Report - Courtaulds, Little Heath Works, Coventry, PART ONE

[dweeb]

Where the hell do I even begin with this place...:crazy

I have been drooling over the industrial epicness that makes up the little heath works for over a decade. On the bus I used to press my nose against the vibrating glass and wonder what was in those red brick towers sticking up from the huge mills that rose up from the terraces of Little Heath. After closure Turkey and I had tried so so maky times, both on our own and togather, each time getting that little bit closer... Y'day was a day I have waited for for a very very long time!

The 40 acre works produced acetate yarns and filter tow, and I believe some famous firsts in the world of artificial textiles were made on the site. In later years plastics were made in the works, as well as cigarette filters and chemical manufacture. In its heyday it employed 5000 people.

Being blessed with epic clouds, and amazing industrial architecture in every direction, I took 450 photos in the 4 hours we were on the site. I have split my report in half to get as much of the site documented as possible...

This is the last site of its kind in Coventry, the midlands, and there cant be many left in the UK on this scale of this age... I would urge everyone to make the effort with this one.

A plan of the works. Thsi sign was 1989 and even then some buildings are marked "disused building"

 

[Sn0w Wh1te]

Thanks for posting these piccies up... Brings back some memories!
I worked for Novaceta / Courtaulds in the processing factory up in Nuneaton from 1994 to 1997 (now demolished and a residential development called Silken Court) and I used to go to the Little Heath works around once a month for training days. I still remember the full tour of the filter tow and acetate yarn sections... huge place because you had to drop the dope down about 3 stories until the acetone evapourated and you were left with the yarn spinning onto the bobbins at the bottom. There is / was a sister factory in Spondon, Derby it's off Celanese Road just south of Spondon Railway station. I went there once and unfortunately for you guys it is mostly a much more modern structure, not alot in the way of red brick!