Hawthorn Leslie - Hebburn - March/April? 2012

Both visits I was accompanied by CC.

History courtesy of Wikipedo.

R. & W. Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Limited, usually referred to as Hawthorn Leslie,
was a shipbuilding and locomotive manufacturer.
The Company was founded on Tyneside in 1886 and ceased building ships in 1982.
The Company was formed by the merger of the shipbuilder A. Leslie and Company in Hebburn
with the locomotive works of R. and W. Hawthorn at St.Peter's in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1886.
The Company disposed of its locomotive manufacturing interests in 1937 to Robert Stephenson and
Company which became Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns Ltd.

Perhaps the most famous ship built by the Company was HMS Kelly launched in 1938
and commanded by Lord Louis Mountbatten. In 1968 the Company's shipbuilding
interests were merged with that of Swan Hunter and the Vickers Naval Yard to create
Swan Hunter & Tyne Shipbuilders.

The Company's main shipbuilding yard at Hebburn closed in 1982, was sold to Cammell Laird
and then acquired by A&P Group in 2001 but now lies derelict.

Finished? Right. On with the photos then.


Outside of the place, it's actually much bigger than this, but you can already see how bad this place has got, thanks to the local kids.


I think this was inside the waiting room - lovely collapsed roof.


In a room close to the waiting room, found these lovely signs - and had a quick break for a drink


Pressing on we come to the entrance of the officey bit. Jumping through the door is advised because the floor immediately in front of the door is fooked, I almost went through it!


One of the companies manufacturing the Raspberry Pi! Little known to many the RPi was actually released in '99 - they've just taken forever to ship. This was just after a room full of paperwork, but it was dark and I couldn't be bothered to set my tripod up - oops. I also only noticed the "28" above the disk in the photo as I went to post it... it's a sign!


Up we go - and this place is fighting for No.1 most graffitied explore Ezykiel has ever been on - beaten only by Leadworks.


Nice warning from the local kids - thanks kids, but do you fancy not smashing the place up?


And they weren't wrong either, this actually beats pigeon shit stairs in Ushaw.


Gave me a little chuckle did this one.

Cheers for looking, more on my Flickr.