Industry in the country

This is British Gypsum's factory at Kirkby Thore quite close to where we live. Gypsum has been mined here for over 200 years but most is now brought by rail from Drax power station in East Yorkshire. They make plaster board, plaster and stuff like that for the building industry. There is no smoke and steam so no production this afternoon.

The covered construction leading to the factory is a conveyor belt that brings the gypsum from the mines. The whole area is riddled with underground workings. Apparently the tunnels are large enough to operate JCBs etc. One tunnel reaches the edge of our village which is 4 miles away.

It was a major employer and, relatively it still is even though the numbers are much lower. Viewed from afar it is not really a blot on the landscape. Most of the buildings are white/grey and are in a fold in the ground. The chimneys are most obvious and can be seen from the A66.