Report - Edison Swan Cable Works, Lower Lydbrook - Dec 2013

[Seffy]

Edison Swan Cable Works or Stowfield Business Park, Lydbrook

tumbles, Wellingtonian and Seffy.

Some brief history for you, shamelessly stolen...

The factory started life when Harold J Smith purchased some land at Stowfield, near Lower Lydbrook, and built the Lydbrook Cable Works. At first the site only employed 40 workers, however the First World War provided many contracts and the site rapidly expanded, employing a workforce of 650. When the Official Receiver was introduced, contracts declined and the site was sold in 1925 to Edison Swan Cables.

Edison Swan had access to greater resources and the site quickly expanded further, making it the sprawling mass of different-aged buildings visible today. The Second World War helped the site to fuel this growth - the site owned one of only four machines making lead alloy tube required for "Petroleum Lines Under the Ocean" (PLUTO) which allowed fuel to be delivered to the Allied invasion force in Europe. At it's peak it employed 1,100 people.

In 1966 the factory was bought by Reed Paper, and it took on the new name of "Reed Corrugated Cables". It was then purchased by a Swedish packaging firm called SCA, and the site was used as one of several SCA packaging plants around the UK. Production ceased in 1994, and the site has slowly deteriorated since.

After not exploring anything other than high stuff for a while, it felt so good to smell that damp smell that is a DERP. After plans to do something else fell through, tumbles suggested we go and have look at the old cable works in Lydbrook, which he's done and fancied a revisit to. It's been on the cards for a while, but we hadn't actually got around to it as of yet.

So after a cheeky Maccy Ds and a pleasant drive through some of the Forest of Dean, we got down to it.

Our trip didn't go entirely to plan, but we did get to meet some very friendly Gloucestershire Police officers, who knew we meant no harm and sent us on our way. There is a situation that needs to be addressed on this site, with regards to security and their use of our canine friends (see bottom of the thread).

Due to the whole getting spotted incident, I didn't actually take any externals… Looking back I am rather gutted about this, so have had to steal one for now… DOH.

An areal view of the business park as a whole...

Unfortunately, we only really got round about half of the site, but as tumbles said, that was by far the best part...

This was the closest I got to an external...

This was the last shot I got, before our trip was cut short rather suddenly

After that, we were escorted to the gate by a security guard and his Alsation, before being told to wait for the police.
If said guard or the site owner is reading this, let me draw your attention to a particular clause of the Guard Dog Act 1975:

A person shall not use or permit the use of a guard dog at any premises unless a notice containing a warning that a guard dog is present is clearly exhibited at each entrance to the premises.

There was not a single sign anywhere. Sure, there were signs warning that the premises are protected (no doubt by a dodgy security company), but not one warning of the use of guard dogs. It looks like someone could soon have a nice hefty fine coming their way. I shall also be bringing this to the attention of the local constabulary.
We were then told, after being escorted to the main gate, that if he caught us, or anyone else again, the dog would be let off the lead and set free. Well my friend, let me draw your attention to this part of the legislation...

The handler of a guard dog shall keep the dog under his control at all times while it is being used as a guard dog at any premises except—

(a)while another handler has control over the dog; or

(b)while the dog is secured so that it is not at liberty to go freely about the premises.

So try that mate, and I suspect you'll have a serious law suit on your hands.

I believe the security company in question is called 'National Security Group', but cannot recall exactly what the signs said.

Cheers for looking, and if anyone else is planning on visiting this site, feel free to PM me for more info/bit of extra help etc. ​