Report - Robert Fletchers Paper Mill, Greenfield - December 2023

[JaffaTB]

Weird they left the forklifts intact, you’d think there’d be some scrap in those?
I’ll try pop by for a visit to see inside that boiler and turbine house before it goes, as I never got inside that last time. I love how they left the digesters dotted about, it’s so out of place
Edit
Same goes for that long building, I’ve been by it a fair bit as a hidy place but never got in, worth seeing inside at all?

Yeah a few little bits, I was just happy to be inside somewhere thats always been sealed tight

 

[TalkingMask]

Yeah a few little bits, I was just happy to be inside somewhere thats always been sealed tight

To be fair I’ve never seen that open, nor would anyone go through the effort with the surrounding buildings. I’ll have to pop by for a visit at some point as some of that tech on the table looks really pretty

 

[JaffaTB]

To be fair I’ve never seen that open, nor would anyone go through the effort with the surrounding buildings. I’ll have to pop by for a visit at some point as some of that tech on the table looks really pretty

Theres some other stuff as well but i'll let you find that out for yourself

 

[TalkingMask]

Theres some other stuff as well but i'll let you find that out for yourself

Gotta love that, with that place it can be anything so now I definitely gotta go
@The Young One could be some stuff here for your panel? I don’t remember where you’re based but if anything pops up I’ll let you know 😁

 

[Mikeymutt]

Yeah a few little bits, I was just happy to be inside somewhere thats always been sealed tight

That basin is gorgeous, reminds me of the one at the Universal Grinding company.

 

[Drewster09]

It was almost certainly one of those 'suspicious' fires for sure. Why else would the building which was conveniently being used to store piles of pallets and cut up logs be the one that decides to catch fire.

Exactly. The charred logs are all still there aswell which is mental. It’s pretty much evidence if you ask me! Also I am certain that there wasn’t a way in at that time, so whoever set the thing alight either properly broke on or had access…. I guess we will never know

 

[Drewster09]

Yeh as i suspected. Canteen is the smaller building. One of the best if not the best building on site.

Security are in the building by the gate usually yes.

Just trying to think of something I can do with a potcher! Wonder if they would sell one.. be shame to see them all just go in the scrap!

That’s a good shout that if there still intact.

—This might be of interest. Purico who owned Fletchers also ran a much smaller teabag tissue mill in heywood. They traded under the name union papertech at Cromptons mill in the cheesden brook valley. My grandad worked there for 10ish years, and I remember him mentioning that they ran about 4 to 5 1950s Bertram’s beaters there aswell. Similar Like the ones at fletchers. Anyway the mill went bust in Covid, and that I know everything got left like fletchers. I bet you any money the beaters got left behind because they are pretty much no use to anybody thesedays, completely obsolete now as there’s no big fine tissue industry in the UK anymore. Where it gets very interesting is that they ran very similar Paper rolling machines to the 2 at fletchers in the main room- similar age and type. He reckons there not at the stage of scrapping yet. I think it’s the missing chapter of the book if you ask me. It will be very intact and preserved. Obviously I doubt the purico empire will allow us permission access, but you never know eh!

Maybe one day il get to see it 🥴

 

[Nothingtonobody]

That’s a good shout that if there still intact.

—This might be of interest. Purico who owned Fletchers also ran a much smaller teabag tissue mill in heywood. They traded under the name union papertech at Cromptons mill in the cheesden brook valley. My grandad worked there for 10ish years, and I remember him mentioning that they ran about 4 to 5 1950s Bertram’s beaters there aswell. Similar Like the ones at fletchers. Anyway the mill went bust in Covid, and that I know everything got left like fletchers. I bet you any money the beaters got left behind because they are pretty much no use to anybody thesedays, completely obsolete now as there’s no big fine tissue industry in the UK anymore. Where it gets very interesting is that they ran very similar Paper rolling machines to the 2 at fletchers in the main room- similar age and type. He reckons there not at the stage of scrapping yet. I think it’s the missing chapter of the book if you ask me. It will be very intact and preserved. Obviously I doubt the purico empire will allow us permission access, but you never know eh!

Maybe one day il get to see it 🥴

Thank you so much for sharing this information! I’m going to do some research into this. I would love to visit!

 

[Drewster09]

Thank you so much for sharing this information! I’m going to do some research into this. I would love to visit!

No worries mate. it was a small going concern up until quite recently really. Sad to see it decommissioned really as I reckon there’s stuff to to see! The mill is called Simpson clough

 

[TalkingMask]

Went for a visit today. Whilst the fun part is completely flattened there is still some lovely little bits left. Seeing things i recognised in the rubble was quite sad, I recognised the back of the crane that was in the digester hall which was quite grim

Finally got around to seeing the boiler and turbine house but it had gotten dark and wet so the photos aren’t the best, saw security when leaving so I couldn’t see much else unfortunately. There is LOTS to see in that little building that Jaffa mentioned but trust me, it’s much better to see it yourself if you can as it’s lovely

Turbine Hall

The rover is still there funnily enough

Boilers

 

[Stevoid]

Went for a visit today. Whilst the fun part is completely flattened there is still some lovely little bits left. Seeing things i recognised in the rubble was quite sad, I recognised the back of the crane that was in the digester hall which was quite grim

Finally got around to seeing the boiler and turbine house but it had gotten dark and wet so the photos aren’t the best, saw security when leaving so I couldn’t see much else unfortunately. There is LOTS to see in that little building that Jaffa mentioned but trust me, it’s much better to see it yourself if you can as it’s lovely

Turbine Hall

The rover is still there funnily enough

Boilers

Brilliant photos mate, still looking lovely as ever. I must get my arse up there for one last look.

 

[Stevoid]

Went for a visit today. Whilst the fun part is completely flattened there is still some lovely little bits left. Seeing things i recognised in the rubble was quite sad, I recognised the back of the crane that was in the digester hall which was quite grim

Finally got around to seeing the boiler and turbine house but it had gotten dark and wet so the photos aren’t the best, saw security when leaving so I couldn’t see much else unfortunately. There is LOTS to see in that little building that Jaffa mentioned but trust me, it’s much better to see it yourself if you can as it’s lovely

Turbine Hall

The rover is still there funnily enough

Boilers

Brilliant photos mate, still looking lovely as ever. I must get my arse up there for one last look.

 

[JaffaTB]

Glad you got to see it, that room isn't very big but it seems to have remained untouched all these years and there's deffo some hidden treasures in there! It feels strange recognising bits we used to see inside the big mill all scattered about and smashed up 😞

 

[TalkingMask]

Brilliant photos mate, still looking lovely as ever. I must get my arse up there for one last look.

Gotta do it when you can cause God knows how long it’s got left, there is still an excavator on site so they have more to do

Glad you got to see it, that room isn't very big but it seems to have remained untouched all these years and there's deffo some hidden treasures in there! It feels strange recognising bits we used to see inside the big mill all scattered about and smashed up 😞

Honestly that room has more in it that most places around there do nowadays, and it’s definitely been untouched with how everything was left on the table, I wish I got more photos but the way the goggles were there with the papers, it was definitely sealed fully. And the workshop still having all the parts inside pristine, it’d be my dream if it wasn’t full of bricks
And it is strange with little things here and there, on the way back up avoiding security I went towards the digester area and there was a leccy box that I recognised from when I first went, it’s surreal

 

[The Young One]

Gotta love that, with that place it can be anything so now I definitely gotta go
@The Young One could be some stuff here for your panel? I don’t remember where you’re based but if anything pops up I’ll let you know 😁

I'm a few hours away but might visit