The huge deserted site of Steetleys Magnesite works in Hartlepool, partly demolished and partly a huge adventure playground for the local kids. Hardly a fence to be found and definitely no security in sight.
Vast tanks, uneartly blue lagoons, a 200ft chimney, a pier.
View this on the map to see the vast scale of the place. Catch it before its demolished and probably turned into “luxury flats”
UPDATE :
The chimney was demolished on 29th July 2012, the pier has already been cut to stop access and I believe many of the pools have now been demolished too. So i’m moving this into the ‘Too Late’ category
Steetley, Abandoned Works in Hartlepool
Show on map
I pass this frequently on the the train … Always wondered whether there was water inside the those huge cylinders! I once thought I’d caught a glimpse but couldn’t believe they’d just leave the water there, unprotected.
This is a fantastic site, absolutely fascinating. Keep up the good work!
I used to see this place in use when I was growing up in Hartlepool during the 1960’s & 70’s & lived on the Central Estate & the Headland. My granddad worked there. I thought the people of Hartlepool Headland cared about their part of the town and so I am absolutely ‘gobsmaked’ that it has just been left like this. I know there are people taking care of the Old Spion Kop Cemetery now, so why isn’t anyone doing anything about this eyesore?? I live in New Zealand now so am not able to. Come on Monkey Hangers & Codheads alike do something about this!!!
I used to deliver Sulphuric acid on a daily basis to this site, had to drive thrugh a lnarrow tunnel under the railway lines for access.
I used to splash about in the outflow from this place, it was the warmest… early
60″s. used to live through the arch in West View..
I did some contract work in here in the 80’s / 90’s, fitting new conveyors, it was like being in a sci fi / horror movie inside…man made yet somehow organic
Hi Martin, i did a 3 month contract in 1986 , i think May, June and July. Loved it. For 1 month i worked with a fitter & a labourer down the pump house at the end of the pier.. 1 month in the Magnesia building 3 or 4 stories high, re-newing the conveyors & bucket conveyors. Soon as you hit something you were covered in white dust, and 1 month on general repairs through out the works. We nearly got kept on, but they changed their minds at the last moment. Just as well as i got on working for caterpillar at Peterlee and was there for 22 years till i retired early.
Does anyone know if this site is still available to visit or has it been completely demolished? I am looking to get some photography of my own of abandoned sites in the north east and I would love to get some photographs of here.
All gone i’m afraid.
http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/take-a-look-inside-the-new-houses-on-hartlepool-s-former-steetley-site-1-7795661
The pier part is still there, you can walk underneath it and its great for photographs