Visitor Info Navigation

Select a page

News - Transport Trust Red Wheel Plaque
Unveiling of the Transport Trust Red Wheel Plaque by Mr Timothy West CBE

Unveiling of the Transport Trust Red Wheel Plaque

Unveiling of the Transport Trust Red Wheel Plaque
by Mr Timothy West CBE

A volley of musket fire from Rawdon’s Regiment of Foote heralded the arrival at the Royal Gunpowder Mills, of two of Britain’s most respected actors, Mr Timothy West CBE(1) and his wife, Prunella Scales CBE(2).

The occasion was the unveiling of a Red Wheel plaque, awarded by the Transport Trust, to the heritage site at Waltham Abbey in recognition of the groundbreaking use of transport systems to aid production on what is probably the World’s first integrated
manufacturing plant.

After a short tour of the interactive exhibition on the production of gunpowder, cordite (3) and the social aspects of the site’s history since production started in the 17th Century, the invited audience heard Trust Director, Mr Trevor Knapp, described how the site became the premier facility for the production of gunpowder in Europe.

Neil Marshall of the Transport Trust

From left: Timothy West; Trevor Knapp; Neil Marshall
of the Transport Trust; Ricki Gadsby Mayor of
Waltham Abbey; Prunella Scales

For much of the site’s history, transportation of raw materials and finished goods was by canal, drawn by people rather than horse, so as not to risk sparks from the horse’s hooves. Even the later introduction of a railway network did not mean the end of people power and teams of women pulled the carts with their spark-resistant phosphor bronze wheels.

Finished goods were sent onto the Lee Navigation and onwards to places such as the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. The site is an engineering masterpiece of the time, with it’s multi-level canals joined by a series of locks and the metal aqueducts, the remaining
ones being three of the 26 left remaining in the whole country.

Neil Marshall of the Transport Trust

Neil Marshall of the Transport Trust

Sheer hard work, mainly by the people of Waltham Abbey, helped make the Royal Gunpowder Mills a unique part of Britain’s industrial heritage.

Mr Knapp introduced Neil Marshall of the Transport Trust(4). Mr Marshall described the Royal Gunpowder Mills as ‘… a jewel…’ with a remarkable contribution to both social history and the industrial production. He spoke of the site as having helped make the River Lee a remarkable supply chain for industry and of creating the wealth that enabled Britain to become a powerful global force.

He described the award of the plaque as ‘…a mark of respect to one of the greatest integrated manufacturing facilities in Britain…’.

Mr Timothy West then stepped forward to unveil the plaque and started by saying that it
was wonderful to be at such an extraordinary site. He remarked that, in his lifetime, he
had seen the demise of freight transportation by canal, steam railways and the end of
shipbuilding in Britain but was warmed by the number of both railway and canal restoration projects and places, such as the Royal Gunpowder Mills, ensuring that we preserved and valued our transport heritage.

He commented that there was no better place to showcase and celebrate Britain’s
industrial heritage.

First Fireworks Display at the Royal Gunpowder Mills

First Fireworks Display at the Royal Gunpowder Mills

Accompanied by the drums of Rawdon’s Regiment, Mr West proceeded to unveil the plaque recognising the importance of the site in Britain’s transport and industrial
heritage.

The day’s events were concluded with a spectacular firework display, the first time the general public have been able to watch such a display at the home of gunpowder in it’s long history.

References

1. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0922367/bio Mr West has owned a narrowboat since 1979 and regularly holidays on it with his family. He also vice-president of The Waterways Trust*, the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust and a patron of the Huddersfield Canal Society. He was also involved in the restoration of The Waverley, the world's last ocean-going paddle steamer.
2. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0768795/bio
3. Cordite - Cordite is a family of smokeless propellants developed and produced in the United Kingdom from 1889 to replace gunpowder as a military propellant. Like gunpowder, cordite is classified as a low explosive because of its slow burning rates
4. The Transport Trust is the only national charity established to promote and encourage the preservation and restoration of Britain's unique transport heritage in all its forms - by air, road and water.

	Search

Visitor Info Navigation

News - Transport Trust Red Wheel Plaque Unveiling of the Transport Trust Red Wheel Plaque by Mr Timothy West CBE

News - Transport Trust Red Wheel Plaque
Unveiling of the Transport Trust Red Wheel Plaque by Mr Timothy West CBE