Wallsend, Davy Bank, Oceana Business Park (Pametrada)

Wallsend Research Station was the site of the creation of Charles Parsons' steam turbine in 1884. Parsons' Marine Turbine Company at Wallsend built the Turbinia as part of their marint propulsion works. The Parsons and Marine Engineering Turbine Research and Development Association (Pametrada) was formed in May 1944. This was a joint research organisation with a number of participating firms. They carried out shore based tests on turbines used by the Admiralty and merchant ships. They supplied machinery designs and aimed to improve design through research and development of gas and steam turbines. In 1962 Pametrada and the British Shipbuilding Research Association (which had been established in 1944) merged to form the British Ship Research Association. The British Ship Research Association and the National Maritime Institute merged in 1985 to form British Maritime Technology Ltd. The former Wallsend Research Station site is now the Oceana Business Park. It covers 12 acres. The surviving buildings are Pametrada, Ceres House, Northumbria House, Nelson House, Laurel House, workshops and large sheds. The Pametrada Building, the former cabteen and library for the research station, is leased to the Pametrada Arts Centre Ltd. The mast of HMS Ceres stands outside the building. The building has been used as a film location and was the set of the Wildworks live show 'The Beautiful Journey' about the history of ship building and sea-faring in 2008.