Page 75
Page 75
12
60. In the City of Manchester, the main attack centred on the commercial and warehouse districts, where the number of vital factories is not great; however, in some cases a vital factory, although not directly hit, was involved in damage by fire owing to being sandwiched between warehouses and other places containing inflammable material.
61. The damage to vital factories is now known to be less severe than was at first believed, and the effect on production may be regarded as being of a temporary character. Even where the damage has been of a more severe nature its effect has been greater on the fabric of the building. The salvage of plant and its re-housing in requisitioned premises will do much to restore production.
The damage to Utilities affected producing units rather than street mains and cables.
62.
For example, the gas plant at Stretford suffered damage to a gasholder, and much of the roofing was blown off. This stopped production for a time, but on the 27th December the supply was restored to the Trafford Park district. Certain domestic supplies are still obstructed by presence of water in gas mains.
The only substantial incident connected with electricity was an unexploded parachute mine in the Stretford Power Station; this was satisfactorily dealt with on the 26th December.
Two of the main water-pipe lines from Thirlmere to Manchester were damaged. These supplied water to the north of Manchester, and there was a partial interruption of supply. Supplies were diverted to this area from the Longdendale source, and it was not necessary to make use of water carts.
The Central Telephone Exchange was, at one time, in great danger, but the rapid demolition of adjoining buildings prevented the fire from getting a hold, and no great damage resulted.
63. The general impression of the damage in Trafford Park is that vital plant and machinery was affected much less than the building structure; this presumably because the attack was made principally by I.Bs. and parachute mines
64. Interspersed timber storages and warehouses containing inflammable material aided the destruction by fire. In this connection it may be noted that the Spruce storage of F. Rosser and Co., Ltd., was burnt out.
65. Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd., covers a large target area; it was therefore unlikely that it would escape damage. In fact, these works received several hits from both H.E. and I.Bs. but the cumulative effect of the damage cannot be regarded as serious.
66. Oil installations were largely unaffected except for the Mode Wheel installation of the Anglo-American Oil Co., Ltd., where the actual loss of oil was low, but the loss of working equipment was relatively high.
Page 75
Page 75
Page 75Page 76
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.