real time web analytics
Report - - Fullers Earthworks, Redhill, February 2016 | Industrial Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Fullers Earthworks, Redhill, February 2016

Hide this ad by donating or subscribing !

LoganMcrae

The Fox
28DL Full Member
After spending months reading through this site, I finally decided to post a report. Although it is frequently reported, this seemed like a good start point for me. The place was very easy to get into and there is no longer any security.

History
A greyish, mineral-rich clay, fuller's earth is well-known for its absorbent qualities and has many uses ranging from powder cosmetics to 'mud' used for drilling oil wells. Its best known use however is as cat litter, of which millions of bags are sold every year. Most of this is now imported from the Americas but until recently, fuller's earth was quarried from the Lower Greensand strata at Woburn (Beds.), at Baulking (Oxon.) and at Redhill (Surrey). On the Redhill deposit, the most successful quarry operating at the turn of the century was the Copyhold Works of the Fuller's Earth Union Ltd, established c.1860-70. Initially supplying the woollen trade, demand later shifted to the growing chemical and commodity sector with customers in the 1920s-40s including the Southern Oil Company Ltd, British Glues and Chemicals Ltd and Price's Patent Candle Co.

In 1954 the works, by now employing 780 men, were bought by chemical company Laporte Industries. Production was stepped up to meet increasing demand and a large factory consisting of kilns, granulators, blungers, silos and transit systems on several floors was built. A large quarry existed to the east and in the 1970s this strange landscape stood in for various alien worlds in the BBC's Doctor Who series. In the 1980s, the Copyhold site was sending loose earths and packaged cat litter around the world. By 1995, however, due to falling profits it was announced that the company would close 10% of its 100 plants. Copyhold fell victim the following year and the Laporte Group was broken up with the majority share sold to an American private equity firm trading as Rockwood Holdings Inc. After the production lines were switched off, the 119 acre pit was purchased for use as a landfill site by Biffa Waste Services and continues to take waste from across Surrey. The factory was for a while used as a waste transfer station but this too was abandoned at some time in the last four years and the site is now derelict.


The visit
Myself and two friends (@bart_shrimpo) set off from Redhill station to the location unsure of what to expect. Although I had visited before, it was only fleeting as I didn't manage to get far inside. From what I had read it was easier to enter through the back, avoiding the main entrance and any security. We were wary as we had seen the infamous video of the security posted at the Earthworks, which i'm sure many of you have seen. The one with the not very friendly security guard and his rather menacing dog. However, while trying to enter from the back, we were approached by some teenagers that warned us that the back way was far too treacherous, with it being too muddy and covered in brambles. I assume they were local as they suggested we enter through the main entrance, and that we should wait till dark so we had cover. We found the front entrance and proceeded to enter the premises. To our surprise, there was no security whatsoever. We spent a good few hours in the buildings taking photographs until it got dark.

24781066860_710ca54e77_b.jpg


24709198639_2d7c5fae16_b.jpg



25050483336_8355eaf30c_b.jpg


24781024450_069a5f4ee1_b.jpg


24446034144_e8efd5b609_b.jpg


25050499426_9a931d7b67_b.jpg


24781324040_64460d9a4e_b.jpg


24983595661_39eeb18230_b.jpg


25076804345_cb33d1bb3f_b.jpg


24958764152_1f45190971_b.jpg


24446005884_6d529f8038_b.jpg


24449882203_fa84957263_b.jpg


25050523586_3f01341069_b.jpg


24446231144_2de06a0740_b.jpg


24781337490_c520bc27c2_b.jpg


25050301356_e9ffb1d1ba_b.jpg


24449850903_e32f610118_b.jpg


24709127269_8df032301e_b.jpg


24709157399_fca18d8725_b.jpg


24983653501_d15d2ceae0_b.jpg


24958820092_fdd9b55dc5_b.jpg


25076730615_033abb181a_b.jpg


24780985680_4a6ca30033_b.jpg


Hard to get a good photo here as it was getting dark.

24781148700_a001c04861_b.jpg
 
Last edited:

LoganMcrae

The Fox
28DL Full Member
Did you get to the top of those towers?
Unfortunately not. We managed to get about four stories up but the building is in extremely bad shape. Most of the access to the higher points shown in older reports have since been removed or have deteriorated so much that its way too dangerous to attempt.
 

WhoDaresWins

Let's do this
Regular User
I remember getting caught in here after what I thought was a very silent and stealthy approach. Turned out one of crew who took an alternative route in caught his attention. He let us out without any trouble though.
 

LoganMcrae

The Fox
28DL Full Member
I remember getting caught in here after what I thought was a very silent and stealthy approach. Turned out one of crew who took an alternative route in caught his attention. He let us out without any trouble though.
While we were trying to find an entrance we passed a group of kids no older than 12 that we overheard talking about trying to get in. I assume they didn't find a way into the place as we were there for a good few hours and we didn't see them. Which was a good thing as I think they would've been an annoyance.
 

Grom

Camera Drowner
Regular User
I went here last year and there was no sign of any security. The old security hut was in ruins and there were holes in all the fences that had been left unfixed. It seems they have given up on this place.
 

LoganMcrae

The Fox
28DL Full Member
I went here last year and there was no sign of any security. The old security hut was in ruins and there were holes in all the fences that had been left unfixed. It seems they have given up on this place.
Seems so, there's nothing left to protect.
 

Who has read this thread (Total: 2) View details

Top