Where Lydbrook Cable Works
When 5th April 2010
Who Petzl, Toad, Bobby & Myself
In 1912 Harold J Smith purchased land at Stowfield and erected the Lydbrook Cable Works. The First World War provided a number of contracts with employee numbers expanding from 40 to 650 with double shilfts being worked. With the end of the War, came a slump in business, and in 1920 the Official Receiver was brought in ending Smith's connection with the factory. The business was bought in 1925 by Edison Swan Electric Company.
With the greater resources available the plant at Stowfield further expanded, and was well placed to help with the Second World War possessing one of only four machines for making lead alloy tube needed for P.L.U.T.O. - (Petroleum Lines Under The Ocean), which allowed fuel to be supplied to the Allied invasion force in Europe from Britain. In the late 1940s, Edison Swan was swallowed up by the Associated Electrical Company. Integrated with the Siemens Cable Works at Woolwich the Stowfield Factory at its height employed approximately 1,100 people. The Cable Works came to an end in 1966 when the factory was bought by Reed Paper Group, which in its turn was taken over by a Swedish Company SCA. If there were any personal losses to Harold Smith as a result of the Cable Works being taken into receivership these were soon reversed as in the same year he opened the 'Temco Works'.
SCA finally left in 1994 leaving the site abandoned.. The site has been vandalised and partly stripped of its valuable scrap metals despite the 24hr on site security. The chances are the fat lazy git is watching telly and wanking most of the time and not 'keeping his eyes peeled' as he should!
The site is due for demolition soon so fill your boots and get in there quick!
After an epic explore till the early hours on sun night with Rooks I was pretty fuzzy and hard to start on Monday! Managed to crawl into Bixhead Quarry with the lads but couldn't be arsed to get the camera out even though i hauled it in.. Managed to wake up by time we got to the cable works..
To say this place is big doesn't even start.. it's huge.. so i've decided to do it in two parts. There is still plenty to see even tho all the major machinery has gone.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Thats it for now.. watch this space!
Thanks for looking
When 5th April 2010
Who Petzl, Toad, Bobby & Myself
In 1912 Harold J Smith purchased land at Stowfield and erected the Lydbrook Cable Works. The First World War provided a number of contracts with employee numbers expanding from 40 to 650 with double shilfts being worked. With the end of the War, came a slump in business, and in 1920 the Official Receiver was brought in ending Smith's connection with the factory. The business was bought in 1925 by Edison Swan Electric Company.
With the greater resources available the plant at Stowfield further expanded, and was well placed to help with the Second World War possessing one of only four machines for making lead alloy tube needed for P.L.U.T.O. - (Petroleum Lines Under The Ocean), which allowed fuel to be supplied to the Allied invasion force in Europe from Britain. In the late 1940s, Edison Swan was swallowed up by the Associated Electrical Company. Integrated with the Siemens Cable Works at Woolwich the Stowfield Factory at its height employed approximately 1,100 people. The Cable Works came to an end in 1966 when the factory was bought by Reed Paper Group, which in its turn was taken over by a Swedish Company SCA. If there were any personal losses to Harold Smith as a result of the Cable Works being taken into receivership these were soon reversed as in the same year he opened the 'Temco Works'.
SCA finally left in 1994 leaving the site abandoned.. The site has been vandalised and partly stripped of its valuable scrap metals despite the 24hr on site security. The chances are the fat lazy git is watching telly and wanking most of the time and not 'keeping his eyes peeled' as he should!
The site is due for demolition soon so fill your boots and get in there quick!
After an epic explore till the early hours on sun night with Rooks I was pretty fuzzy and hard to start on Monday! Managed to crawl into Bixhead Quarry with the lads but couldn't be arsed to get the camera out even though i hauled it in.. Managed to wake up by time we got to the cable works..
To say this place is big doesn't even start.. it's huge.. so i've decided to do it in two parts. There is still plenty to see even tho all the major machinery has gone.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Thats it for now.. watch this space!
Thanks for looking
Last edited:
