# Fläkt Woods



## kongzi (Aug 6, 2006)

This was a joint effort with me and Ether, who will add some of his photographs a little later. There is a historical time line of Woodshere.  

Aerial shot.

Access is relativly simple, there is on site security, in the form of a single Ghurka, I pressume he is the equvilant of a 10 men  . Only really two ways to get in. We spent about 2 hours on site, it is quite large but we moved slowly to avoid being spotted. Most of the site is completely stripped although the work rooms are pretty impressive just for the vast-ness of it all.


































































Asbestos any one?  




Views from the admin block where quite stunning




I wanted it, I left it.




Dusty dusty dusty stairs.




These looked like executive offices that over looked the town.









Main entrance showing admin block.




Secuirty on the phone!















There are about 152 pictures, I think thats more than enough of mine.


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## Reaperman (Aug 6, 2006)

Looks great. What did they do here?


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## kongzi (Aug 6, 2006)

They made fan equipment for everything from Expel Air toilet extractor fans to fans that went in the Channel tunnel and in trident nuclear submarines. Been a major employer of people in Colchester for many years. Theres still some signs of what they did about the place.






Best find of the day, the Manometer!





Some of the bigger kit they made.


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## Crisp Monster (Aug 6, 2006)

That's a great bit of exploration lads.


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## kongzi (Aug 6, 2006)

Thanks, our first big one! 

The Director had his own hot water feed, the lucky bugger!


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## Crisp Monster (Aug 6, 2006)

To wash all the bullshit away perhaps?


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## Ether (Aug 6, 2006)

Following up the post with the images i took with Kongzi this morning in the Fläkt Woods complex. 

Such an amzing place the vastness of the warehouses and work rooms is amazing. The view from the roof of the admin block and the top floors was mind blowing. 

Anyway on with the pictures 





Some hook and crane assembly, must of been used for lifting and moving units in the past. 





Looking down the second floor of one of the work rooms.





Found this on the floor outside of the main research laboratory





Shot looking down the research laboratory





This is a shot across one of the ground floor work rooms





Found this Cabinet of files left open in one of the upstairs admin rooms above one of the work rooms





Found this stuck to the wall in one of the little rooms off of the largest work room





We came across a mini sub station around the back of the complex, whilst looking around we found the log book with entries dating back to 1963!





The roof and openess of one of the second floor work rooms was amazing.





We came round the corner and found this room sealed off full of asbestos





Shot taken looking across the front of the top floor of the admin block. 

There's more pictures available if anyones interested


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## Bishop (Aug 6, 2006)

Ooh that looks sh*t hot! Fine work I must admit after seeing
your cracking pictures I'm really tempted to go and have a
look for myself, I wonder if Krela could be tempted?

B


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## kongzi (Aug 6, 2006)

Feel the black and white love  Its a five minute drive from Severalls Bishop, perhaps you could do both. It is in the process of demolition, so it would be best to stick it at the top of your to do list. Once the asbestos is cleared I should imagine the wrecking machines will begin.

Few more pics before bed....

I get the feeling this is very old.





Pressing a pipe bending.





Open the pod bay doors Hal.


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## Bishop (Aug 6, 2006)

Kongzi wrote.



> Its a five minute drive from Severalls Bishop, perhaps you could do both.



Gah thats too much temptation. You're right perhaps I should?
Kinda in my season for mucho mucho urbex, I need a regular
supply can't hack withdrawl.

b


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## kongzi (Aug 7, 2006)

Some more for you Bishop


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## kongzi (Aug 10, 2006)

*And theres more.....*

These were some of the only remaining bits of hardware in the place. Amazingly, these are the actual bits of kit my father used from the early 60's right up to his retirement in the late 90's. When he saw the pic he told me they were laid out in the same way they have been for 40+ years. If you look on the metal plate/table they are fixed to it has his name and the date he joined Woods and the date he left  Missed that!






Wasn't much of interest in this lot.





Thirsty any one?





Weird viewing platform that stuck out at the top of the stairs.





Heating controls





Only one clocking in card left.





Inside the....





Was a room with a water filled pit all the way around it.





Looking up from the rail line end.


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## krela (Aug 10, 2006)

Looks like a really sweet place, although is that a demolition squad I see in one of the photos?


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## kongzi (Aug 10, 2006)

Very much so, the main blocks have been stripped of wires, pipe work for air tools, duct work and anything metal that isn't part of the structure. There are bits left, the asbestos removal is still on going, I guess the amount they charge those guys take their time. The further back you go the less molested the site is, although its all fairly gutted. There is a brilliant looking boiler room that was for the plant heating, its very much nailed shut though, possibly because all the insulation is asbestos, there are no signs saying it though.

Thankfully D. Kelly's plank is still there... 





The toilets are still there if you get caught short....





And if leaky batteries are your things, theres lots!


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## Ether (Aug 10, 2006)

Heavy machinerys been moved to the second floor of one of the work shops i noticed today so i'm guessing the work shops probably don't have to long left. It looks as if they are going to try and remove the metal roofs.


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## Bishop (Aug 10, 2006)

Thank you Ether and Kongzi for posting more pics.

Kongzi wrote.



> Amazingly, these are the actual bits of kit my father used from the early 60's right up to his retirement in the late 90's. When he saw the pic he told me they were laid out in the same way they have been for 40+ years. If you look on the metal plate/table they are fixed to it has his name and the date he joined Woods and the date he left Missed that!



Wow thats so cool I love stuff like that.

B


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## kongzi (Aug 12, 2006)

Now I should probably stop posting pics, but one more for luck. I've been playing with Photoshops photo merge function, made a nice panaoramic shoot of block D. Came out quite well. The left hand side are the offices (upstairs), toilets, store rooms and lunch type areas.


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## sheep2405 (Aug 12, 2006)

Hey guys amazing pics I would like to do a trip there before it all goes. Any chance of either of you two PMing me the location so I can go take some of my own pics?

Thanks

Sheep


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## kongzi (Aug 31, 2006)

Hey, 

not sure if my buddy PM'ed you the location of Flakt, Its in Colchester, Essex. Spitting distance from the towns main train station. Same side of town as Severalls. Very easy to get to.

Kz.


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## mjphoto (Aug 31, 2006)

Hi Kongzi,

great images and a f-ing brilliant location. I've been on the scout for freshly closed sites on this scale for a while. Is it easy to get into and find? I love photographing details in places like this before all the human evidence has gone, see 'St Leonards Hospital' photos on this site. Could you email me with any tips/advice for getting there and getting in? Great work and many thanks. Keep it coming!

Mark. [email protected]


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## kongzi (Aug 31, 2006)

PM sent


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## Lone Explorer (Sep 11, 2006)

nice find, seeing Aerial shot.Severalls n/e
as you say Spitting distance

------------------------------
Ran out of time on Sunday. 









No one in the hut!


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## kongzi (Sep 11, 2006)

Yikes! Shes going down! Its that line of double fencing in the 1st picture you can wander down to get to the point of access


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## sheep2405 (Sep 11, 2006)

kongzi;8560; said:


> PM sent




Thanks for the Pm location, with not working at the moment there is no way I can afford to get down there before they rip both this site and severalls down which is a big shame.

S


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## kongzi (Sep 11, 2006)

You'll miss Flackt, but I'd say theres some time left to get Severalls in, its not being demolished just yet. Save ya pennies up and get down on the train


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## sheep2405 (Sep 11, 2006)

Im going to try, its a long very long journey from Cardiff to there would bring the car but might not make it.

S


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