Rush Green Motors, Langley

[Electric Leyland]

Sorry if this has been on here already, but last night I was passenger in a car that drove past an EPIC scale salvage yard I'd never seen or heard of before, only a couple of miles from work too. In fact I'd zoomed past it before and never noticed it, strange is it's HUGE. Mainly lorries and buses, but I think it could have cars in it too.

 

A quick search on Googlemaps and it's called Rush Green Motors in Hertfordshire.

 

Here's some pics from its site. Has anyone ever had a nosey around? Looks like the kind of place you could spend hours in. And find a Roadline truck...

 

The entire area to the north of the arrow, it's epic....

 

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&source=hp&q=sg4%207pq&rlz=1R2HPND_enGB349&oq=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[scruff]

You really wouldn't believe what they have got in there. I don't think they take kindly to visitors who aren't carrying cash but you can but ask!

[seth]

Pog knows it.I went and took some photos (which I'm sure I've posted here before?) in about 1994. Not been since though. There was some seriously old metalwork at the bottoms of piles and under tress etc. I think it was forced to tidy up a bit since then?

[Dead_E23]

I had a good wander round in there one afternoon, and it's just as good as it looks. After an hour or so, I bumped into a member of staff who was initially not too happy about me wandering around unaccompanied, but who became super-helpful once I explained what bits I was after - left hand threaded wheelnuts for my shonky trailer. We eventally found some on a threepenny bit.There's a smaller yard next door for cars too - keep meaning to visit that.

[Mr Lobster]

That looks superb, definately the sort of place a few hours could be spent. We do need more photos though!

 

Its HUGE! Look >

 

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&sou ... 7&t=h&z=17

[Vin]

Quite a few of the cover stars of 'Classic and Vintage Commercials' have been dragged out of Rush Green.

[pogweasel]

I have been there many a time. It's not as epic as it used to be, lots got cleared a couple of years ago. The folks who run it are a right bunch of misery-guts too. The land is worth a mint, as it's right in the 'expansion zone' for stevenage that is a constant source of NIMBY bickerings. I would guess eventually it will get sold off and disappear.

[seth]

Here's the photos I got all those years ago...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[warren t claim]

Is this the scrappy that has a stately home inside it?

[Dead_E23]

They have loads of pictures on their website - and I seem to remember us having a Rush Green Motors thread a couple of years ago.I would be very interested to learn about the previous use of the site - there is a *huge* area of concrete hardstanding and roadways, and the whole site is dotted with concrete structures that resemble loading bays. Their appearance is suggestive of an absolutely enormous coal yard, or perhaps even a wartime air base given that there's a small airstrip next door. I couldn't find anything on the web about it when I looked after my visit, but did find some articles suggesting that the family who own it had some kind of feud over the yard a few years back.There were also reports that the whole place was set to disappear under housing due to the western expansion of Stevenage. At least that hasn't happened yet!

[reallyloud]

Is this the scrappy that has a stately home inside it?

Thats down Devon way, I forgot the name but as far as I know its still there. Again they don't take too kindly to photographers.........

[barrett]

Is this the scrappy that has a stately home inside it?

Thats down Devon way, I forgot the name but as far as I know its still there. Again they don't take too kindly to photographers.........

That sounds fascinating, i'd love to know more about that if anyone knows anything...?

anyway, I just pulled this of google earth quickly......!

[brammy777]

Looks like a really interesting place!

I also passed a massive yard with loads of cars in, this one was Langfords Vehicle Dismantlers near Gillingham/Shaftesbury. Anyone ever been in?

I discovered a Leyland EA.

Heres a google satellite view, bare in mind all the cars are on top of another 2 or 3.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=breakers+yard+loc:+Gillingham,+Dorset,+UK&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=12.270158,34.541016&gl=uk&ie=UTF8&hq=breakers+yard&hnear=Gillingham,+UK&ll=51.038183,-2.183506&spn=0.001592,0.004216&t=h&z=18

 

But upon seeing what Barrett just posted, perhaps this one^ isnt that big....

[mid diesel]

The yard with the stately home in?
Not sure which one people mean but Hainford Hall in Norfolk fits the bill

[warren t claim]

Nope, that's not it. Good try though.

[hammy]

I found Rush Green purely by chance when I was working for Stagecoach on a bus route from Hitchin to Welwyn Garden City which ran via the B656 road. Despite living just over the border in Beds, and passing it by on the A1 a million times, I well remember catching sight of some ancient HGV trailer and then looking in to see the old yad you could see from the road to the point where I nearly swerved in! This was about 2002It was about 8 months later that Mk2_Craig and some of his friends who restored trucks came down to visit and we got inside the place and as others have said, you just can't believe what you can see.Acres of demic old trucks, vans and buses as far as the eye can see and then even further away that you can't see. Sometimes they are stacked as much as 3 vehicles high and many are in such poor condition that they are merging into the landscape. That soil if it were used for housing would be so toxic from the sludge that has leaked into it over the years, there was stuff so old I couldn't tell you what it was right up to reasonably newer vehicles. I took at least 3-4 rolls of film that day and even had a page spread of colour photos in Bus & Coach preservation showing the buses I'd found as we explored the site. It must be said that the car section was far more organised and with a lot less bilge on show when compared with the commercials section and that some of the prices asked for vehicles are at best optimistic. There is a rotting Bristol LD from the 1950's that has almost collapsed, yet they've been trying to get £2,500 for it for as long as I remember. They are so-so with visitors, helped that I went in with parts hunters but I recall the toothless gump inside didn't get the concept of bribery when the guys tried to offer him cash to take some bits out of the yard "without the need to call up the boss to ask him the price" Would love to go back in one day to see what has changed since that visit in late 2002.

[barrett]

Interesting story Hammy, i'd love to see some of those photos.

 

as for the stately home, I can't find much on the internet bar a brief mention on a 4 year old expired page.....''chris edmonds motor spares, Devon''...ring a bell?

the house itself was crammed full of spares as well. It closed down about five years ago due to pressure from the local council. A pity as Chris was supposed to be very approachable and although he didn't give bits away, his prices were fair.

did find this, which i thought was a nice photo. Mavisbank house in Scotland, 1970s

[VWPowered]

when do i move in

[warren t claim]

Is it still there?

[barrett]

'lol'

http://autoshite.commlm/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2710

 

 

edit: too late, as usual

[Tayne]

.

[MrRegieRitmo]

'lol'http://autoshite.commlm/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2710edit: too late, as usual

Hmmm....now why wouldn't it bring this thread up when I searched for 'Blackborough'!?! I clearly spelt it right!

[brammy777]

There seems to be alot of interesting stuff around Devon and Dorset way, when I went there for a short weekend trip the other week I saw massive amounts of old Lorries just abandoned on farms and private roads, I had meant to get a shot of one but completely forgot.Theres also a yard in Honiton, but I dont know what its like. They had a Capri near the entrance but I couldnt tell if there was anything else that old.

[VWPowered]

Interesting story Hammy, i'd love to see some of those photos.

 

as for the stately home, I can't find much on the internet bar a brief mention on a 4 year old expired page.....''chris edmonds motor spares, Devon''...ring a bell?

the house itself was crammed full of spares as well. It closed down about five years ago due to pressure from the local council. A pity as Chris was supposed to be very approachable and although he didn't give bits away, his prices were fair.

did find this, which i thought was a nice photo. Mavisbank house in Scotland, 1970s

i've just asked a friend who informs me its slowly being restored, no cars there anymore, i so love the interweb

 

[barrett]

Looks like it's still there, although even more has been cleared since '08. If you look closely on the road at the far right, you can can see the red Suzuki Swift is still there, but the two Jags have gone. I'd have loved to have seen this place in it's heyday....

someone just needs to get down there and see if there is anything left inside!

[eggy]

That Rushgreen place looks epic,would love to visit some day. Got to say Mavisbank house looked better in the 70's imo,if i had it my way all derelict stately homes would look like that

[Dead_E23]

I'd though WW2 air base as well, the airfield next door looks rather large for a few wee planes.However the Defense of Britain survey shows nothing in that area but quite a few surviving in Stevenage itself.I'd hazard a guess at extensive pig farming as a former use.

Not sure about a pig farm - their website says that the scrapyard has been in operation for 60 years, and I can't imagine a pre-1950 intensive pig farm on that scale. Besides, the loading bay things were much too strong looking to be pigsties - they had buses and tankers and things sat on them! Perhaps they were the foundations for some kind of building that needs to be raised off the ground? (Can't think what, or why - I doubt the site floods, or it wouldn't be a great place for a scrappy)

[barrett]

on the road at the far right, you can can see the red Suzuki Swift is still there, but the two Jags haven't arrived yet

EFA

[Tayne]

.

[hammy]

It was possibly some kind of depot, next to it is a small runway (Rush Green Airfield) and you can see this on Googlemaps.

 

Here are three thumbnails I found on a website from my 2002 visit and write up.

Leyland dustcart (Clydesdale?)

 

Bedford YMT / Duple VDF 519S - new to Warners of Tewkesbury (Gloucs) where my great uncle was a traffic manager. He even remembered this coach being new.

 

SKN 486H - a long converted Ford coach with Duple bodywork.