# Water Research Centre - Medmenham - pic heavy!



## J_a_t_33 (Nov 15, 2009)

*Water Research Centre - Medmenham - Revisit 28-11-09*

Hi guys,

This is my first decent find and exploration, must admit I am still buzzing as I have been wanting to explore this place for weeks!! - Hence how many pics I posted... sorry... it's a little easier on the internet connection now!

A little history of the WRc:


1898 A United Kingdom Royal Commission was appointed to investigate methods for sewage treatment and disposal.

1915 The Royal Commission recommended setting up a body to promote and supervise water pollution research.

1940 The Water Pollution Research Laboratory (WPRL) was set up in the UK. During the Second World War, varied research projects included effluent problems of munitions plants and development of a field kit for RAF life rafts that rendered seawater drinkable.

1961 WRA moves to its headquarters in Medmenham.

1963 The UK Government to set up the Water Resources Board (WRB).

1970s The WRA, WPRL and WRB were combined into one central research establishment - the Water Research Centre (WRC) with an additional facility in Swindon.

2004 Testing of materials for water contact moved from Medmenham to the Evaluation and Testing Centre in Oakdale, creating a single laboratory for all testing of water fittings.

2006 The Chemical analysis and Consultancy Groups move from Medmenham to new laboratories in Reading.

The site was closed to aspestos and unsatisfactory condition of the building and moved to Slough.

More here:
http://www.wrcnsf.com/history.htm 


This is the view from above in 2004 from Google earth:













The site is pretty big so once we were in we thought we would be undisturbed... We were soon proven wrong we walked past a mirrored window to be greeted by loud banging on a window, clearly aimed to scare us away... turns out someone has made this place their home.

But nevertheless... we ventured on!!

My apologies for the amateur photography, I can't afford a proper camera yet.












My friend 










The invisible footpath





The window we heard the banging on - Just up and right of the 10mph sign with mirrored tints so we couldn't see in





Speed bump










fire damage










Walk through





LPG tank and old car park area - as seen on the left in the Google earth pics full of cars





Some big-ass machine





upstairs - (corner building - bottom left of google earth picture)





Bit of a state - Water leaking in





Office room





Looking out into the courtyard seeing the burnt out part





Kitchen





Stairway





Another burnt out area





We saw lots of fresh footsteps inside the building by windows where the chap living there had been watching us and seeing the sun go own, we decided to end our internal explore there... until next time!





Looking back from the car park





Walking back - building falling away





Nearing the exit - Caretakers house?










Thanks for viewing,


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## J_a_t_33 (Nov 17, 2009)

Amount of pics now reduced, I hope this makes better reading.


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## borntobemild (Nov 19, 2009)

very unusual site - and nice pics.

Water Research? you wonder whether they ran out of things to do!


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## J_a_t_33 (Nov 27, 2009)

Lol cheers mate


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## Foxylady (Nov 28, 2009)

Ahh, now this is interesting because I unexpectedly ran into a water research establishment...on an island between the canal and the River Exe just outside Exeter, late evening on Midsummer's day (very bizarre day!!!  ). I'd never heard of them before. That one's still in use and is heavily fenced off, so I just took a few pics from the path. 
Nice to see your pics and read the info about it. Cheers for that, J_a_t.


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## King Al (Nov 28, 2009)

Cool find JAT, its some thing a bit different like the big ass machine and the LPG tank


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## J_a_t_33 (Nov 29, 2009)

*Water Research centre - Medmenham - Revisit 28/11/09*

Went back yesterday for a proper look round











The Ladies





Pioson key





Trashed





Skylight - glass broken










The labs










Gas taps





Male changing rooms & toilet for the labs





The fire damage





Lol!!





Inside the 2 windows you can see from outside burnt:




















Roof





Hmmmm... doesn't look like there is any way we're getting in there fellas!!!!





oh... the side door's unlocked





Empty





WTF is Piesel??






Thanks guys


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## RockyRobin (Dec 27, 2021)

Thanks for these pictures, I used to work here in the late 90’s. I was devastated when I saw one day that the site had been flattened 

The caretakers house photo is where I had my interview. My first office job interview ever.


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## Roderick (Dec 31, 2021)

Nice work, esp. the second wave. Pity about the photobucket watermarks though.


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