Pallion Engineering, Sunderland - Jan 2010

[**MudLark**]

Quite good to be back on the road again, this is my first explore since the summer, its good to get out of the armchair!
Thanks to Branston and Red16 for the trip!

Often called 'doxford pallion', all that remains of the mighty William Doxford and Son's empire stands, rotting away in what was once the industrial heartland of Sunderland.

Once the most up to date Shipyard in the country, having been rebuilt in the the 70's, it seems the Sunderland Yards were doomed from the start. Events on the Clyde saw their shipyards sold to a private owner, on the grounds that the Sunderland Yard capacity was curtailed. Finally in 1989, the yard was closed, not long after becoming a part of British Shipbuilders in 1979. A ban on shipbuilding was one of the conditions of the 45million pound aid package dished out by the government at the time, and this meant that all the yards around Pallion were closed. And flattened. But, Pallion Shipyard being the most up to date was mothballed with a ship breakers licence, and ultimatly spared the bulldozers only to be steadily carved up by the industry around it.

Pallion Engineering, its Drawing office and Gatehouse still remain and this was where we found ourselves, in deep snow and freezing cold!

Access was tricky, due to the lovely light blanket of snow that covered
everything without a roof... i certainly wouldnt recommend it without a tripod to 'find' the weak spots!
and i didnt have a tripod.....


Still, on with the pics i think...

The Drawing Offices....













the gloriously 70's main reception. Useless however without a tripod!
Unfinished business here, i think!


Into the Basement






This was a great find, boxed up with the photo onto plastic, we only knew what is was when we shone a light through it!
She is ship number 845, 'Tactitian' built for the Charente Steam Ship Co and launched in 1961. She was operated by the Harrison Line, and remained in service with them until she was scrapped in 1987. She was one of a whole fleet of ships built and Pallion for, and owned by Charente.

Upstairs to the Offices




i thought there was something odd about this..... earlier reports on this place have this chair downstairs next to the other one in reception..... who would drag it all the way up here?!!



The famous Boardroom.. however, it was not always like this.......

(taken from Turkey's Report, June 2007)



telex anyone?


All in all a very nice, if not slightly cold explore! I get the impression i've missed out on this place by a good few years... but still, one off the list and will certainly go back!
There is grafitti in the basement from the 1900's apparently....

[evilnoodle]

Good stuff. I like the boardroom.
Some pleasing greenery going on in there, also

[BB]

Great stuff Miss Mudlark

[skin]

Nice - do the lights still have electricity to them? Judging by your pics the drawing room is decaying fast.

[boxfrenzy]

I always like the look of this place. You did a good job. I can smell the damp from here.

[Sandman]

Nice set there misses
Looking at the board room tho its been trashed since my last visit as there was loads of stuff on the side board and the table.

Word to the wise to everyone...
Dont go touching anything electical at pallion - there's a good deal thats still live.
Also pallion is a partialy live site - dont even look like your about to walk on to the live area as security there are bastards and tend to lurk about in a blue van

[Dystopia]

Did you stop to sample any albatross on your visit?

[**MudLark**]

Thanks for the comments everyone.... like i said, it was good to be out and about again, its been farrr too long!
didnt have too much bother from the electrics, nothing looked to be on come to think of it but the banging and crashing the roof made had us CONVINCED we had company at one point!!

[wolfism]

Good set of photos, though it has definitely decayed a lot, and there are fewer interesting things lying around … last time I went there were heaps of brochures on the drawing boards? But you're right, the entrance hall is absolutely stunning.

[KingElvis]

Nice one, I visited but didn't get shit.

Love some of those shots though.