This was a random stop-off on a Sunday morning after Bitca and I had failed attempt at Berkyn Manor earlier (the bulls were sleepy, but the fencing was anchored hard into the ground, lots of razor wire at the top and bottom of the fencing and razor wire bundled into the ground-floor windows) so we headed up the M40 to Oxfordshire. Having worked in Oxford for a few years, I commuted past these silos most days, but never took a closer look, so today was that opportunity.
Info about the site unashamedly stolen from another post:
"Water Eaton Grain Silo is a WW2 strategic grain silo between Kidlington and Oxford, next to the crossing of the main road from Kidlington to Oxford and the Oxford to Bletchley railway line. It follows a standard pattern common to other wartime silos and takes the form of two banks of ten seven storey high cylindrical reinforced concrete silos side by side with the space between them filled by a brick access shaft. In the shaft is the associated grain handling machinery and two enormous grain driers which extend the full height of the building. It was built in the early 1940s and closed in the late 1980s, after which the yard surrounding it was used by several local businesses including a pet food supplier and a car breaker"
I guess it’s a matter of personal opinion, some people will love this place and others may hate it. For us, we definitely fall in the second camp. The whole area was pretty grim, the majority of the graffiti looks like it was done by a bunch of kids thinking they're hardasses (though kudos to whoever do the high-level stuff) and this building could easily kill you.
The basement was pretty flooded so no access down there (and TBH, not sure we wanted to) In bright daylight, the ground floor is dark and torches are needed - there's a couple of nasty holes in the floor which a regular person wouldn't fall through, but you would lose your leg down them and could do some serious damage if you don't watch your feet.
The floors going up have a few bits of interesting mill machinery, (motors, dryers, hoppers, screws) but the most notable thing is the bloody great hole (where I guess the grain lift used to go) It's completely unprotected on all sides and a fall through this will kill you as you'll end up impaled on the lift motor and winding gear which are all trashed down at the ground level.
Heading up to the top floor will give you access to the numerous fill holes at the silo heads, each of which will swallow you whole if you took a tumble, sending you plummeting down to a certain death a hundred or so feet below.
On the plus side, a final climb to the roof will give you some great views over the Oxfordshire countryside, so it’s not all bad. Just my opinion here. give it a go if you've got nothing else to do but watch your feet!
#1 In
#2 Aspect
#3 Aspect
#4 Play
#5 Die
#6 Fill
#7 Junk
#8 Vent
#9 Rust
#10 See
Info about the site unashamedly stolen from another post:
"Water Eaton Grain Silo is a WW2 strategic grain silo between Kidlington and Oxford, next to the crossing of the main road from Kidlington to Oxford and the Oxford to Bletchley railway line. It follows a standard pattern common to other wartime silos and takes the form of two banks of ten seven storey high cylindrical reinforced concrete silos side by side with the space between them filled by a brick access shaft. In the shaft is the associated grain handling machinery and two enormous grain driers which extend the full height of the building. It was built in the early 1940s and closed in the late 1980s, after which the yard surrounding it was used by several local businesses including a pet food supplier and a car breaker"
I guess it’s a matter of personal opinion, some people will love this place and others may hate it. For us, we definitely fall in the second camp. The whole area was pretty grim, the majority of the graffiti looks like it was done by a bunch of kids thinking they're hardasses (though kudos to whoever do the high-level stuff) and this building could easily kill you.
The basement was pretty flooded so no access down there (and TBH, not sure we wanted to) In bright daylight, the ground floor is dark and torches are needed - there's a couple of nasty holes in the floor which a regular person wouldn't fall through, but you would lose your leg down them and could do some serious damage if you don't watch your feet.
The floors going up have a few bits of interesting mill machinery, (motors, dryers, hoppers, screws) but the most notable thing is the bloody great hole (where I guess the grain lift used to go) It's completely unprotected on all sides and a fall through this will kill you as you'll end up impaled on the lift motor and winding gear which are all trashed down at the ground level.
Heading up to the top floor will give you access to the numerous fill holes at the silo heads, each of which will swallow you whole if you took a tumble, sending you plummeting down to a certain death a hundred or so feet below.
On the plus side, a final climb to the roof will give you some great views over the Oxfordshire countryside, so it’s not all bad. Just my opinion here. give it a go if you've got nothing else to do but watch your feet!
#1 In
#2 Aspect
#3 Aspect
#4 Play
#5 Die
#6 Fill
#7 Junk
#8 Vent
#9 Rust
#10 See
