Animal Testing Labs, Hertfordshire, Aug 2011

 

This report consists of photos over various visits.
 

On our first visit we wandered the site for what felt like an eternity struggling to gain access to any off the buildings whilst trying to keep low and avoid the on site security, Just as we was thinking of calling it a day we found a way into a small building near the front of the site Although this turned out to be a very disapointing loading bay of somesort. (We wanted creepy animal testing labs, mad scientists and flying monkeys!) It wasn't until we reached the far side of the building and stumbled accross access to a service tunnel that things started to look up!

 We couldn't believe our change in luck, It turned out to lead directly into the animal testing building RESULT! A couple of rickety old ladders later and we were in the roof maintenance area. Several hundred generators and air conditioning ducts later we found what we were after - Labs! The first labs very much resembled secondary school science departments and even had that burnt wood and gas smell still to them. Hoping for more we ventured down from the level we were on.

Feeling ever more excited we pushed through a set of fire doors and there she was - Air Lock 4. Leaving with the whisper of  Fubah's voice 'there there little monkey, not long now' as he petted an imaginary monkey in the glove box. We pushed on excitedly hoping to find what this led to. Now at this point we began to realise that things were beginning to get dark. Looking around we then realised there were no windows and torch light was our only friend. A few turns later and we came across our next big find. The decontamination room, with records of what was sterilized (including animals!) looked new still, full of aluminium sheeting. After wandering around the large decontamination unit, countless labs and rodent rooms (Eventually the dog unit too on later visits) We discovered a long winding corridor that descended underground to quite an extensive maze of rooms.

After an hour or so underground we popped out at the bottom of large spiral staircase and it wasn't untill we started climbing the stairs that we realised we had crossed over into yet another building. Running up to the top floor gave us roof access! This explore was giving us everything!!! From the roof we got a fantastic view of the site including the mansion but also saw how many buildings we had crossed under.

On a later visit we found that more of the buildings were accessible, each with there own set of labs, offices and air con units. Warning, emergency showers may cause wetness and locking doors will cause panic to ensue!! Every now and then when going through the offices we would find little comical signs like 'H.M Government - Giving you Piles'. I guess when testing animals you need a release!

From here you can make your way around all the remaining buildings via bridges and corridors, there is even one leading to a huge manor house in the site center. Although we never explored this due to security staying there (Although we still have future visits planned). As our explores have continued we've started to notice more and more security measures ranging from our entrances being blocked to security doing more walk rounds. On our most recent visit We had been searching for a second set of service tunnels that just so happened to be in such plain view that it was embarassing when we finally found them. Climbing through proved a chore and we had just about given up and started to head back when it happened. After discussing the fact we had been lucky to avoid security, imagine our shock when we hear them walking above our head... The first we knew of them was hearing a paving slab clunk followed by two people talking directly above us. The next ten minutes was pretty dark, hiding in the tunnel hoping we hadn't been found out.

 

Written with the much needed help of Fubah, Thanks mate!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a quick edit of some footage recorded on the last visit.