# British United Shoe Machinery Company, Leicester



## Goldie87 (Sep 27, 2007)

These photos are from a visit earlier this year. I visited a number of times with different people. Its a large site and a lot is still used but we were able to get in a few of the smaller buildings that are abandoned. Most of the machinery has been removed and its fairly bare inside the buildings, but its still an interesting place. Some of the buildings have very faded camouflage from WW2 remaining and apparently they used to work on spitfire engine parts there during that time. 



















































View over some of the site





Wolsey Factory





Group pic, im in the centre


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## Reaperman (Sep 27, 2007)

Looks good, I like the can of Otis Lubricants!  It would be great to see some more shots. Maybe from a daytime visit?


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## Goldie87 (Sep 27, 2007)

Reaperman said:


> Looks good, I like the can of Otis Lubricants!  It would be great to see some more shots. Maybe from a daytime visit?



Yeah i have some daytime shots on a disk somewhere, i will have to find them.
No doubt i will be making another visit sometime as well.


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## King Al (Sep 28, 2007)

Nice one Goldie cool place, I would love to know what has rusted so badly to make the drip marks in pic 4, I love a bit of rust me

good stuff


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## Goldie87 (Sep 28, 2007)

King Al said:


> I would love to know what has rusted so badly to make the drip marks in pic 4, I love a bit of rust me
> 
> good stuff


the only thing i could think of is that the rust streaks are from the metal in the concrete ceilings.


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## smileysal (Sep 30, 2007)

Looks a huge site, like the pics. Nice to see the 1961 newspaper clipping. Looking forward to seeing more pics if you go again in the daytime. If you do go there again, can you pm me and ill tag along if thats ok? Leicester isn't too far away from me.

Cheers,

 Sal


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## Goldie87 (Sep 30, 2007)

smileysal said:


> If you do go there again, can you pm me and ill tag along if thats ok? Leicester isn't too far away from me.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Sal



Sure Sal. Me and a mate were out exploring yesterday and were gonna visit this place but never got round to it in the end. We might make a visit next weekend if nothing else crops up, pm will be sent


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## King Al (Oct 1, 2007)

Goldie87 said:


> the only thing i could think of is that the rust streaks are from the metal in the concrete ceilings.



Hmmm I am no rocket scientist but that doesn't sound good


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## Goldie87 (Oct 1, 2007)

King Al said:


> Hmmm I am no rocket scientist but that doesn't sound good



Nope doesn't sound good. Not as bad as some places i've seen that have water damaged concrete floors though. Floors that slope all over the place and cracks everywhere, so the one in the pic wouldn't worry me much right now lol


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## Lightbuoy (Oct 2, 2007)

Nice pics & report there Golds 

Nice to the the mix of buildings from various dates of construction. As requested before, PLEASE can we see some daytime pics aswell?
Did you get to have a butchers inside the Wolsey buildings?
Ta for sharing matey!

Lb


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## Goldie87 (Oct 2, 2007)

Lightbuoy said:


> Nice pics & report there Golds
> 
> Nice to the the mix of buildings from various dates of construction. As requested before, PLEASE can we see some daytime pics aswell?
> Did you get to have a butchers inside the Wolsey buildings?
> ...



Yes i have been in wolsey a number of times
More pics of united shoe coming soon!


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## Mr Sam (Nov 1, 2007)

hope you dont mind me adding to the reports Goldie and afraid no daytime shots as such, this was my first propper urban explore





this is one of the main un-used buildings





the Wolsey tower in a puddle





and a random gauge


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## Goldie87 (Nov 1, 2007)

Paid a visit here tonight as it happens. The building shown in Mr Sam's photo has now been secured


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## King Al (Nov 2, 2007)

Love the random gauge in the classic still gauging somthing look


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## Goldie87 (Dec 14, 2007)

Right at last ive sorted out a few more pics! 





This is the biggest building we explored





A shot of one of the factory floors





Up on the roof, all the buildings in view once belonged to the same company





A little panoramic pic of the smallest part of the site





Workshop with interesting roof girders





Some machinery


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## Foxylady (Dec 14, 2007)

Didn't realise how huge the site is! Love those roof girders. Nice one!


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## mr_bones (Dec 14, 2007)

Looks like a very interesting location!


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## Simon-G (Dec 14, 2007)

Nice work Goldie looks a good explore.

Simon-G


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## Kezza (Dec 14, 2007)

Where abouts in Leicester is that? Looks good.


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## Goldie87 (Dec 14, 2007)

Kezza said:


> Where abouts in Leicester is that? Looks good.



Not far from the belgrave flyover.


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## markie2296 (Dec 14, 2007)

As a former employee of BUSM 1988 - 1997, i can tell you the best places to visit within this site are below ground (especially under the main building) this is a HUGE run of levels and passages with sealed doors and stored pieces from WWII


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## Foxylady (Dec 14, 2007)

markie2296 said:


> this is a HUGE run of levels and passages with sealed doors and stored pieces from WWII



Would VERY much like to see that!


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## Kezza (Dec 15, 2007)

Foxylady said:


> Would VERY much like to see that!




ME TO!!!!!!!!!


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## Goldie87 (Dec 15, 2007)

Same here! haha 

Ah well its going to be redeveloped soon i think so will have a chance to see whats there!


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## reddwarf9 (Feb 12, 2008)

My old company sold some machines to this place and I was a regular visitor right through the 90's. Its so tragic that all our shoe making and associated industries have all dissappeared abroad.

Nice to see round the place though even if it is a bit emptier than last time I was there.

Nick.


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