A Brief Background
This factory was built in 1937 to the designs of Wallis Gilbert and partners for Richard Klinger Ltd. The Klinger company was founded in Austria in 1893 and made gaskets for engines and hydraulic pipelines and also water level gauges and valves. This building was built in the latest Modern style of architecture. The building originally had water tanks at the top of the central tower. There was a second floor company flat intended for visiting Austrian executives, offices on the first floor, cutting shop and tool room on the ground floor and storage for rubber, asbestos, chemicals and consumable items in the basement.
It was later awarded Grade II listed building status before the Klinger company, founded in Austria in 1893, sold out to the French firm Trouvey Cauvin.
The result of this meant that 40 of its 47 workforce were made redundant before eventually closing down completely in 2000. Since then IKEA & Tesco have both set their sites on renovating it, but both later pulled out due to the high costs involved in doing so. (From web)
The Trip
After a long & mostly uneventful day we decided to try our hand at a bit of Urbexing, it was an act of sheer spontaneity which paid off rather nicely.
We had a nosey around the perimeter of the site, & after a bit of searching (looking for the telltale signs) we managed to find our way in. As soon as we were on the other side we were greeted by a gang of Kent kids, some wielding crudely fashioned clubs. They seemed a bit nervous with us being there, & upon sensing a little hostility, We went up & started talking to them. They then became a bit friendlier!
We parted company with them & had an explore around the warehouse buildings. After searching through a couple of them we realized why the kids were so nervous.
We entered the 3rd building & were greeted by the noxious smell of burning plastic, then found that they had started a fire in the middle of the floor. What we didn't know was that there was an aerosol can in there, & when Vixxie went to investigate closer it exploded! Bloody Oiks!! Luckily she wasn't that close, but it startled her something rotten.....a bit of a rabbit in the headlights situation!
After that little event we proceeded to explore through the basement levels, which were quite extensive & very cold. Next we made our way up to the executive offices via the classic Deco staircase of the front tower......the mere sight of which gave me a semi chub! (I'm a bit gay for the Deco!!). We then traveled over to the factory buildings on the opposite side which were a bit precarious with the large holes in the floor. We finished our little exploration with a climb up to the clock tower, where we found a rather nice gap in the frontage (where the clock once sat) which gave us a nice view across the town.
Here are some shots
Conclusion
Klingers is certainly an interesting explore, though it has been spoiled somewhat by being over trodden, it has suffered extensive fire damage, vandalism, & there is graffiti everywhere.
There is also a lack of the machinery/works that you see in other places like Millennium for example. But what makes it worthwhile, for me at least is seeing a good example of a classic Deco building, & in places there are some of the original documents for machine maintenance which make for an interesting read.
Credits also go to my partner in crime Vixxie, much love x
Pinkman
This factory was built in 1937 to the designs of Wallis Gilbert and partners for Richard Klinger Ltd. The Klinger company was founded in Austria in 1893 and made gaskets for engines and hydraulic pipelines and also water level gauges and valves. This building was built in the latest Modern style of architecture. The building originally had water tanks at the top of the central tower. There was a second floor company flat intended for visiting Austrian executives, offices on the first floor, cutting shop and tool room on the ground floor and storage for rubber, asbestos, chemicals and consumable items in the basement.
It was later awarded Grade II listed building status before the Klinger company, founded in Austria in 1893, sold out to the French firm Trouvey Cauvin.
The result of this meant that 40 of its 47 workforce were made redundant before eventually closing down completely in 2000. Since then IKEA & Tesco have both set their sites on renovating it, but both later pulled out due to the high costs involved in doing so. (From web)
The Trip
After a long & mostly uneventful day we decided to try our hand at a bit of Urbexing, it was an act of sheer spontaneity which paid off rather nicely.
We had a nosey around the perimeter of the site, & after a bit of searching (looking for the telltale signs) we managed to find our way in. As soon as we were on the other side we were greeted by a gang of Kent kids, some wielding crudely fashioned clubs. They seemed a bit nervous with us being there, & upon sensing a little hostility, We went up & started talking to them. They then became a bit friendlier!
We parted company with them & had an explore around the warehouse buildings. After searching through a couple of them we realized why the kids were so nervous.
We entered the 3rd building & were greeted by the noxious smell of burning plastic, then found that they had started a fire in the middle of the floor. What we didn't know was that there was an aerosol can in there, & when Vixxie went to investigate closer it exploded! Bloody Oiks!! Luckily she wasn't that close, but it startled her something rotten.....a bit of a rabbit in the headlights situation!
After that little event we proceeded to explore through the basement levels, which were quite extensive & very cold. Next we made our way up to the executive offices via the classic Deco staircase of the front tower......the mere sight of which gave me a semi chub! (I'm a bit gay for the Deco!!). We then traveled over to the factory buildings on the opposite side which were a bit precarious with the large holes in the floor. We finished our little exploration with a climb up to the clock tower, where we found a rather nice gap in the frontage (where the clock once sat) which gave us a nice view across the town.
Here are some shots
Conclusion
Klingers is certainly an interesting explore, though it has been spoiled somewhat by being over trodden, it has suffered extensive fire damage, vandalism, & there is graffiti everywhere.
There is also a lack of the machinery/works that you see in other places like Millennium for example. But what makes it worthwhile, for me at least is seeing a good example of a classic Deco building, & in places there are some of the original documents for machine maintenance which make for an interesting read.
Credits also go to my partner in crime Vixxie, much love x
Pinkman
Shame to hear the little shit arsonists are at it again, it's a recurring problem with that place unfortunately....
