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Stewartby Brickworks - May 2015 | Oblivion State Urban Exploration

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Stewartby Brickworks - May 2015

Urbexbandoned

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Stewartby brickworks was home to the world’s biggest kiln and produced 18 million bricks at the height of production.

BJ Forder & Son opened the first brickworks in Wootton Pillinge in 1897. Wootton Pillinge was renamed Stewartby in 1937 in recognition of the Stewart family who had been instrumental in developing the brickworks. The firm became London Brick Company and Forders Limited in 1926, and shortened to London Brick Company in 1936.

At the height of the industry’s production there were 167 brick chimneys in the Marston Vale. In the 1970s Bedfordshire produced 20% of England’s bricks.

At its peak London Brick Company had its own ambulance and fire crews, a horticultural department and a photographic department, as well as its own swimming pool inside the factory, and ran a number of sports clubs.

More than £1 million was spent on Stewartby Brickworks in 2005-7 in an attempt to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions.

I stole that ^^^

Anyway, I grew up in a little town about 10 miles South of Stewartby and had seen this place many times during its operational days. Driving past on our usual Saturday night jaunt to the Sanctuary in Milton Keynes when I was a bit younger I might add, you could see the chimneys billowing smoke as we passed. Always busy with traffic and people and yet now not a soul. This was more of a wander for me than an explore, I was so busy remembering images in my head of those days that I didn't actually take many pics. Never mind, I got a few. Very leisurely, no one on site at all and I was on a proper high after doing the windtunnels earlier on I really didn't care for much LOL.

Anyway, pics!

That locally famous chimney

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Oh how we all love a bit of palisade...but...I didnt lose a finger :rolleyes:

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The other way

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Inside one of the warehouses

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Probably the best pic I took allday haha, it's own train line

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Inside the brickworks

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The back side where the bricks were born

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Perfect brick sized podlets

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No idea what this was for but I couldn't help but imagine after reminiscing my Sanctuary days what an awesome place this would make for a rave, minus the pigeon shit!

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More brick babies were born here

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Oooooohhhh, a hook!

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Some peely paint

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Cheers for looking!

 

AndyK!

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Ohh we were looking at this place a few weeks ago, after spotting the chimneys from the motorway. Nice to see inside.

 

Lenston

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Some good pictures there, looks like some good bits and bobs left :)

:comp

 

Session9

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Good to see this again.

I miss seeing the bellowing chimneys from the train, but I don't miss the choking air when the wind was still in Bedford and it was blowing this way.

The siding was part of a much larger yard built by Railtrack for dumping used ballest from the West Coast upgrade, what remains now is not used. London Brick stopped using the railway to transport bricks in the 1970's.

Here end the history lesson :)

 

The Lone Shadow

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Good old place this. That razor fence is deadly. I swear the secca go around sharpening it!

 

Urbexbandoned

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Good to see this again.I miss seeing the bellowing chimneys from the train, but I don't miss the choking air when the wind was still in Bedford and it was blowing this way.

The siding was part of a much larger yard built by Railtrack for dumping used ballest from the West Coast upgrade, what remains now is not used. London Brick stopped using the railway to transport bricks in the 1970's.

Here end the history lesson :)
Thanks for the lesson mate, interesting to read (y)

 

Urbexbandoned

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Good old place this. That razor fence is deadly. I swear the secca go around sharpening it!
Lol, the palisade actually looked like it hadn't been there long at all or it's been redone.

 

The Lone Shadow

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Maybe, believe it or not secca patrol all the time here in red vans.

 

Urbexbandoned

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I didn't actually get there until about 4pm and it was Sunday so perhaps they finished for the day lol. Or I was so elusive they never spotted me haha

 

The_Raw

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Liking this, I do like a nice chimney, need to get my ass up one of those :D

 
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The Lone Shadow

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One things for sure, you never have a hard job finding this place. Those chimneys are visable for miles.

 
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hamtagger

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Looks like there's still a good bit to see here, liking the baby brick shutes lol :D

I must pop in sometime :)

 
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