I thought we’d have a change for this week’s pictures from the past feature. I’ve long had an interest in urbex, or urban exploration – there are links to some of my favourite urbex sites in the sidebar – but don’t really have time to keep up with it as I should. The general idea of such explorations is that without causing damage, or breaking and entering, one enters a derelict site and records it photographically. Most often, this is trespass, but through great sites like Simon Cornwell’s superlative urbex|uk, the almost heart-wrenchingly raw Mechanised and forums like 28dayslater, this odd hobby has become a creative and social phenomena.
During my regular searches for Brownhills material, I often come upon odd urbex missions in the locality on forums and photo sites, so I thought I’d share some this week and see what they stir up. This fantastic set of the former Deakin Avenue maisonettes prior to demolition was posted on the Midlands Heritage forum by user Chedd in December, 2008.
Image from Chedd on Midlands Heritage urbex forum. Please click image to visit original post.
Image from Chedd on Midlands Heritage urbex forum. Please click image to visit original post.
Image from Chedd on Midlands Heritage urbex forum. Please click image to visit original post.
Image from Chedd on Midlands Heritage urbex forum. Please click image to visit original post.
User Dweeb on 28dayslater explored the former Wagon Automotive site in Brownhills, before it was redeveloped into the new council depot. Sadly, many of the photos are now missing, but there are some interesting ones there:
Image from Dweeb on 28dayslater urbex forum. Please click image to visit original post.
Image from Dweeb on 28dayslater urbex forum. Please click image to visit original post.
Image from Dweeb on 28dayslater urbex forum. Please click image to visit original post.
Also from Chedd, on Midlands Heritage, The Potters Clay & Coal Company, Swan Works, Brownhills:
Image from Chedd on Midlands Heritage urbex forum. Please click image to visit original post.
Image from Chedd on Midlands Heritage urbex forum. Please click image to visit original post.
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Another good urban exploration website is Subterranea Btitannica: http://www.subbrit.org.uk/
I’ve always thought that there is something very evocative and surreal about some of the sites in these urban explorations. It’s one of those things you always think “I’d love to do that” but never really think you’d do. Hospitals, underground stations, factories and even redundant military buildings just begging to be explored.
Seems to be slightly dodgy legally but if you don’t do any damage I can’t see the harm.
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