GE lighting rushey mead

jameswildcooper · Jan 30, 2011

well last night me and a few others attempted to get in.... and we did its absolutely huge and has security on the site so have to be careful.
I deffo recomend going before it gets knocked down which will be in about a week i reckon.
I only have a couple of pictures as i only had my camera phone but i will get a lot more better pics.

heres a couple of pics for a taster

and for the famous christmas lights.

diesel engine to power pumps

more pics courtesy of caine..
http://s1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa439/UrbanNinjaB/GE%20Lighting/

King Al · Jan 30, 2011

Took out a little bit of your text from this fella, its not a good idea to say exactly when you'll be going back!

I am however looking forward to seeing more of this one

MD · Jan 30, 2011

great work fella shout me if you go back

Scaramanger · Jan 30, 2011

Always fancied getting in to this one. Used to be called thorn lighting years ago. Went by last weekend and could see a security kiosk with some geezer sitting in it. Also has a serious fence I notice. Didn't know they were going to knock it down though...

caine · Jan 30, 2011

Enjoy boys and girls!!

we took a trip back there today and my gosh that place is big! spent over two hours there and covered maybe half of it? i took wayyy to many photos to post them on here so i will leave you with a link! my camera is not amazing but you get the idea

http://s1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa439/UrbanNinjaB/GE Lighting/

jameswildcooper · Jan 31, 2011

yeh there is still securty there in a booth. also the fence is pretty high security. barb wire all way round and its high the fence.

also been told there may be an air raid shelter somewhere in the grounds but we havnt stumbled accross it yet

it changed names in 1991 if i remember right from thorn lighting to GE lighting.

as for it being knocked down there was a big digger that turned up friday afternoon which makes me think sometime this week its going to come down. its been more or less gutted inside.
The land was contaminated before so it couldnt be built on and it had the go ahead december 2010 to be de contaminated and built over. it had storage tanks to hold bulk oil fuel, had a few tankers that held liquid gas and the biggest one is a 30,000 gallon oil tank.
Forgot to also mention there must have been a lot of sulphate around the place as some of the areas stink of it. they used to use that stuff in some of the bulbs they made.

used to get told if that place went up it would take a 3-5 mile radius with it....

did a lot of research on this place as i live really close to it and as a kid i always wanted to go in but there was cameras everywhere before.

forgot to also add there is a tennis court outside and accomodation for people to sleep when they are training there...

cheers caine for the pics good job someone has a decent camera

RichardH · Jan 31, 2011

jameswildcooper said:
also been told there may be an air raid shelter somewhere in the grounds but we havnt stumbled accross it yet

Towards the back of the site, behind the prefab sheds, if I remember correctly. But I think it was filled in years ago.

jameswildcooper · Jan 31, 2011

richard where is the prefab sheds? is that where all the trees and bushes are in the corner closest side to troon way road or opposite to this? also do you know if the place had a basement?

cheers for the info though

RichardH · Jan 31, 2011

The Troon Way side is what I was thinking of. I've not lived in Leicester for a very long time.

I've never explored the place, but when I was a wee 'un, my friend's father was an accountant at Thorne Lighting. I was taken to an open day there, and I remember an area of the grass being cordoned off as dangerous, due to the shelter. I was about 10 or 11, and at that time I was mad keen on air raid shelters. I was quite miffed that I couldn't get close enough to see it.

Of course, we're talking nearly 30 years ago, so what was once grass and prefabs may now be impenetrable jungle.

jameswildcooper · Jan 31, 2011

Ok thanks mate. One side is still all grass and other is trees and bushes. The grass side is still cordened off? But thats other side from road. Hope it hasnt been filled...

jameswildcooper · Jan 31, 2011

Ok thanks mate. One side is still all grass and other is trees and bushes. The grass side is still cordened off? But thats other side from road. Hope it hasnt been filled...

boothy · Jan 31, 2011

Well done JWC !

killergibbo · Jan 31, 2011

hmmm somethings u never know hey lol i also live in leicester and me along with my regiment have done flashbang and room breach's in the building aswell as first aid and this was 3 months ago!!

thing is this building is listed and wont be knocked down so i have no idea where ur gettin that from as this come up after my regiment had asked if we could use c4 and hand pistols but got turned down because the building is listed!

police have been using the site aswell.....

btw dont get caught in there because you will be arrested....

anyways ya the building is mazzive nice place ill have to speak to my mate to get pics of him of the day we was there training

jameswildcooper · Jan 31, 2011

mmm ive herd from a few people there was going to be houses built over it. sure it was in the paper ages back aswell. then recently it said there might be 1000 jobs going there is another business opening there?

as for the police use it i know as from my house i can hear the dogs barking in there as they train the dogs to find drugs. some big dog prints on some of the walls lol...

never knew it was a listed building though??

killergibbo · Jan 31, 2011

yea the place is staying mate they will just be cleaning it up thats all.....am shocked you dint hear us lol 120 soldiers making noise and throwin flashbangs and firing blanks haha we did draw alittle crownd tho cos local people thought there was a gun war going on and came to find out

jameswildcooper · Jan 31, 2011

lol nope dont remember hearing that? did you come more than once? were you in and out all the buildings?

Goldie87 · Jan 31, 2011

killergibbo said:
btw dont get caught in there because you will be arrested....

How is this different from any other site, theres a chance police might be called wherever you explore. I can't find anything on any of the buildings being listed, I could be wrong but I find it highly unlikely any of them are. The site itself has recently been sold and the buildings there will be demolished very soon.

Thanks for the tour btw guys, was a great explore. Hopefully meet you all again soon!