P&F Congleton.
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P&F Congleton is and automotive manufacturer and is part of Pressings & Fabrications ltd.
The Bath Vale Works as it is more commonly known spans across 25 acres of greenbelt land and sits behind Congleton village in Cheshire, the factory dates to the 1940s and has always produced car parts.
P&F Congletons client list is rather impressive and they manufactured parts for the likes of Ford, Mercedes Benz, Bentley and Rolls Royce.
The factory closed in 2005 with the loss of over 65 jobs, since then the site has been derelict.
The site is currently due to be redeveloped into a residential housing estate by developers Richborough Estates, planning applications have been submitted for 130 homes on the site.
The main site itself has sadly been stripped of all the heavy machinery leaving only the main production area of any interest, with what looks like a giant mechanics pit.
The offices and administration block how ever are completely different and are filled to the ceiling in places with of boxes upon boxes of records, archives and orders, some we found where pre 1960s.
Whilst exploring the offices we found at least five rooms which stored archives alone, but when we proceeded to the basement we discovered and old store room containing car parts.
Everything from radiator caps to windscreen wipers had been left, more than likely from old production model cars or prototypes, some even looked early 1940s judging by the design.
The offices also contained and abundance of old computers including old CRT monitors, keyboards, small server racks and various boxes of software like Microsoft front page and Windows 2000 operating systems.
When we arrived here we didnt know quite what to expect as the majority of the factory is hidden from view, but once inside its just one never ending line of buildings.
The main factory floor is huge and in certain parts sectioned off, theres also what looks like to be and immense mechanics pit to the right as you enter.
What items of interest are lacking in the factory are compensated for by the sheer scale of the place and its rather ambient lighting, combined with the offices this is a rather interesting explore with plenty to see in terms of diversity and history.
Date : November 2007 : Location : Cheshire : Explorers : Havoc : The New Mendoza : Dodgerat
