ROF Risley facts for kids

ROF Risley was a very important factory in the UK during World War II. It was a "filling factory," which means it put explosives into bombs and other weapons. One of the biggest bombs it helped make was the Grand Slam bomb. This factory was located between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester.

ROF Risley: A Secret Wartime Factory

Building the Factory for World War II

When World War II began, the government bought a large area of land in Risley village. This land was mostly heath and marsh. It was chosen because the low mist and clouds often covered the area. This natural cover helped to hide the factory from enemy planes flying overhead.

Construction of the factory started in August 1939. It took about 18 months to build. Even before it was fully finished, the factory began making bombs in September 1940.

What Was a Filling Factory?

ROF Risley was known as a "filling factory." This meant it received explosives in large amounts, usually by train. Other factories made the explosives themselves. Risley's job was to carefully put these explosives into different bomb casings and other munitions (weapons).

There were 16 filling factories across the country. Risley was known as Filling Factory No. 6. Other similar factories were in Chorley and Kirkby.

Storage Bunkers and Rail Links

All filling factories had special storage areas called "Area 9." These areas had many bunkers. The finished bombs and weapons were stored here until they were ready to be sent out. Risley had 20 such bunkers.

These bunkers were built to protect the weapons from potential bombing. They also helped to keep the site safe by separating different areas. This reduced the danger if an accident happened during manufacturing or storage. The bunkers look like hills because they are covered with soil and grass.

The factory also had its own railway line. This line brought in workers and moved materials. There was even a train stop on the main Liverpool-Manchester line for the factory.

From Bombs to Atomic Energy

The UK's Atomic Headquarters

After World War II, the factory's role changed. In 1946, a new government group was set up at Risley. This group was in charge of making "fissile material." This is a special material needed to create nuclear weapons, also known as A-bombs.

This project was a huge undertaking for the UK after the war. It needed many top scientists and a very large budget. The early atomic site used many of the old factory buildings. It also used the same railway line to bring in workers from Manchester.

Growing with Atomic Power

In 1954, the Risley site grew even more. The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) was officially created there. This marked the start of the UK's peaceful nuclear power program. This program worked alongside the military one.

By this time, the UKAEA had over 20,000 workers. The Risley headquarters oversaw the design and building of all other UKAEA plants. It also handled technical plans, long-term goals, and important scientific research. By 1961, more than 40,000 people worked for the UKAEA, with most of them at the Risley headquarters.

Birchwood Forest Park Today

What Happened to the Old Factory Site?

The parts of the factory that were no longer used were put up for sale in 1963. No one bought the land until 1968. Then, the Warrington Development Corporation bought the site. They planned to build a new town called Birchwood.

Today, Birchwood is part of Cheshire. In the middle of Birchwood is Birchwood Forest Park. Some of the old bunkers from the factory are still there. They are now part of the park's landscape.