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Post by Arthur Pringle on Oct 31, 2021 19:22:30 GMT
Speaking of tv & film locations, one of the abandoned homes visited by urban explorers is film director Bryan Forbes impressive mansion in Virginia Water, Surrey. They bought it in 1955, Forbes wife Nanette Newman lived in it for a while after his death but it has remained empty since 2016.
Whilst it's interesting to see these places I find the idea of urban exploring somewhat disrespectful. Apparently they agree not to move or remove anything from the sites but all the same there's something a bit wrong about going through homes that people once lived in without their consent, or at least making a video & broadcasting it.
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Post by Sam Tyler on Oct 31, 2021 22:34:11 GMT
Yes I know of that house too. It is less than a mile from the house that I first posted up and less than half a mile from the church where Annie and I got married.
Apparently the Virginia Water house has now been sold to a developer so like many other places in the area it will be flattened to make way for another "footballers' wives" clinical house.
I agree with you Arthur, the whole notion of urban exploring I think is wrong and completely disrespectful to the owners, or previous owners. In Nanette Newman's house as with the house that I posted there has been vandalism of fixtures and fittings as well as graffiti sprayed or daubed over the walls.
My thoughts go to the previous owners of the houses, imagine how they must feel seeing a home that they once cherished defaced and plastered across the internet for all to see? Maybe Nanette Newman at the age of 87 now doesn't surf the net but I'm sure there are friends and family members that would do.
Sam.
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Villain
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Post by Villain on Nov 1, 2021 10:49:35 GMT
This one is a bit left field compared to what's been posted so far but I thought it was worth a punt - back in the '70s a load of us used to sneak into the old Loco Testing Plant at Rugby to muck around in, it seemed vast at the time and there was debris everywhere, it opened in 1948 but closed in the '60s and was left standing forlornly until it was demolished in 1984. On one occasion we were chased out by a railway worker armed with a three foot long crow bar....! Off to the left of the above pics was the site of the once vast Rugby Loco Shed, it closed in 1965 and was demolished in about 1970 leaving a large open space for us to play in until we inevitable got told in no uncertain terms to do one, the inspection pits were still in place at the time but it was all filled in by 1979 and a Grundig warehouse erected on the site. In this 1972 pic you can see the open ground to the left behind the prototype gas turbine loco (which had been converted to run on electric current) and the Loco Testing Plant in the distance, our train crew office and mess room isn't far from this spot.... Villain
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Sparky
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Post by Sparky on Nov 1, 2021 12:12:35 GMT
This one is a bit left field compared to what's been posted so far but I thought it was worth a punt - back in the '70s a load of us used to sneak into the old Loco Testing Plant at Rugby to muck around in, it seemed vast at the time and there was debris everywhere, it opened in 1948 but closed in the '60s and was left standing forlornly until it was demolished in 1984. On one occasion we were chased out by a railway worker armed with a three foot long crow bar....! Off to the left of the above pics was the site of the once vast Rugby Loco Shed, it closed in 1965 and was demolished in about 1970 leaving a large open space for us to play in until we inevitable got told in no uncertain terms to do one, the inspection pits were still in place at the time but it was all filled in by 1979 and a Grundig warehouse erected on the site. In this 1972 pic you can see the open ground to the left behind the prototype gas turbine loco (which had been converted to run on electric current) and the Loco Testing Plant in the distance, our train crew office and mess room isn't far from this spot.... Villain Great photos and story Villian.
What's the Loco in the 3rd pic? It's Electric and has round windows on the side. Not seen anything like that before. I assume it's European. Trying to recognize some of the cars parked up at the side!
All of the Rail yards close to where we lived were either really busy (Toton), awkward to get to (Worksop) - and we daren't try and sneak in! Though the Derby Loco Works Open days were always a treat as the place was literally open to everyone - no restrictions. Spent many a time climbing on old 25s and 46s on the scrap line behind the works.
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Villain
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Post by Villain on Nov 1, 2021 13:03:23 GMT
The loco was originally a British built experimental gas turbine but was later converted to run from the 25kv overhead lines, it was dumped at Rugby for a while, as were several other locos and units at the time. Villain
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Cartman
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Post by Cartman on Nov 1, 2021 13:46:12 GMT
Those are great Villain. That testing plant was interesting, the only other one was the GWR one at Swindon. There were two gas turbine locos, both from the Western, 18000 and 18100. One of the two still exists, the one in your pic was converted to a 25kv electric but was very little used and later scrapped.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2021 15:21:15 GMT
A great story Sam! very interesting, but equally quite sad, I can imagine the buzz ya got as a youngster seeing the place for the first time and playing there with your mate. Even though you struggled to track him down years later, I wonder if he’s aware of the demise of the property. maybe one or two examples I could give, but one sticks to mind is the house I lived in with my parents from the age of 11 to, 21 when I moved out due to buying my own place. So when I was 11 my dad bought this house which needed a lot of work doing on it, and it just so happens that it came with a bit of land. I loved this because when we first moved there, there were 3 sheds on it, and also my mum an dad would grow vegetables. I’d spend a lot of time playing and hanging around with my mates on there.. One day my dad let me have one of the sheds, and he boarded it out and me and my mates carpeted it out everywhere, even nailing carpet on the walls so it was nice n warm. And so from the ages of 14 me and my mates, would at the weekends camp out in there and get bladdered! We did this for a while until one time it all went horribly wrong with one of my mates completely throwing up everywhere outside all over my mums cabbages lol! the camp on this particular weekend was meant to be a two dayer, but consequently because of the cabbage incident, the 2nd night got abandoned! She went berserk and she she literally had to hose down all the cabbages to clean them. Anyway years later when my mum and dad moved to the coast, we heard that the house had come up for sale again, so when I was back home again up North visiting them, I made a point of going to see the house again, and to my shock and surprise, I found that there were now 3 houses built on the land, that I once spent so much time on in my youth. Yes it was quite sad really, and have never been back since. Everyone has these experiences and memories of change regarding places, towns, houses they lived in etc, and some people gloss over them quickly and don’t mind, it’s just part of life! and that’s fine, and then there’s the other type who are deeper, who find it totally fascinating, addictive, because like me are very nostalgic and Reminiscent, and so I think this is why I like the retro meets as much as I do, visiting memory lane of Tv & film and getting together with like minded friends, for a weekend of reminiscing nostalgia and banter! and so really in my book, there’s no price tag on this..
GC
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