Greetings all, I return once more. Took a bit of a walk today and ended up in Blackburn, opposite the old mill site. The Star Papermill, and its smaller cousin whose name I do not remember, was a major producer of paper from 1879 until it was shut down in 2009. In 2012 the buildings were demolished and backfill started then, just, stopped. The site was abandoned, until recently when a development company purchased it to build houses on. I actually didnt know the name or nature of the site, the two surveyors I met there were most excellent gentlemen in both providing the details and not really caring that I was poking around what is technically private property.
A word of caution: Giant hogweed is present on this site. Its really nasty stuff that basically buggers your skins ability to absorb/deflect UV light to the point an overcast day will cause you to be burnt in under a minute even through a T-shirt, and the effect can last years.
The entrance, you can access this from the smaller site which seems to be publicly accessible. As its probably not going to be here much longer im not going to hide the way in, besides it seems well known locally. 3 posts are missing from the gate and the fence behind is long pushed back.
This appears to have been some form of gate house or the like. Interestingly, it is built over the river.
Inside was largely derelict, the stairs at the end of the bridge went nowhere
The old pumphouse. Well, A old pumphouse.
Detail on the sump
And the other side, also the sump I think.
Most of the site is just this: concrete roads, mounds, and the odd pile of debris
And mud. Lots of mud. My boots need cleaning.
some old storage tanks for something. Probably chemicals.
The old bridge over the river. For the most part the river is underground, although the surveyors I talked to said its going to be diverted when work starts.
"Woop woop, you have been detected, police have been informed"
Excellent news, but im afraid they are too busy chasing down people for saying bad things on social media to care. Alarm did make me jump though.
No idea what this is/was
And the other side
The other side of the woopwoop zone. I have no idea what the piece of machinery being protected is, but it is the only bit left functioning so I assume its important.
More pipes
They did like building things over the river back then.
Image count reached, on to part 2
A word of caution: Giant hogweed is present on this site. Its really nasty stuff that basically buggers your skins ability to absorb/deflect UV light to the point an overcast day will cause you to be burnt in under a minute even through a T-shirt, and the effect can last years.
The entrance, you can access this from the smaller site which seems to be publicly accessible. As its probably not going to be here much longer im not going to hide the way in, besides it seems well known locally. 3 posts are missing from the gate and the fence behind is long pushed back.
This appears to have been some form of gate house or the like. Interestingly, it is built over the river.
Inside was largely derelict, the stairs at the end of the bridge went nowhere
The old pumphouse. Well, A old pumphouse.
Detail on the sump
And the other side, also the sump I think.
Most of the site is just this: concrete roads, mounds, and the odd pile of debris
And mud. Lots of mud. My boots need cleaning.
some old storage tanks for something. Probably chemicals.
The old bridge over the river. For the most part the river is underground, although the surveyors I talked to said its going to be diverted when work starts.
"Woop woop, you have been detected, police have been informed"
Excellent news, but im afraid they are too busy chasing down people for saying bad things on social media to care. Alarm did make me jump though.
And the other side
The other side of the woopwoop zone. I have no idea what the piece of machinery being protected is, but it is the only bit left functioning so I assume its important.
More pipes
They did like building things over the river back then.
Image count reached, on to part 2
