real time web analytics
Report - - Cwm Coke Factory - South Wales | Industrial Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Cwm Coke Factory - South Wales

Hide this ad by donating or subscribing !

LittleOwl

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Hi there, first post and I thought I'd start with a big one for my first report - my one and only trip to a Coke Factory in South Wales. An by Coke I don't mean the soft drink but the fuel source.

History

Cwm Coke's origins lie with the Great Western Railway and provided its supply of coal. The GWR sunk pits at the Cwm site in 1909 as well as in other areas of the Rhondda, but Cwm didn't become known for it's coke until 1958 when the coking ovens and associated plant for producing coke and refining by-products of the process were installed. The factory secured a £9 million investment and by the 1970's the two pits 'Margaret' and 'Mildred' and the coking plant were the workplace of 1,500 men. The factory produced 515,000 tons of coke per annum and continued production of coal right up until privatisation of the National Coal Board in 1986.

The coking plant remained in use until 2002 and now, local residents are calling for the premesis to be torn down in favour of 800 homes and a school. This is still in the planning stages and the CPL are actively pursuing redevelopment plans but estimate the cost of this to be 'tens of millions of pounds'.

The Explore

Now, onto the good stuff! Though the site is no longer in use, it's heavily guarded with cctv, security and dog patrols, so finding a way in was no picnic but incredibly worth it. I've since tried to get back into the site a further 2 times but have been spotted both times (one within 5 minutes of entering the site!) and swiftly escorted off the premesis with threats of a hefty penalty but thankfully, I've not encountered the dogs yet! I think we were just incredibly lucky to have gotten in the first time, as security has definitely increased.

The side itself is absolutely huge, spanning maybe two or three miles long. During our visit, we were there for 8 hours in total and even then, we'd only seen about half of the buildings.

This seemed to be an old loading bay for the furnaces down below, with pressure galves and shoots built into the floor. For once, I actually quote like some of the graffiti we found.

IMG_20180812_141127_1.jpg
IMG_20180812_141245.jpg

Much of our explore was spent ducking for cover due to the thunder and rain storm going on outside. I'd wanted to explore a lot more of the upper floors but with the wind and pelting rain, we could only emerge for brief periods of time. Not that we minded, as the insides were incredible.
IMG_20180812_141049.jpg
IMG_20180812_141038.jpg
IMG_20180812_131259_1.jpg


This room led directly to the loading bays beneath the buildings where the Coke and a lot of it was submerged in water. If I were to hazard a guess, I'd have said this room was used to control furnace temperature and pressure.
IMG_20180812_140452.jpg
IMG_20180812_135335.jpg


As we'd forgotten to bring a torch, we weren't able to explore much of these corridors but this patch next to a busted out window looks just beautiful in its dilapidation.
IMG_20180812_131425.jpg
IMG_20180812_140036.jpg


A control tower at the edge of the site directed the Coke belts all across the site. The remains of the control panel were just gorgeous
IMG_20180812_123010.jpg
IMG_20180812_135805.jpg
IMG_20180812_131415.jpg
IMG_20180812_134805.jpg


Getting onto the railway track that spanned three different buildings was tricky given that it was a good 30 feet high but it was definitely worth the scale.
IMG_20180812_131436.jpg
IMG_20180812_133036.jpg
IMG_20180812_141440_1.jpg
IMG_20180812_131306.jpg


Easily my favourite portion of the explore, these were the loading bays at the very bottom of the building. The floor was covered in black slime that turned yellow once you trod on it and these gorgeous pipes hung from every few feet in rows. This area must have easily been about half a mile long.
IMG_20180812_134708.jpg


Though it might not look it from the photo, this was almost at the peak of the main building about 6 story's up.
IMG_20180812_132123.jpg
IMG_20180812_132042.jpg


To give some indication of scale, one of the remaining chimneys.
IMG_20180812_131826_1.jpg
IMG_20180812_131718.jpg
IMG_20180812_131158.jpg
IMG_20180812_124151.jpg


This room was brilliant to behold and was definitely the main workshop back in its hay day. Left over in the debris was fully operation band saws, pilot drills, routers and all sorts of amazing metal working equipment.
IMG_20180812_123846.jpg
IMG_20180812_123734.jpg
IMG_20180812_123713.jpg
IMG_20180812_123419.jpg


We could have easily stayed there all day but eventually, a lack of light, the constant thunder storms and thirst (in our excitement we'd spent 8 hours there and forgotten to bring any food or water) eventually led us to leave the site. Only once we came across the dog patrol but thankfully by that point we were several story's high and we're able to duck down and wait it out.

My only regret is that I didn't bring my camera with me that day. The images above were all taken on a camera phone. As both a photographer and a model, I source urbex not only for fun and interesting history but also to use for future photoshoots and this day, I was a model and not a photographer. Given how much trouble we've had since trying to get back into Cwm Coke, to say I'm gutted is a bit of an understatement but this was definitely the best urbex day I've ever had. What a place!

Here's hoping that sometime in the future, security lessens up a bit and I'll have another chance to take some proper pictures of the place.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

LittleOwl

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
I have no idea why that last picture was included and apologies for all of the grammatical errors also. Lesson learned - don't use your phone to post reports!
 

WØLF

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Industrial epicness, twinned with secca patrols! sounds very much like the old pyestock days :thumb
 

Marcuscaz

28DL Member
28DL Member
*Late response*

Haven't been on in a while..
Ive live two minutes from this site my whole life and it was just as incredible when it was up and running as it is wasting away.

I still walk my dog around the whole site regularly and spot new openings all the time in different spots. It's pretty creepy when you're in there when it's windy and everything is shaking!

Good photos though, still!
 

CreakyFloor

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Spent some time there today.
Walked up the main road for an hour, walking back from the top end by the old offices we encountered the security transit van that swerved into us in an attempt to scare us off.
Didn't work so carried on looking for a way in and every hole that had been made has been fixed over with more fencing.
Went back up to the site office and saw the security guard, and he was adamant that no one is allowed in as they've started clearing some of the site and they've found most of the manhole covers have been nicked and in the last few days one of the smaller chimney stacks have crashed down.
So wandered off still looking for a way in, as I left I saw a small cut through but that was even fenced off to an extreme.
Took some pics, excuse the quality.

IMG_20190210_155541.jpg
 

LittleOwl

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Spent some time there today.
Walked up the main road for an hour, walking back from the top end by the old offices we encountered the security transit van that swerved into us in an attempt to scare us off.
Didn't work so carried on looking for a way in and every hole that had been made has been fixed over with more fencing.
Went back up to the site office and saw the security guard, and he was adamant that no one is allowed in as they've started clearing some of the site and they've found most of the manhole covers have been nicked and in the last few days one of the smaller chimney stacks have crashed down.
So wandered off still looking for a way in, as I left I saw a small cut through but that was even fenced off to an extreme.
Took some pics, excuse the quality.

IMG_20190210_155541.jpg
Drop me a pm if you want access
 

Terminal Decline

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Spent some time there today.
Walked up the main road for an hour, walking back from the top end by the old offices we encountered the security transit van that swerved into us in an attempt to scare us off.
Didn't work so carried on looking for a way in and every hole that had been made has been fixed over with more fencing.
Went back up to the site office and saw the security guard, and he was adamant that no one is allowed in as they've started clearing some of the site and they've found most of the manhole covers have been nicked and in the last few days one of the smaller chimney stacks have crashed down.
So wandered off still looking for a way in, as I left I saw a small cut through but that was even fenced off to an extreme.
Took some pics, excuse the quality.

IMG_20190210_155541.jpg
Why does everyone try and get in along the road! It doesn't take much looking to get in unnoticed
 

LittleOwl

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Secca has the whole main road camera'd up and know all of the local license plates. Definitely avoid unless you want them to be waiting for you if you get in
 

Cloth Head

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Ok I will meet you there next Sunday and show you the snipers there's 4 to a roof. Also be wary of the shotgun trip wires.
 

Who has read this thread (Total: 373) View details

Top