EAW002338 ENGLAND (1946). Tilbury Docks, Tilbury, 1946

Operation PLUTO (pipeline under the ocean) This was the site chosen to construct the pipelines to carry the petrol needed to support the invasion of Europe in 1944. The pipe 3"diameter bore was manufactured by Stewarts & Lloyd of Corby,and transported in 30 foot lengths by rail to a holding area and unloaded by an overhead mono-rail system. The tubes then were welded together,each weld cleaned and dressed into a 4000 foot length weighing 14 tons.These lengths were then welded together and wound onto a drum (conundrum)to be towed by a ship ,the pipe payed out and laid in a single length across the English channel.The pipe on the conundrum totalled eighty miles and weighed 1600 tons.In all some twenty pipes of this type were laid,one nearly to Berlin

Here another video of the Lead pipes being made at the WT Glover Cable Works in Manchester,these were transferred to waiting cable ships berthed in the Manchester Ship Canal via an overhead pulley and gantry system. https://archive.org/details/1945-06-04_Allies_Sieze_German_Loot_and_Criminals skip to the 3 minute mark for just the pipeline stuff.

This is a shot of the WT Glover cable works at Old Trafford, This shows the distance between the works and the Ship Canal, where the finished pipe was coiled into the laying ships hold in 4000 ton lengths http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw041635?search=glover%20cable%20works&ref=7

for an excellent account of all operations,manufacture and recovery of the PLUTO pipelines see http://www.combinedops.com/pluto.htm

For a video of the entire process, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N1UHU3z44U

Conundrum assembly area and slipways

Conundrum winding jetty

Conundrum Winding jetty

"B" snubber

"B" final welding plant

Snubber house,used to keep a tension on the pipe as it was coiled on the conundrum

"A"plant final welding station where the 4000 foot pipes were joined together

This stillage was an improvement on the first as it was less troublesome

The 3/4 mile long roller rack and storage stillage for the pipes

"B" plant,built to supplement supply and also capable of making seven continuous pipes

"A"Welding Plant,this one built first and capable of making seven pipes at he same time.