This was a factory I thought had long bitten the dust until I saw a thread pop up on here recently...
Whilst in the area checking other things out I thought it'd be rude not to pop in and have a look, access was as easy as it comes and despite it's trashed nature it's a rather photogenic old place.
Thanks for looking, more here as always https://www.flickr.com/photos/mookie427/albums/72157682845898022
Whilst in the area checking other things out I thought it'd be rude not to pop in and have a look, access was as easy as it comes and despite it's trashed nature it's a rather photogenic old place.
The company announced in May 2007 that it was seeking 70 redundancies in its 140-strong workforce at the long established engineering premises but it said it would continue to manufacture out of the Elstead factory, supplying customers such as BMW and Perkins.
remaining workers were informed that the factory would almost certainly close in October 2008.
The Elstead works started life at the beginning of the 20th century as Weyburn Engineering, and in recent years was merged to become Weyburn Bartel before being bought by Federal Mogul.
It has always been the only real factory in the village, and it employed about 300 people in 1937 when it manufactured lifeboat engines and parts for cars and aeroplanes.
When soaring asbestos liabilities forced Federal Mogul to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US in 2001, its UK subsidiaries were placed under the control of court appointed administrators.
The Elstead workforce, who carry out precision engineering for a number of high profile clients on the four-acre site, believed the business still had a future, despite the company’s decision to make 70 redundancies.
However, hopes faded after most of the site was sold to a property developer.
Thanks for looking, more here as always https://www.flickr.com/photos/mookie427/albums/72157682845898022