Introduction
This is a local site that I’ve wanted to do for a few years so I thought now is the time, especially since hearing that security is now more relaxed. Please note this is a repost as the original report got deleted amid the forum issues/upgrades that occurred earlier this year.
History & Information
The site was built in the early sixties following Boulton and Paul purchasing the site for a hefty sum (at the time) of £920,000. Boulton and Paul was a UK-based General Manufacturer based in Norfolk. It is said that the company was founded at the tail-end of the 18th Century by William Moore and specialised in corrugated iron buildings. The company was very active in the Second World War in particular, focusing on the manufacture of prefab buildings.
At the company’s peak, it employed around 400 people. The company was bought out by Jeld Wen 23 years ago in 1999. Jeld Wen is a United States-based timber company and is still active today, it operates in excess of 120 facilities across a multitude of countries around the world.
The site closed in 2010 which resulted in the loss of nearly 200 local jobs according to an old local news article. The reason for the site’s closure was due to the poor economic conditions affecting the construction industry at the time, therefore cost cutting exercises were necessary for the company to remain competitive.
In present times, the 36-acre site has remained derelict since the closure but some of the nearby storage sheds have been demolished to make room for the town’s third river crossing.
The Explore
Considering the importance of the site, entry was surprisingly very easy and there was no sign of secca. There were some kids on site but we scared them off as I had a hi-vis on. It was quite amusing actually, they thought we were secca. I managed to cover pretty much everything but I didn’t photograph some parts, namely the views from the top of the extraction pipes, the underground stores, and the brutalist-style conveyer/tunnel structure that runs from the roof of the main workshop into the boiler house area.
Onto the pics...
Starting with the pipe work, which is arguably the main attraction of the site:
Moving straight into the main workshop, there used to be a lot of machinery in here but has been removed:
One of my favourite parts was the boiler house which is located near the extraction pipes:
On the far west of the site was a massive empty warehouse:
Another bit I liked was the wooden storage rooms, as you can imagine it smells like that nice wood smell.
There wasn't much to see in the main offices at the front of the site, and has been vandalised quite a bit recently:
Continued...
This is a local site that I’ve wanted to do for a few years so I thought now is the time, especially since hearing that security is now more relaxed. Please note this is a repost as the original report got deleted amid the forum issues/upgrades that occurred earlier this year.
History & Information
The site was built in the early sixties following Boulton and Paul purchasing the site for a hefty sum (at the time) of £920,000. Boulton and Paul was a UK-based General Manufacturer based in Norfolk. It is said that the company was founded at the tail-end of the 18th Century by William Moore and specialised in corrugated iron buildings. The company was very active in the Second World War in particular, focusing on the manufacture of prefab buildings.
At the company’s peak, it employed around 400 people. The company was bought out by Jeld Wen 23 years ago in 1999. Jeld Wen is a United States-based timber company and is still active today, it operates in excess of 120 facilities across a multitude of countries around the world.
The site closed in 2010 which resulted in the loss of nearly 200 local jobs according to an old local news article. The reason for the site’s closure was due to the poor economic conditions affecting the construction industry at the time, therefore cost cutting exercises were necessary for the company to remain competitive.
In present times, the 36-acre site has remained derelict since the closure but some of the nearby storage sheds have been demolished to make room for the town’s third river crossing.
The Explore
Considering the importance of the site, entry was surprisingly very easy and there was no sign of secca. There were some kids on site but we scared them off as I had a hi-vis on. It was quite amusing actually, they thought we were secca. I managed to cover pretty much everything but I didn’t photograph some parts, namely the views from the top of the extraction pipes, the underground stores, and the brutalist-style conveyer/tunnel structure that runs from the roof of the main workshop into the boiler house area.
Onto the pics...
Starting with the pipe work, which is arguably the main attraction of the site:
Moving straight into the main workshop, there used to be a lot of machinery in here but has been removed:
One of my favourite parts was the boiler house which is located near the extraction pipes:
On the far west of the site was a massive empty warehouse:
Another bit I liked was the wooden storage rooms, as you can imagine it smells like that nice wood smell.
There wasn't much to see in the main offices at the front of the site, and has been vandalised quite a bit recently:
Continued...
