Brickworks 'Werklust' in Losser
The brickworks started production in 1927. In the last years
it was in production it was special because it had the last operating
ring furnace in Europe. Production ceased in 2000.
On local television I saw an ex-employee who was almost in tears when
giving the television crew a tour of the closed down factory. He had worked
here most of his live, and was very emotional explaining how fast the
buildings deteriorated.
Now the plans are to make a museum out of it. The small train will carry
tourists, there will be demonstrations etcetera. Probably with neatly
mown grass, polished machinery and no rubble lying about. Before that
happened I wanted to visit the place in it's original state.
Visited on 09-02-02
Not minding carnival nor caring about it this was a nice
day to do some exploring. With beats of house-music in the distance I
climbed over the gate. The resulting report is probably more industrial
archaeology than urban exploration.
The
furnace
Garden furniture in the oven. The oven
openings itself had been blocked with reinforcing steel (? the stuff they
use for reinforced concrete)/
View along side the furnace
Only four pallets of bricks have been
left behind.
Detail
from picture above
Rear side
Some
glove left behind
EF 76
Wheelbarrow inside furnace
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