Locations Pt 1
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Quatermass 2: Shell Haven Oil Refiney Location
In 1998 I took a trip from where I used to live in Brighton, along with my then future wife Sarah. Off we went to the Shell Oil Refinery at Coryton, Essex. The complex was still standing at that point, although having been demolished in recent years, to make way for a giant Euro Frieght depot. I had a hard time trying to convince the security Guards there that my photographs were purely for a project (I think I actually made up some kind of story to be able to photograph the plant), eventually they allowed me to take shots from outside the plant. I wasn't allowed to use a decent camera either, and thus had to go off into Stanford-le-Hope to buy a disposable B&W camera, to try and give my shots some kind of atmosphere, well that was my line of thought anyway. There are no close up shots, as I wasn't allowed any further than the outside fence. The nearest shot I got was of the approach to the plant. It's a shame that the plant no longer exsists, I believe it is called progress. The plant inccidentally, to those that do not know, played an integeral part in locations for the fictional 'Moon Project', at the even more fictional Winnerden Flats in both the BBC TV serial & Hammer film version's of Nigel Kneale's Quatermass II. Please excuse the overall image quality. I had a thoroughly great time doing these photographs, so enjoy!
Shot 1
Above: The approach to the plant in 1998.
Shot 2
Above: Some spherical storage tanks. Someone once told me that these contain Propane Gas.This was taken from the roadside.
shot 3
Above: A rather gloomy shot taken from a side field.
Shot 4
Above: More spherical storage tanks.
Continued on page 2....
Stephen Reed. 2008.
