La Porte Fullers Earth Works = Redhill June 2012

History:

established c.1860-70. Initially supplying the woolen trade, demand later shifted to the growing chemical and comodity sector with customers in the 1920s-40s
including the Southern Oil Company Ltd, British Glues and Chemicals Ltd and Price’s Patent Candle Co.
In 1954 the works, by now employing 780 men, were bought by chemical company Laporte Industries.
Production was stepped up to meet increasing demand and a large factory consisting of kilns, granulators, blungers, silos and transit systems on several
floors was built.
A large quarry existed to the east and in the 1970s this strange landscape stood in for various alien worlds in the BBC’s Doctor Who series.
In the 1980s, the Copyhold site was sending loose earths and packaged cat litter around the world.
By 1995, however, due to falling profits it was announced that the company would close 10% of its 100 plants.
Copyhold fell victim the following year and the Laporte Group ceased fuller’s earth production altogether in 1997.
After the production lines were switched off, the 119 acre pit was purchased for use as a landfill site by Biffa Waste Services and continues to take waste from across Surrey.
The factory was for a while used as a waste transfer station but this was abandoned at some time in the last four years.
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I got wind this place was being torn down and ripped apart by workmen, so as this place was on my list to do, I decided to head down here quick.
First attempt ended at the gates not even seeing the structure, so I re planned and headed here at 6AM one saturday.
Lucky for me workmen/builders and security was not around this early and left the premises for an easy wander or at least for an hour
The buildings are being torn down as I speak, the factory is more of a mess now workmen have begun, add that to the vandals and graffiti but an interesting one.
I really enjoyed this explore, maybe it was because it was 6AM and how silent it was.

Here is my take on Fullers Earthworks.



P1060636 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


P1060643 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


P1060652 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


P1060653 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


P1060664 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


P1060667 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


P1060671 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


P1060678 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


P1060676 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


P1060693 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


P1060697 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


P1060719 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


P1060717 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


P1060723 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


P1060727 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


P1060661 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


P1060679 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


lout 44 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr


P1060716 by Abel History Repeats, on Flickr



Thanks for looking

Nice one! Pure industrial porn! I bet there's some dodgy stairs and ladders to climb there
Cheers for sharing!

the stairs at the side of the building are coming away from the wall, I didnt risk it ... far too early for monkey climbing haha
but yep inside it was full of little stairs and ladders all around, but because of the workmen, they have shut off some parts of the factory... I got round most of it but as I said far too early for monkey climbing!

Thanks for looking mate

You can get to the top from the inside...it's pretty easy (although there's a few holey bits at the top) and well worth it.

Real shame the workmen are tearing this place down.

Breesey said:

You can get to the top from the inside...it's pretty easy (although there's a few holey bits at the top) and well worth it.

Click to expand...

See, you'll just have to go back tomorrow now...

I would of climbed the stairs around the building yet half the steps are gone, and some of the stairs main structure was coming from the wall, due to the workmen stripping it down slowly.
otherwise I would of attempted climbing up to the top
thanks for looking mate.

Shush UE-OMJ i aint heading back again hahaha!

Great photos,even the graffiti wasn,t too bad!thanks for sharing.

cheers mate getting better as the explores go on with the photos

Thanks for looking!

Interesting to see an update on fullers, it's not changed as much as I thought it would have! Good report

dont let the pictures fool you, before I made a quick getaway, the builders where arriving with security, the whole place is being torn down same as the outer buildings
I got wind of it being demolished soon, so decided to take a trip down there before its gone, second visit as first was a fail.

Thanks for looking

This is so sick! I'm not surprised they knocked it down so soon with the state of it!

So soon? This is one of urbex on the internet's oldest explores!

One of the most "underrated" sites and explores aswel Krela dont forget that

Cheers for looking guys

Awesome. Shame to see this go

thanks for looking mate, and yeah I really enjoyed walking around this place shame indeed.

Great shots mate...i wud ave bumped into u that afternoon wen i had a little mooch before she disappears

haha you should of PM'd me
I went at 6AM due to the gates being locked on the thursday
did you have any issues with security? builders?