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Odd Building

Cherrybomb

Justified & Ancient
Joined
Aug 26, 2009
Messages
1,321
Location
Sitting on the roof, at dusk.
There's a rather large, industrial type building that I often pass by, its set behind some bungalows, but it doesnt seem to have an entrance/exit driveway. I've looked on google maps and it shows a driveway for this building, but there isn't one when you pass by it - there's a garage for one of the bungalows - they have been there for many years. There are often lights on inside but no one seems to know what it is. Is there anyway for finding out what a building is used for (other than asking locals, which I have)?
 
There's a rather large, industrial type building that I often pass by, its set behind some bungalows, but it doesnt seem to have an entrance/exit driveway. I've looked on google maps and it shows a driveway for this building, but there isn't one when you pass by it - there's a garage for one of the bungalows - they have been there for many years. There are often lights on inside but no one seems to know what it is. Is there anyway for finding out what a building is used for (other than asking locals, which I have)?
Perhaps the garage is the entrance for the building?
 
The next step is the land registry. You can give them a map reference and they'll tell you who owns the land, although that may not help very much. It costs a few quid though.
 
Clicking on it will just give you an address to one side or the other.
If you click on the right-hand side of the building, you'll get '52 Weather Oaks, Birmingham B17 9DD', which is not the correct address.
You got 15 Milford Road by clicking on the left hand side of the building.
It's a mystery, but I suggest that property is owned by whoever owns the driveway that leads up to it.
I reckon it's either an old warehouse or it's a secret location owned by the government.
 
dangeroustogoalone--article_image.jpg
For Cherrybomb :p
 
That one on Milbourne Road is a telephone exchange on the really detailed OS map. And it's marked as one back to the 1930s. I think the entrance is that bent drive on War Lane.

But if that's too dull we could say it's some mysterious government building and this is all a crafty conspiracy, I don't mind.
 
That one on Milbourne Road is a telephone exchange on the really detailed OS map. And it's marked as one back to the 1930s. I think the entrance is that bent drive on War Lane.

But if that's too dull we could say it's some mysterious government building and this is all a crafty conspiracy, I don't mind.
The Google image is weird - the trees to the RH end of the building seem to have been badly photoshopped on! Their boundaries seem unnaturally angular, especially over the lane that comes in from SE and disappears under the trees.
 
The Google image is weird - the trees to the RH end of the building seem to have been badly photoshopped on! Their boundaries seem unnaturally angular, especially over the lane that comes in from SE and disappears under the trees.
I dunno if you also noticed, but that Google Earth view has a 3D projection effect applied to it.
If you move the view around, you can see it subtly shifting perspective.
 
agreed on tree weirdness.

Cherrybomb? have you been up to the garage at the "end" of the wee spur road off War Lane? from the street view and the overhead I'm thinking that the way in is to the left of the garage, that the wee road curves around to the left I mean?
 
agreed on tree weirdness.

Cherrybomb? have you been up to the garage at the "end" of the wee spur road off War Lane? from the street view and the overhead I'm thinking that the way in is to the left of the garage, that the wee road curves around to the left I mean?

I can't tell what's a garage or not on the map, but there definitely is a road that sneaks off to the side of the building. I bet it's hard to detect as a driveway from ground level, due to that curve. Almost like they were trying to hide the way in. That's what they did at our local water dept. facilities, to make it harder for wannabe saboteurs to find.

That building does look sort of sinister in its bleakness.
 
I'm envisioning Aunt Josephine's house in A Series of Unfortunate Events. :eek:
I'm still trying to wrap my head around what kind of blatantly deliberate tax loss that cliff building is supposed to be ... it doesn't stand a chance! ..
 
The Google image is weird - the trees to the RH end of the building seem to have been badly photoshopped on! Their boundaries seem unnaturally angular, especially over the lane that comes in from SE and disappears under the trees.
I thought that too!
 
Thanks all! I'll try and get a closer look next time I'm near it - but its odd that several locals have no idea either. I'm sticking to my guns and saying its a cover for a CIA safe house :p:eek:
 
Found it. http://www.telephonesuk.co.uk/exchanges.htm

"Harborne Telephone Exchange is located in War Lane, Harborne, Birmingham. This exchange serves Harborne, California and part of Selly Oak.

This exchange opened as an Automatic exchange at 2.00 pm on 07/03/31 with 684 subscribers. It took subscribers that had previously been served by Edgbaston and Selly Oak.

The telephone codes currently used are 0121-357 and 0121-358. CMHARBO"
 
No problem. I enjoy finding things. It doesn't mean it's only a telephone exchange though. It could still be a cover for a CIA black site. ;)
 
There's a rather large, industrial type building that I often pass by, its set behind some bungalows, but it doesnt seem to have an entrance/exit driveway. I've looked on google maps and it shows a driveway for this building, but there isn't one when you pass by it - there's a garage for one of the bungalows - they have been there for many years. There are often lights on inside but no one seems to know what it is. Is there anyway for finding out what a building is used for (other than asking locals, which I have)?
I am a "local". The building in question is a telephone exchange and is still in use. The access is along a drive off War Lane which passes the garage you refer to. No mystery!
 
Always good to have on the spot knowledge eyeswideopen! :)
 
I am a "local". The building in question is a telephone exchange and is still in use. The access is along a drive off War Lane which passes the garage you refer to. No mystery!
Oh lovely thank you!
 
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