Workmen Gallery

Red Lion Wharf JLP01_01_063_61

Red Lion Wharf, Northfleet, Gravesend, Gravesham, Kent. Laing workers preparing the dry dock at Red Lion Wharf, Gravesend, for the first phase in the construction of the cooling water intake caisson for Coryton Oil Refinery.
The first stages in the construction of the cooling water intake caisson were carried out at the Red Lion Wharf dry dock, Gravesend. Before work could begin, the site had to be prepared. A thick layer of mud which had been deposited by the tide was removed and the entrance to the dock was closed. On 30th November 1951, when the first construction phase was complete, the caisson was towed across the Thames to Tilbury Docks. Construction of the caisson was completed at Tilbury, and it was finally transported to Coryton in March 1952

© Historic England Archive. John Laing Photographic Collection

Piling foundations JLP01_01_167_38

CORYTON OIL REFINERY, THURROCK, ESSEX. Foundation work in progress for the Crude Distillation Unit at Coryton Oil Refinery, showing men working on pile foundations and a back actor machine excavating between piles.
The caption beneath this album print reads Crude Distillation Unit - 16" x 16" vertical and raking piles, breaking away concrete surrounding main reinforcement prior to burning off at cut off level. Back Actor excavating between piles (Tower Foundations).
Coryton Oil Refinery was ceremonially opened in May 1954 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. It was operated by Vacuum Oil Company; a unit of Mobil. From 1996, the refinery was run by BP as part of a joint venture with Mobil. Ownership of Coryton Refinery was later transferred to BP in 2000, and then Petroplus Holdings in 2007. Major products of the refinery included petrol and diesel, aviation fuels, liquefied petroleum gas, fuel oils and bitumen. Coryton Oil Refinery was closed down in 2012

© Historic England Archive. John Laing Photographic Collection