Location type

Name and dates

Description

This was a shale oil works. Paraffin was distilled here from coal and oil shale, the process invented and patented by the chemist James Young. The works was opened with Edward Meldrum and Edward William Binney as E.W. Binney & Co. in 1851. The process was perfected by 1856.

The works received Torbanite (also known as Boghead coal) from nearby mines at Torbane, Torbanehill and Boghead. Many of the mines were rail served and were to the south west.

It came under sole control of Young in 1865 and was transferred to the Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Company in 1866. It was eclipsed by the company's new bigger Addiewell Chemical Works.

The Bathgate Chemical Works was initially located on the east side of the 1850 Longridge to Bathgate (Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway) and spread to the west side of the line with new retorts, a second refinery and the sulphuric acid works, the shale shed being served by sidings from the north from a junction at Chemical Works Signal Box.

The area is known as Durhamtoun for Durham Weir who owned the land the works was built on.

Oil production ceased in the 1880s (this part struggled from the 1860s) and sulphuric acid continued until around 1956. The nearby signal box closed in 1967.

The site was cleared in the 1990s. A road now occupies the former railway trackbed and the works is now an industrial estate.

Local

Scottish Shale - Bathgate Chemical Works

Tags

External links