Day 93
Imperial Dock Grain Elevator & Warehouse
If you found this post from our social media posts, April Fools! The grain elevator is being demolished, but NOT to become a rollercoaster!
The 15-bay, 5-storey concrete grain warehouse that has stood at edge of the Leith Docks since 1933/1934, originally designed by JD Easton and AH Roberts for the Leith Dock Commission, is actually set to be demolished piece-by-piece this year. Built to stockpile grain, which was at one time Leith’s main import, the building was extended at the back in the 1950s and again in the 1960s, and has been an integral part of the Leith and Edinburgh skyline ever since.
Also known as a “grain elevator,” these tower structures, invented as an industrial mechanism that utilised a conveyor system which would intake the grain, store, and distribute en masse, were impressive engineering feats at the time, and this one remains one of the rare examples of its kind still standing. In the case of this warehouse, grain would be brought into the docks on ships, and then enter the building via a conveyor belt (which has since been demolished) and came down into massive silos. This expansive building housed the grain in 334 separated bins, eventually with the purpose distribute massive amounts grain for various clients. Remarkably, the building’s machinery remains almost entirely intact and inside the structure today, showcasing examples the industrial history of the area. The building was listed in 1995 when it was still in use and remained so until around 2002. The building has remained abandoned and boarded up ever since.
A few have adventured inside the building, accessing and photographing the inside of this remarkable structure allowing us to see inside this virtually untouched relic to industrial machinery and innovation. The stunning photographs below were taken by Tom from whateversleft.co.uk, who runs this site that explores abandoned buildings across the UK.
A group of urban explorers also found a way into the building (without permission) to film and post a tour of this vast building late last year on their youtube channel, Urbandoned.
So what is the real reason why the grain warehouse is coming down after all this time? According to a recent article in the Edinburgh Evening News, Forth Ports, the business who manages the site says the demolition is happening this year as “part of a commitment to enhance its position in the offshore renewables market.”