Unusual system built factory identity required

[Booking Hall]

Whilst carrying out a photographic survey of a location on which we are going to base a layout, I came across this unusual system-built factory (right on the alignment of the line on our proposed layout!). I've never seen this type of construction before, and I was a Building Surveyor in my professional life! As it was on private land I couldn't get up close to identify the wall panel material, but I suspect concrete, or possibly GRP, however, it could be steel. By reference to old maps, it appears to date from the 1950's. Can anyone identify the system please?

[TravisM]

I was going to say tiling from the type that’s used on the front of houses but on close inspection, looks like a type of “prefab”

[YesTor]

It does look unusual, if it wasn't for the vehicles and UK style fencing, streetlights etc I would have instinctively thought the photos might have been taken in the US.

[jukebox]

Looking at it, it seems to me to look a lot like good old fashioned weatherboard.

 

http://www.wrightforestproducts.com.au/2018/07/selecting-weatherboard/

 

No reason the wall panels may not have been pre-fabbed in a warehouse, esp. if speed or erection, or the UK weather was an issue.

 

Cheers

 

Scott

[jim.snowdon]

They are actually a form of interlocking concrete block, shaped like a squashed A, and designed, probably amongst other things, so that rainwater flows past the mortar joints, rather than into them. Searching the internet has found more than a few interlocking block walling systems, but not that one, although if it dates from the 1950s, that may not be too surprising.

 

They are certainly laid like normal brickwork, but clearly need special corner and end blocks.

 

Jim

[Booking Hall]

It does look unusual, if it wasn't for the vehicles and UK style fencing, streetlights etc I would have instinctively thought the photos might have been taken in the US.

Oops, sorry. I should have mentioned that this is in the UK (Lancashire)!

[Booking Hall]

They are actually a form of interlocking concrete block, shaped like a squashed A, and designed, probably amongst other things, so that rainwater flows past the mortar joints, rather than into them. Searching the internet has found more than a few interlocking block walling systems, but not that one, although if it dates from the 1950s, that may not be too surprising.

 

They are certainly laid like normal brickwork, but clearly need special corner and end blocks.

 

Jim

Thanks, Jim, it is reminiscent of Airey House construction.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

First thought was 'I am sure I have seen that construction on a WWII / cold war period RAF base', can't place a location though.

[Mark Saunders]

Personally the recessed windows make it look like some sort of external insulation has been added and then external cladding added!

 

Mark Saunders

[jim.snowdon]

Thanks, Jim, it is reminiscent of Airey House construction.

Having now looked that up, it seems pretty clear that it is an example of the Airey House construction system, unusually, not on a domestic dwelling. The gable end wall, which would never be found on a house, is intriguing as the Airey system is single-sided, yet a wall in this position, closing off the ends of the pitched roofs behind, would need to be double sided.

 

Jim