=property&id=58:shoreham-cement-works

Author: Andy Kay | Facebook | Flickr | Instagram

17 thoughts on Shoreham Cement Works, West Sussex

  1. Cracking man, some of the best shots I’ve seen of this place and its only 5mins away from where I live

  2. Don’t tell Mrs X, but I’d quite like to marry “Above the feeder end” AND “Pipes through broken windows”. Genuinely some of my favourite work of yours so far mate. Brilliant work.

  3. The 2 popes under the kilns are the coolers, the klinker went through them after the kilns to start the cooling down process

  4. Did u photo shop the writing on the kilns ? My dad was the manger there an he was impressed with yr pics an yr write up curious about the writing if shorham cement ?

  5. It’s good to see these’s pics as I also live by it and never had the chance to look around, also most of my family worked there some as high as management

  6. What a waste of time it was keeping it clean all that time ago . Closed May 1991 Rust in pease

  7. Lovely pictures:) I’ve aways wanted to have a look In side as I live close by, and as u say it is locked down tight!

  8. Great pictures. I remember having a guided tour of the factory with the school back in 1960 something. My dad also worked there as a driver and garage hand. Also remember the clay pits at Small Dole that I think fed the kilns with slurry? We used to fish them.

  9. Do u think they would allow a metal band to do a music video at this place and if so is there a contact number atall?

    • They are likely to say no on health and safety grounds as the site is pretty dangerous in places, but it’s always worth a try. I don’t have any contact details – people are on site 24/7 so maybe go ask them if you’re local.

  10. The photo …Shoreham Cement Works – End of the rotary kilns is that the Dry-mills under the kilns please…

  11. During a visit with other students from Brighton Technical College in 1970’s, I remember being awed by the size of the plant and deafened (even with ear defenders) by the ball bearing filled tubes that reduced the cement to fine powder.

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