February 2009
A trip to Turkey in July provided an unexpected oppertuinty, on our last day after a day trip to see some rock tombs there was a derelict Bar/Hotel right next door! It would be rude not to wouldn't it!! The King Bar / Hotel looked to have been unused for a few years.
January 2009!
Been away for a while but UD is back with a new look and many more explorations to come including Turkey and Belgium :o)
Queen Elizabeth Hospital is the first update for 2009, closed in 1997 and frequently used for filming has ensured that this former hospital still remains in good condition and even the theatre lights worked! Due to be converted to apartments this year I believe
A former Soviet Military Headquarters is the second update in 2009, This place has a great past, part is now a Soviet-German Museum where the unconditional surrender was signed the ended the war in Europe in 1945, after the division of Germany the complex of building became home for the Military who abandoned the buildings after the reunification of Germany
June 2008
Many thanks to Alan Durham, an avid balloonist and work colleague who took some great Ariel shots of Park Prewett as it stands now mid conversion. Park Prewett Ariel shots I have also included a overhead from Flashearth which shows what the asylum was like before work began.
Another location from Germany, the NSA Listening Station visited with Explorette, Zippy and DocD this is a former American listening station that aimed to capture vital information from the Soviets, abandoned in 1990 after the unification of Germany.
May 2008
Have uploaded another location from my Germany trip - Waldneil-Hostert a former school ran by priests, which has seen an extraordinary life as a "children's dept" in WWII in which over 30 disabled children were killed, a British Military Hospital and a school before becoming abandoned in 1992.
Kurfürstendamm Nuclear Bunker Visited with DocD during a little trip into central Berlin, not far away from the Zoo this is one of 19 similar bunkers in the city due to be decommissioned in the next few years
A recent trip to Germany with DocD, Explorette and Zippy resulted in some very good explores! The first of which to be on here are the 1936 Olympic Village home to over 4000 athlete's, coaches etc and considered at the time to be the height of 3rd Reich architecture the founder of the village shot himself after he was demoted due to a Jewish heritage.
Also Beelitz Military Hospital built in the late 1890's, home to over 1400 patients at a time, Hitler one stayed here for recuperation after he was shot in the leg in WWI, after WWII it was used as a Soviet Military Hospital. The fall of the wall brought about its ultimate demise.
April 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
St Mary's Asylum the last ever Hine to be built ... evaded me for a while finally got to go!
Shoreham Cement Works A place I have wanted to visted for a few years, now in the process of being turned back nto a working plant!
Finally got the time to finish off my Cambodia section, I haven't included all the temples I went to see just the most memorable; Ankor Wat the largest religious monument in the world; Ta Phrom the "Tomb Raider" temple and Banteay Srei with its immaculate carvings!
August 2007
A long planned and trip finally came off a week ago. Chernobyl and Pripyat . In 1986 the worlds worst nuclear disaster displaced 135,000 residents from the worker town of Pripyat and the surrounding villages.
July 2007
Eastry Hospital a visit in June 2007 with The Riddlers and Markr to this former workhouse ... with its funky wallpaper!
Cherry Knowle a former asylum in Sunderland designed by G.T. Hine, built with a double storey Main Hall and Chapel, visted with DocD and BenWRX.
Another one from Cambodia Toul Sleng a former prison and interrogation centre of the Khmer Rouge which claimed at leasrt 17,000 lives. Now a museum but it is left as found in 1979, a truly sobering visit
June 2007
St Mary's Hospital in RAF Halton is a place that I have explored before at the end of last year, but sadly in the computer changeover most of them got lost! I have recently been back with BenWRX and now have more pictures. Sadly now the India block is no longer accessable but looking though a smashed window the old style theatre light has now been smashed :o(
May 2007
Cambodia was the place for my little adventure :o) SO far there are 3 new pages from my trip with DocD:
The Pepper Mansion - A colonial mansion on the shores of Kep, a major pepper producing town. Abandoned when the French lost control of the country.
The Black Palace - A former Royal retreat and party place for the king and select friend 22km up Bokor Hill.
And the major reason I traveled 6000 miles Bokor Hill - A small colonial hotel resort and town built 1080 metres on the top of Bokor Hill. Used in the film R-Point
The full write up of Inside an Asylum some of which was incuded in Section 61 has now been added
April 2007
I am off on a bit of an adventure for the next few weeks ... When I return I will do a BIG update.
March 2007
Section 61 UE Magazine - Issue 2 out now!
The asylums and hospitals issue of section61 is now available. It has pics in all articles, details on what can be found inside the buildings courtesy of your truly, timelines, asylum design layouts and examples, Polish hospitals, engineering, subways, hall pics, a colour spread of Scottish hospitals courtesy of Turbozutek and much more!
See the website for a preview and to grab yourself a copy at http://www.section61.com. Only £2 plus p&p
A small tour with BenWRX Concept 2000 a unique office building now sadly awaiting demolition.
Febuary 2007
Apologies for the delay, another Asylum for you, this time St Lawrence's which closed in 2002 and contains a stunning Main Hall with the strangest ceiling chandliers and a secure unit.
December
18 December - Merry Christmas and thanks .... hits to this site have now gone over the 300,000 mark!! Very surprised and quite chuffed!
Aiming to do a couple more locations before Crimbo and High Royds is the first. a trip last month with DocD, BenWRX and Spook..... again!! A huge and very detailed former Asylum, now being converted into a residential village.
November
29 November - Wordsley Hospital Almost too late as Demo had started and stopped again..... but still lots to see.
06 November - DocD and I decided to venture northwards this past weekend to check out a site that I was given a lead to by email ..... thank you ;) The Seminary, a former priests training college that is now awaiting conversion into 92 appartments and a 27 hole golf course. This has to be one of the most amazing places I have ever been to steeped with atmosphere and still a vast amount of things in situ.
October
31 October - Looking through the galleries I realised that I have forgotten to include one of the best hospitals I have been too..... West Middlesex Hospital a general hospital built from a workhouse infirmary which finally closed in 2004, a trip with DocD, Alias, Markr, Snappel and Little Elvis.
Springhill - A large resedential property left stripped and unloved..... really wouldn't have made it into a gallery if it wasnt for the strange enccounter which involved calls to the police and the possibility of a Princess nearby!!
23 October - Two more from Scotland Bangour Village Hospital a huge former Psychiatric Villa Hospital which once held up to 3000 patients and closed in 1999, also used for the film "The Jacket".
Law Hospital a general hospital which was erected in 1939 and was only meant to be operational for 10-15 years but finally closed in 2001!
September
25 September - Two more form Scotland Gartnavel a former royal asylum which now stands in the grounds of a general hospital and Lennox Castle a home built the Kincaid - Lennox family who were hoping to claim an Earldom and which later found use as a Maternity Hospital!!!
15 September - A hospital from my recent Scotland trip, Ruchill was an infectious disease hospital in Glasgow now in a very bad way, floors full of holes and a mortuary that was falling down around us as we walked about! Cheers to Dazzababe$ for his knowledge and also to BenWRX, Spook and DocD for being nutty enough to join me on the trip!
Another location form my recent Scotland trip, The Botanical Gardens Station A visit with Spook DocD and BenWRX. Thanks to TurboZutek too... who took a quick detour from a birthday meal with his girlfriend for a soggy wander round the park looking for the entrance :)
August
First updates from my recent tour north of the border. St Peter's Seminary a former training college for Priests which has fantastic modern architecture now badly battered in into 20 years of dereliction. Also The Coliseum a theatre opened in 1905 which saw many incarnations as a cinema, a cinerama and a bingo hall. Both visits with BenWRX, Spook, Dazzababe$ and DocD.
July
Cambridge Military Hospital in Aldershot commonly known as CMH a visit with Spook BenWRX and Snappel. An awesome explore through the reasonably unvandalised ex military hospital.
An update to my Fairmile page :D from a visit to the site in March, also new photos in the gallery section.
Bojanglez Night Club, a trip with the funk a couple of months ago to this once busy evening venue.
Weybridge Deep Shelter, which was used in WWII by a nearby factory.
June
Sorry for the slow updates, started a new job and its a little tiring, new update St Johns a former asylum in Lincolnshire empty for nearly 20 years with a housing estate built all around! Probably the one place where you can have a meal and a pint after exploring while still on site! A trip with Silverfoxxx and Sixxfingers from Urbanfootprints
Putney Hospital a unique visit with Markr last month of this small former general hospital in London which closed in 1999.
Also Brookwood Chapel which was once park of the now redeveloped Brookwood Asylum, which is now being transformed into a Buddhist temple.
Coming soon - My most awesome explore to date The Paris Catacombs :D
May
Yippee!!! I have got everything working again so expect a flood of updates and a few changes in the next few days :)
First update Tower Battery a trip with Clayderman, Robsey, DocD Zippy and Stumpy
The Countess of Chester a former asylum which is sometimes refered to as Deva. This was part of my short tours as last year I only went around the exteriors with DocD. This time we managed full access :) A trip with BenWRX and Spook.
Also The PS Ryde an abandoned derelict Paddle Steamer on the Isle of Wight
More.....
Shorts tunnels, which was an underground seaplane factory with extensive air raid shelters a trip arranged with Markr and Noddy of Underground Kent
Mid Wales a former asylum in the Beckon Beacons which is now partly used as a business park and is sadly facing possible demolition.
Whittingham a huge former asylum a visit during my recent UE road trip in which me and DocD met up with BenWRX and Spook
Milford Hospital a partly closed former sanatorium a trip with Markr
West Park Now almost impossible to access I thought it would be good to add this to my asylums and Hospitals
Also added a guest book please say hi! :O)
April
First update for April Leybourne Grange a HUGE former colony for the Mentally disabled in Kent, a visit with DocD and Clayderman, this one was a must to get to after reports of a extensive boiler house and a clock tower. The boiler house is a truly awesome sight looking like the workers had just packed up and gone home. The clock Tower was a little awkward to get into but the views from the top were well worth the effort, not even my fear of heights was going to stop me on this one!!!
March
A trip up to Birmingham provided the perfect excuse for DocD Markr and myself to get back into The Royal after a brief visit at the end of last year. Things had changed with extensive boarding going on on the lower floors, but DocD found an almost laughable entry point and from there in it was no problem :)
Also added a small tour and gallery of Harperbury, a trip with Stumpy, Zippy and clayderman. A former colony for disabled and the severely epileptic. Quite a strange place about a third is still in use and the derelict parts have been vandalised. Inside some villas are padded cells which were used for severe epileptic attacks.
7 Febuary
The Guinness Brewery which has been partially demolished was a high point of the weekend. AN amazing and huge building that was closed last year after 70 years
Went to Portdown Main with Markr LittleElvis and Alias a huge former MOD naval centre sandwiched inbetween 2 live MOD sites.
31 January
Just scraped in a monthly update!
Hortham a former Idiots colony built in the 1930's a visit with Krela and Markr. Also Whitecroft a former Asylum on the Isle of wight, with Oxygen Thief, The Riddlers, Zippy, Raddog, Turkey, Stumpy and Dweeb
27 December
Went to Severalls, a former asylum in Essex at the beginning of the month with Markrbut have been to busy (or too unorganised) to get round to resizing my pictures. But with Christmas hols here I have finally managed it!
Also just before Christmas I went to Cane Hill probably the most famous of English asylums with The Riddlers, Snappel and Little Elvis. We managed to fit in a lot during our 4 hours there and even managed to see the chapel which is worth dodging doggies for any day! :O)
5 December
Wow never thought I would do an update so soon! Last weekend I was up in Manchester and met up with john and spook to go and have a look at Crossley Hospital East a former TB Hospital.
A fabulous place looks quite imposing from the outside. The interiors have mostly been stripped inside the main building and the nursed block. it looks like someone is getting ready fro redevelopment. We had a good wander around for about 4 hours but somehow managed to miss the mortuary! So I am sure I will be back to see that!
1 December
After a short visit to West Park on Sunday an impromptu visit North beckoned, after bagging the last seat in the car, Oxygen Thief, Zippy, The Riddlers, Blue and me headed up to see Wolverhampton Low Level Station (and to meet raddog)which has to be one the the most unusual places I have been to, lovely blue brick buildings. all the window have been replaced with boards which have then been painted to look like windows!
Heading back we spotted a mill which upon going inside was as dodgy as the kebab we ate later! Not wanting to go though any floors we thought that a daylight trip would have to be done another time.
Last call of the evening was Wolverhampton Royal, it was now pitch black and after entering a ward and working our way to the roof decided that this place was so massive we could not possibly do it justice in the time we had, a daytime return trip is defiantly on the cards
15 November
A trip arranged by Markr to RAF Uxbridge this Saturday, which was interesting, RAF Uxbridge is still a live military site, but is also home to the Battle of Britain War Room, this has all been restored to resemble the day when the Battle of Britain turned the way of the Allies.
After this we decided to have a look at a few things in the area. Uxbridge Lido is now in full conversion mode so no luck there!
We did find an old mill which has been abandoned for so long only the exterior walls remain!
But the real find of the day was Hanworth Park House a former county House right next to an Industrial Estate in Feltham!
30 October
Met up with Indy this Saturday to do a little exploring in South London, Normansfield was first had a good long look around the former Idiots colony, which still is not seeing any signs of possible renovation and I was a little annoyed to say the least that some little git has had fun with a tin of paint in the conservatory. Will get the new pictures up as soon as possible
Next was a trip to Kingston to have a look at the old post office buildings there, the main post office was impossible so we turned out attention to the old Sorting Office, which was do-able despite us being in full view of all the people in the car park! I don't think they even noticed!
Kingston Sorting Office
24 October
A trip to Hellingly beckoned at the weekend. This former asylum has the feeling that it has not long to go before it is cheerless boxes or a pile of rubble Lots of parts are burnt out, including admin and the mortuary and the inside is as mould and decay filled as ever. Just touching the walls made parts crumble away from the tiles underneath!
Finally got to see the nurses block which I was pleased about as always seemed to run out of time before. As many others have said glad to see the old girl one more time before it goes.
Finally I have had a bit of time to upload my galleries so that everyone can see a few more pictures of the places I have been:
Asylums and Hospital Gallery
Other Places Gallery
The only one I now have still to do is West Park seen as I have now been there quite a few times it is getting harder and harder to choose the pictures.... and sort out the good ones!
Also added a new location to the Asylums and Hospitals section:
Billininge Maternity Hospital
A trip I made while in Manchester about a month ago but due to work I have only just had a chance to upload it.