Building 50 at Thornton Aero Engine Research Laboratory, Elton, Cheshire West and Chester

Description

389/0/10006 POOLE LANE
05-DEC-07 Building 50 at Thornton Aero Engine Re
search Laboratory

II
Aviation fuel research laboratory & offices, 1940-1, by Sir Alan Cobham & Burnet, Tait & Lorne, brick with cast concrete dressings, U-shaped plan, simplified International Modern style, single storey with central octagonal tower to front range, flat roof.

PLAN: Central corridor flanked by offices, workrooms and conference room to front range, central corridors flanked by laboratories and test beds to rear wings.

EXTERIOR: Large casement windows to all elevations divided by horizontal and vertical glazing bars (one to SW end of left side elevation now bricked up, one to SW end of right side shortened with replaced glazing), cast concrete sill and lintel bands, parapet to roofline. Linear front range with central tower. Raised entrance to front face of tower accessed by short wide stair with low flanking brick walls, concrete copings. Two slender windows to each flanking angled face of tower, concrete surrounds. Concrete surround to doorway continues up face of tower to just below parapet wall, incorporates paired window to first floor level (single vertical glazing bar and two horizontals) and roundel window above with similar glazing bars. Carved reliefs of mid C20 aircraft beneath roundel window, bronze cast of original Shell logo above entrance. Main double timber and partially glazed doors recessed within entrance porch. Secondary doors to left and right side elevations. Extractor flues to right side elevation exiting from engine test bed rooms. Small extensions to rear wings of mid-late 1940s with plain casements and doors. Access into basement plant room via external stair to rear yard.

INTERIOR: Original doors. Conference room to front left end with panelled walls, doors and built-in cabinets of various woods including Australian black bear, Indian silver grey and African mahogany. Plain offices and workrooms to front range. Original floor plan to laboratories and test beds to rear wings, 1970s equipment to former. Test rigs now removed but floor positioning still evident. Tower entrance hall with coloured patterned floor incorporating star design, vaulted ceiling lit by Diocletian windows with Modern style glazing, decorative light fixture to centre of ceiling (light now removed). Stone tiled dado and door surrounds to front and rear doors. Double doors to rear lead into main corridor, decorative plaster roundel above originally contained a clock (now removed). Built-in display cabinets, one with bronze cast of original Shell logo above. Door to front left wall accesses cast-iron spiral staircase leading to water tank room above and roof.

HISTORY: Building 50 was the first of four laboratories constructed to form Shell's Thornton Research Centre. During the 1930s there had been a rapid development in aero-engine design and Shell decided that detailed research was required in order for the development of aviation fuels and oils to keep pace. Consequently in 1939 it was decided that a specialist aero-engine laboratory should be built in Britain. The site of Thornton was chosen for its proximity to the Stanlow oil refinery (est.1922), as the laboratory would also be evaluating crude oil as a possible source of aviation fuel.
Following the start of WWII in September 1939 the project became more urgent and in spring 1940 construction of the Aero-Engine Laboratory (AEL - now known as Building 50) commenced. Until the building was completed (at a cost of £128,930) in 1941 scientists had to use temporary accommodation on the site. Two more laboratory buildings were constructed later.
During the war years Building 50 was used to test and develop better fuels and lubricants for the RAF. As the research carried out at Building 50 was seen as vital to the war effort and future of aviation the building was in operation 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and some scientists were required to work 24 hour shifts. As a result many lived on the premises in makeshift beds.
Originally Building 50 was flanked by two detached buildings, nos.51 & 48 that were connected to no.50 by low curved walls at the front. Nos.51 & 48 were demolished in the late 1970s along with detached workshops to the rear of no.50.
In April 1942 the Ministry Committee took charge of the laboratory's work programme whilst Shell managed the building. This enabled further recruitment of expert staff and additional facilities. This lasted for the duration of the war until 1946 when full control was returned to Shell. During this period Building 50 was used for testing the fuel for Merlin engines used in Spitfires, Allison engines used in Mustangs, and Lancaster Bombers.
Later in the C20 Building 50 was used to test the fuels, lubricants and greases for Concorde and provided improvements to the aircraft's fuel system before its first flight.
Building 50 ceased use in the late C20, as the laboratory and office work was moved to more modern buildings on the Thornton site.

SOURCES:
Editions du patrimoine. 2000. 'Berlin Tempelhof, Liverpool Speke, Paris Le Bourget: Airport Architecture of the Thirties'. Editions du patrimoine and English Heritage.
Corporate literature: Shell Research Limited. 1990. 'Thornton Research Centre: 50 years'.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION

Building 50 is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* It was designed by the internationally significant aviation expert Sir Alan Cobham, with the renowned architects Burnet, Tait and Lorne
* It is an imposing and elegant building in a simplified International Modern style with architectural detailing that is above the purely functional
* Its architectural detailing reflects the importance of the work carried out within the building
* The exterior architectural styling echoes (on a more modest scale) that of Edward Bloomfield's grade II* listed Speke airport, which was influenced in part by an earlier unexecuted design by Cobham et al
* It has special historic and technological interest for its pioneering and crucial work in the development of modern aviation fuel and its contributions to the success of British aircraft during WWII
* It remains substantially intact with a little altered interior and original features such as the panelled boardroom, entrance hall, doors and windows
* The original spatial division and function of rooms is still readable

Reasons for Listing

* It is an imposing and elegant building in a simplified International Modern style with architectural detailing that is above the purely functional
* Its architectural detailing reflects the importance of the work carried out within the building
* The exterior architectural styling echoes (on a more modest scale) that of Edward Bloomfield's Grade II* listed Speke airport, which was influenced in part by an earlier unexecuted design by Sir Alan Cobham
* It has special historic and technological interest for its pioneering and crucial work in the development of modern aviation fuel and its contributions to the success of British aircraft during WWII
* It remains substantially intact with a little-altered interior and original features such as the panelled boardroom, entrance hall, doors and windows
* The original spatial division and function of rooms is still readable

External Links

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