Thonock Oil Terminal. Real or just a project?

[highpeakman]

When browsing through Railmap today I came across some sidings shown that I had not known about before. These were apparently for Thonock Oil Terminal. They were apparently situated on the line from Gainsborough to Barnetby and the site was on the north side of the A159 about 2 to 3 miles from Gainsborough. I have often driven down this road but have never seen any sign of this site existing so I am interested to know the story. Does anyone know please?

 

I cannot find any reference to such a place when searching on Google however and cannot see any trace of there ever having been sidings in place on Google Earth. Early and later maps also show no sign of there having been a terminal except for one OS map (NLS Map site: OS 1.1m to 1.63k 1920s to 1940s). See picture attached. No other OS Maps on the NLS site, before those dates or after, appear to show the site at all. 

 

Given those dates on the map, was it a war time site? That might explain why it does not appear on other OS maps? Was it just a planned site that was never started/completed or has it just been totally obliterated? I feel the latter is unlikely but always possible. There were many other fuel (and ammunition) storage sites in this area owing to the number of airfields that once existed but traces can still be seen of most of those. However, as I say, at this site there appears to be no trace of any track works or remnants of any such works - storage tanks, roads, etc. 

 

I would be very interested to hear if anyone knows the story please? Thanks.

[GWR_Modeller]

http://www.signalboxes.com/thonock-sidings.php

 

WW1 shell factory closed 1922.

Signal box for Thonock sidings in 1972 so something still there but not marked on maps so MoD?

[GWR_Modeller]

Looking at 1950s OS six inch there is just a single up siding. 

[6892 Oakhill Grange]

Possibly a genuine oil field:

 

https://gainsborough-tc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/archive/Planning_and_Development__Thursday_30_January_2014.pdf

 

Oil well(s) at Thonock mentioned in attached link.  Oil in this wider area was developed during WW2 and after.  It seems to attract further interest from time to time when the oil price is high.

 

Adrian

[highpeakman]

11 hours ago, GWR_Modeller said:

http://www.signalboxes.com/thonock-sidings.php

 

WW1 shell factory closed 1922.

Signal box for Thonock sidings in 1972 so something still there but not marked on maps so MoD?

Thank you very much indeed for that. That explains everything.

 

I had been searching for an "Oil Terminal" rather than just sidings.

 

A WW1 munitions factory makes sense and explains why so much of the traces have disappeared. 

 

Thanks again.

[highpeakman]

2 hours ago, 6892 Oakhill Grange said:

Possibly a genuine oil field:

 

https://gainsborough-tc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/archive/Planning_and_Development__Thursday_30_January_2014.pdf

 

Oil well(s) at Thonock mentioned in attached link.  Oil in this wider area was developed during WW2 and after.  It seems to attract further interest from time to time when the oil price is high.

 

Adrian

Thank you for that.

Yes, I live in the wider area and there are a couple of working pumps in the vicinity that have been there a long time although none, as far as I am aware, are rail connected.  The relatively small amounts are collected in tanks and taken out by road I believe. They are trying to open more but facing opposition currently.

Edited December 2, 2021 by highpeakman

[highpeakman]

A little more research:

 

GAINSBOROUGH AT WAR –  THE THONOCK MINE FILLING FACTORY

 

In November 1917 building started on a 149-acre site at Thonock for the National Filling Factory No.22. It was built to fill mines for the navy. By February 1918 the first “Sinkers” had been filled with 1000 lbs. of TNT (trinitrotoluene) and were sent to Portsmouth. By the end of the war, the factory had used over 2476 tons of TNT. The factory had reached full capacity just as the war ended but it went on for several more years decommissioning munitions and it was the mid-1920’s before the land reverted to farming. 

[Forward!]

Here's the Historic Environment Record for the site: https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=1077819&resourceID=19191

 

Had a look on a few of the other databases I have access to and it appears to have evaded any other mapping/aerial imagery. 

 

I barely knew of the existence of this site, and I'm a heritage professional who also happened to grow up about 4 miles down the road in Blyton, Lincs!

 

Will