It is the end of an era for the skyline in Hebburn on Tyneside. The huge gray cube building, the Clothier Laboratory, is coming down. Once heralded as the premier test facility for high voltage electricity in the United Kingdom is right at this minute being demolished and its parts taken away for scrap.
The Lab was opened in 1970 and named after Henry William Clothier, a pioneer of electric switchgear and one of the men who illuminated the world. It was once part of the huge Reyrolle infrastructure which went into decline with just about all other major industry in the North East of England.
The land on which the clothier laboratory stands is set to be sold and most likely turned into housing and industrial units. These photographs were taken over a series of weeks and show the building's gradual demise.
"You could see the building from miles around, indeed when I was a child away from the house, I used to search the horizon for the big grey building and know where home was, I live in Hebburn."
- Derek Taylor
It is quite sad to see the old building disappear, but, I suppose local TV reception will be much improved and the view down towards the Tyne relatively unobstructed.
This was the last photo I managed to snap of the Clothier Lab building on its last day, looking due West, up Hartleyburn Avenue in Hebburn.
This was the last photo I managed to snap of the Clothier Lab building on its last day, looking due West, up Hartleyburn Avenue in Hebburn.
