Home Sweet Home....

That's it then. We're in. Just got to find somewhere to put everything now. I have a feeling the charity shops around us are gonna be getting a visit this next week or two.

Thought I might introduce myself to the neighbours one evening this week, weather permitting.

;->

TnM

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Moving house is hard work... :-<

Well, finally after months of being f****d around by the Nationwide (possibly the world's worst building society) and settling with the Coventry Building Society (Yay!) we are moving. And what an absolute nightmare it is.

It's only 'til you start packing that you realise how much stuff (rubbish) you have. It isn't much fun. And my back is aching from a lifting and a carrying. Brunner Mond Winnington was easier than this.

Busy busy.

:-<

TnM

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Eastlink Ferro Alloys, Glossop - 11/11/07.

Well this was a pleasant surprise. A bunch of us checked this place out earlier this year only to find the place locked up tight. I had a couple of appointments in Glossop on Friday with an hour inbetween them so thought I'd head over and have a look.

The place was wide open! So, there I am halfway over the gate when some geezer walks out of one of the buildings and clocks me, 'Oy, what the **?!**? hell do you think your doing?', cue shaking of fist in my general direction, I slunk off back to the car.

An hour and a half later I returned and watched as the three guys onsite locked up and buggered off, by this time though it was half four, dark and starting to rain, so I called it a day.

Sunday comes around and I'm back in Glossop with more time inbetween appointments, sadly though, I'm wearing a suit, not ideal for exploring, but, needs must, and I'm off over the gate and onsite snapping away!!

The place closed I think in 2004 and produced ferro molybdenum for the world’s steel makers, which means absolutely nothing to me. All I know is it's industrial, dirty and downright photogenic, that ticks all the boxes for me!!

I reckon there's more to come from this site, and would have been if I had been suitably attired.

TnM :->

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Pennine Way Hotel - 09/11/07

The Pennnine Way Hotel in Oldham was built in 1972 and has 130 rooms and three stars, although when we were walking round I found it difficult to understand how, the housekeepers obviously hadn't been in for a while.

This seven storey concrete monstrosity of 70s design closed in August of 2006 after Oldham council bought it for an undisclosed sum (rumoured to be about £1.6M), the site is being cleared to make way for redevelopment of the town's West End.

Bungle and I have had our eye on this place for months and when the demolition team arrived onsite recently we realised it was now or never, besides, they would have to switch that bloody Redcare alarm off at SOME point!!

Plans were in place, we both had evening passes from our respective wives and/or girlfriends and the night was set. Then, some wino from Stockport decided he wanted in on it too, typical. So, the plans were changed and the wino and I arrived in Oldham at about half nine to hook up with Bungle and the man of mystery dcg, who had also decided to join the party.

Access to the site was fairly straightforward as was access to the building itself and once in we quickly realised the electricity had been cut. Leaving us free to wander around at will, so we headed to the roof.

After spending about forty minutes taking in the views we headed back down into the hotel itself but were a little disappointed by the lack of hotel goodness like beds and stuff, the place was rather bare, to say the least, although we did find some cracking 'wheels of Steel', that quickly had four cameras pointed at them from various directions.

Making our way down through the hotel to the kitchen area, Bungle spotted a police car outside, they'd pulled someone over, but were stood on the roadside opposite looking in our direction, considering the amount of torches we had, the place was probably lit up quite nicely. Anyway, the guy they'd stopped was plastered, leaving them with a load of paperwork and us with free reign. Result.

We stood in the darkness and watched them for about twenty minutes or so before the drunken idiot got out of the back of the cop car, locked his 4x4 and was eventually driven away by the cops in the direction of Five-Oh headquarters.

I think we spent about two and a half to three hours mooching round before making our exit, where we came face to face with a torch wielding pikey, thought we'd been busted at that point, 'til he ran off and jumped over the fence!!

I'm glad I did this one, an Oldham landmark that will soon be gone. Visited with Bungle, dcg and Havoc. A good night, very good.

TnM :->

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P&F Ltd, Congleton - 03/11/07

The second site we visited, convoy style with myself and Havoc leading the way while Dodge and TractorPirate got lost, left behind at traffic lights and struggled to get the Dodgemobile above thirty miles an hour, 'steady as she goes, son, steady as she goes, TractorPirate, pass me a hobnob, please'.

P&F A Division of Pressings and Fabrication Ltd manufactured parts for the automotive industry at a huge site somewhere in Congleton (up a hill and round a corner, I think), I dunno, Havoc was navigator, which meant many wrong turnings, dead ends and false starts!! :->

Anyway, we eventually arrived at the site and squeezed under the gate, the question was, why though? When we could have just stepped over a small wall, over yonder, you div! Dear, oh dear. lol.

Anyhoo, the site is made up of one massive continuous shed divided up into various bits dependent on what was being manufactured, a strong smell of car stuff was in the air (don't ask, I have a company car and people to look under the bonnet for me. I know where to put the petrol...diesel, even).

There is also a deceptively large admin/office area that included shelf upon shelf of paperwork as well as a nicely stocked parts store, very good. Havoc decided access to this bit needed to be as ungainly and difficult as our entrance to the site and headed off in an upwards direction, the rest of us went for a walk and found a way straight inside that required very little effort whatsoever.

A decent sized place, a bit bare in places, but the offices made up for it. And the other places on the list, well, they were a bit disappointing to say the least. A good day though, overall, and it was nice to have a new face out with us. :->

TnM

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Henbury High School, Macclesfield - 03/11/07

Young Master Dodgerat spotted this gem of a place a week or two ago when him and some mates managed to get lost in Macclesfield on the way to a latex, velcro and farming convention up in the hills.

So, after a nervy week or so, worrying incase some other local explorer found and did it before us, I headed down to have a little recce of the place on Wednesday, only to find the front gate wide open and access points galore. The urge to explore the place solo was strong but as Dodge found it I managed to resist, somehow, honestly!! ;->

Saturday came around, we had been in touch with a new explorer to the area, TractorPirate, who was coming out with us for the day, although I don't think she was quite prepared for the pace of Dodge and Havoc who verily run round buildings like they're being chased by some camp security guard intent on giving them a severe frisking!! I think she had a good time with us nevertheless.

What we found inside though surprised all of us, although there is a fair amount of damage to the windows and strip lights the whole site nearly has escaped the evil gaze of the copper stripping brethren of the caravan.

The place is largely intact with little or no graffiti, except that which was probably done on the last day of term earlier this year by pupils who would never be returning, except to smash the lights and windows, of course. The school closed in July.

A great little explore this one, it's just a shame we had a late start and a long list of targets for the day. I think I'll be popping back though, if I can find the time.

:->

TnM

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