Images Dated 11th October 2021

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

Coryton flood response 1953 JLP01_08_008073

CORYTON OIL REFINERY, THURROCK, ESSEX. Flooding on the construction site of Coryton Oil Refinery, showing flood water in the tank farm area and workmen transporting sandbags in the foreground.
On the night of Saturday 31st January through to the morning of Sunday 1st February 1953, severe floods struck parts of the UK, Scotland, Belgium and the Netherlands. The natural disaster is often referred to as the North Sea Flood of 1953. Severe flooding occurred along the east coast of the UK. The site of Coryton Oil Refinery flooded as the river wall protecting the site was breached in 14 places. An article detailing the disaster and subsequent recovery operation was published in the March 1953 edition of Laing's monthly newsletter; Team Spirit

© Historic England Archive. John Laing Photographic Collection

Carlisle Cathedral JLP01_08_075746

CARLISLE CATHEDRAL, CARLISLE, CUMBRIA. Foreman stonemason, Ted Drinkwater, working at Carlisle Cathedral checking a stone head on the north face of the cathedral. Half its face had been replaced using SBD Certite as the adhesive.
This photograph is part of a batch taken by Laing to show restoration work being carried out using SBD Certite. In 1961, N M Phillips, the architect for Carlisle Cathedral started experimenting with the bonding material SBD Certite in the restoration of the cathedral. It was used on all but one of the decorated Gothic windows of the South Clerestory and by the time this photograph was taken, it was being used in the restoration of the north face of the cathedral. By using SBD Certite, Laing stonemasons were able to remove just the weathered surface of the stonework. New stone only two inches deep could be bonded to the old stone saving more of the original fabric of the building and cutting costs by a third. The photograph was published in April 1967 in Laing's monthly newsletter Team Spirit

© Historic England Archive. John Laing Photographic Collection