Explore #7 of the ‘Hot Filth Tour’

On the last day of our industrial extravaganza we spent an hour or two enjoying a beautiful old forgotten power plant…

History (with thanks and acknowledgment to Behind Closed Doors for their knowledge and research of this site, from which the information below is derived)
This was almost certainly the first plant built to power the Cockerill Sambre steelworks in Charleroi. A later (and also now superseded) power plant was the nearby Blue Power Plant, which I explored in October 2015.

This power plant was built some time betwen 1904 and 1930, and comprised two turbine generators and rotary converters to convert the AC generated power into the DC current required by the steelworks.

Our Explore
Apart from a rather perilous crawl through a bundle of razor wire and dodging some on-site security this was another nice relaxed explore. I’m glad we took the time to see this little slice of industrial heritage, as the final two locations en route to the Eurotunnel were unexpected fails – oh well, can’t win ’em all. Anyway, on with the photos…

A quick phone snap outside…

Exterior external outside HF4 power plant wet dogs AMEC Industrial Industry Adam X Urban Exploration Belgium Access 2017 Abandoned decay lost forgotten derelict location creepy haunting eerie

The main turbine hall, with the rotary converters in the foreground…

Rotary converters main hall HF4 power plant wet dogs AMEC Industrial Industry Adam X Urban Exploration Belgium Access 2017 Abandoned decay lost forgotten derelict location creepy haunting eerie

One of the ancient turbines…

Vintage turbine HF4 power plant wet dogs AMEC Industrial Industry Adam X Urban Exploration Belgium Access 2017 Abandoned decay lost forgotten derelict location creepy haunting eerie

A rotary converter – used to convert the AC power into DC current…

Rotary converter detail HF4 power plant wet dogs AMEC Industrial Industry Adam X Urban Exploration Belgium Access 2017 Abandoned decay lost forgotten derelict location creepy haunting eerie

The logo of the manufacturer ACEC…

ACEC rotary converter detail HF4 power plant wet dogs AMEC Industrial Industry Adam X Urban Exploration Belgium Access 2017 Abandoned decay lost forgotten derelict location creepy haunting eerie

ACEC detail HF4 power plant wet dogs AMEC Industrial Industry Adam X Urban Exploration Belgium Access 2017 Abandoned decay lost forgotten derelict location creepy haunting eerie

Main control boards…

Control panels dials switches gauges HF4 power plant wet dogs AMEC Industrial Industry Adam X Urban Exploration Belgium Access 2017 Abandoned decay lost forgotten derelict location creepy haunting eerie

Dials controls gauges HF4 power plant wet dogs AMEC Industrial Industry Adam X Urban Exploration Belgium Access 2017 Abandoned decay lost forgotten derelict location creepy haunting eerie

Rotary converters main hall HF4 power plant wet dogs AMEC Industrial Industry Adam X Urban Exploration Belgium Access 2017 Abandoned decay lost forgotten derelict location creepy haunting eerie

Mark striving to get the best angle for his shot…

Mark HF4 power plant wet dogs AMEC Industrial Industry Adam X Urban Exploration Belgium Access 2017 Abandoned decay lost forgotten derelict location creepy haunting eerie

Rotary converter HF4 power plant wet dogs AMEC Industrial Industry Adam X Urban Exploration Belgium Access 2017 Abandoned decay lost forgotten derelict location creepy haunting eerie

Pressure gauge HF4 power plant wet dogs AMEC Industrial Industry Adam X Urban Exploration Belgium Access 2017 Abandoned decay lost forgotten derelict location creepy haunting eerie

A partially stripped blower, used to drive air into the blast furnace…

blower compressor HF4 power plant wet dogs AMEC Industrial Industry Adam X Urban Exploration Belgium Access 2017 Abandoned decay lost forgotten derelict location creepy haunting eerie

The two vintage turbines and rotary converters…

Turbines rotary converters ACEC HF4 power plant wet dogs AMEC Industrial Industry Adam X Urban Exploration Belgium Access 2017 Abandoned decay lost forgotten derelict location creepy haunting eerie

James and Jade arrived shortly before we finished, so we made sure to leave them a little present on their car on our way out…

James Kerwin car hire when nature takes over lol HF4 power plant wet dogs AMEC Industrial Industry Adam X Urban Exploration Belgium Access 2017 Abandoned decay lost forgotten derelict location creepy haunting eerie

James Kerwin car hire when nature takes over lol HF4 power plant wet dogs AMEC Industrial Industry Adam X Urban Exploration Belgium Access 2017 Abandoned decay lost forgotten derelict location creepy haunting eerie

I hope you’ve been converted.

Adam X