mrdistopia
19-09-2011, 12:34 AM
Having heard about a number of people recently being aprehended by the local constabulary on leaving this site, I though I would defy common sense and give this old Durham Road college campus a crack.
The site is only recently abandoned (about 2 years ago I think) but has already been ransacked to death by the usual suspects. Given the rooms were mostly left empty, I am actually amazed how much damage can still be done to an empty room.
This report covers two seperate visits. One with CommunistCat and another with TheStig. Both great explores and both revealing new parts. The focus was the main building but this thing is a maze/tardis and gave us hours of exporing and a rich variety of rooms. I am fairly confident I could go back for a third visit to that one building and still come across new bits I missed.
Anyway, on with the pics...
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6157/6159753064_bdd6ba254c_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159753064/)
First call was what appears to have been an old storage area with crawlspace access and assorted random junk lying around.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6172/6159754946_be176138fd_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159754946/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6063/6159754526_6445652e1e_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159754526/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6074/6159216861_526832a12a_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159216861/)
Then into the main building, stopping for the token spider shot.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6186/6159756380_ab33447ee3_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159756380/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6159218371_af8f7e25b0_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159218371/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6076/6159757482_232231ecc3_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159757482/)
Chemistry labs...disapointingly without any cool-looking kit remaining. Actually, not entirely true - there was a box of unused pencils and 2 books of litmus paper but I will spare you all the pictures :)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6191/6159236731_9fdcd685c7_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159236731/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6159758708_b5cd9bd655_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159758708/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6159223611_3784cc6b5a_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159223611/)
Think this was a library or possibly computer room. or both.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6076/6159765078_45682bcc7d_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159765078/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6171/6159229473_4e5785bfec_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159229473/)
The lift's motor room. This was my favourite bit - Gotta love a nice solid piece of machinery.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6205/6159230385_931a84079b_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159230385/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6201/6159231227_307c12a4cd_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159231227/)
This was some sort of electrical panel in the lift control room.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6159232057_18a2cb754f_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159232057/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6074/6160726223_d6cb803c9e_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6160726223/)
Nice view from the roof.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6160740839_cb4eb39cbc_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6160740839/)
The aircon room.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6171/6159774478_ee936e0866_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159774478/)
This is soooo sooo wrong!
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6153/6159775774_ff8fc61d75_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159775774/)
I would argue that this space no longer even qualifies as a room anymore.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6205/6159238107_57245cd423_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159238107/)
The drama room. Aparently drama works best with black walls. Either that or they were trying to be progressive and asked the 16 year olds what colour they should paint it :p
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6207/6159238787_b1315943e3_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159238787/)
More moody long exposures in a pitch black drama room.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6159221971_2965194c76_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159221971/)
I am starting to build up a nice collection of strange shelf labels.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6159777804_ea1a1b3ae3_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159777804/)
No, not fancy light painting. Just me accidentally opening the shutter as I fiddle with my camera. Still, that's this month's desktop background sorted!
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6080/6159241487_8f2f700dc4_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159241487/)
Mr thestig taking a moment to get a hair treatment. Blue rinse and a perm?
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6172/6159244537_d1ed47c9f8_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159244537/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6173/6159766796_28d5654ee7_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159766796/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6159784640_f242954ec9_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159784640/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6160739483_92b88f2413_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6160739483/)
The site is only recently abandoned (about 2 years ago I think) but has already been ransacked to death by the usual suspects. Given the rooms were mostly left empty, I am actually amazed how much damage can still be done to an empty room.
This report covers two seperate visits. One with CommunistCat and another with TheStig. Both great explores and both revealing new parts. The focus was the main building but this thing is a maze/tardis and gave us hours of exporing and a rich variety of rooms. I am fairly confident I could go back for a third visit to that one building and still come across new bits I missed.
Anyway, on with the pics...
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6157/6159753064_bdd6ba254c_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159753064/)
First call was what appears to have been an old storage area with crawlspace access and assorted random junk lying around.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6172/6159754946_be176138fd_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159754946/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6063/6159754526_6445652e1e_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159754526/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6074/6159216861_526832a12a_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159216861/)
Then into the main building, stopping for the token spider shot.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6186/6159756380_ab33447ee3_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159756380/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6159218371_af8f7e25b0_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159218371/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6076/6159757482_232231ecc3_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159757482/)
Chemistry labs...disapointingly without any cool-looking kit remaining. Actually, not entirely true - there was a box of unused pencils and 2 books of litmus paper but I will spare you all the pictures :)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6191/6159236731_9fdcd685c7_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159236731/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6159758708_b5cd9bd655_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159758708/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6159223611_3784cc6b5a_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159223611/)
Think this was a library or possibly computer room. or both.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6076/6159765078_45682bcc7d_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159765078/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6171/6159229473_4e5785bfec_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159229473/)
The lift's motor room. This was my favourite bit - Gotta love a nice solid piece of machinery.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6205/6159230385_931a84079b_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159230385/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6201/6159231227_307c12a4cd_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159231227/)
This was some sort of electrical panel in the lift control room.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6159232057_18a2cb754f_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159232057/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6074/6160726223_d6cb803c9e_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6160726223/)
Nice view from the roof.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6160740839_cb4eb39cbc_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6160740839/)
The aircon room.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6171/6159774478_ee936e0866_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159774478/)
This is soooo sooo wrong!
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6153/6159775774_ff8fc61d75_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159775774/)
I would argue that this space no longer even qualifies as a room anymore.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6205/6159238107_57245cd423_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159238107/)
The drama room. Aparently drama works best with black walls. Either that or they were trying to be progressive and asked the 16 year olds what colour they should paint it :p
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6207/6159238787_b1315943e3_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159238787/)
More moody long exposures in a pitch black drama room.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6159221971_2965194c76_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159221971/)
I am starting to build up a nice collection of strange shelf labels.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6159777804_ea1a1b3ae3_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159777804/)
No, not fancy light painting. Just me accidentally opening the shutter as I fiddle with my camera. Still, that's this month's desktop background sorted!
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6080/6159241487_8f2f700dc4_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159241487/)
Mr thestig taking a moment to get a hair treatment. Blue rinse and a perm?
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6172/6159244537_d1ed47c9f8_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159244537/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6173/6159766796_28d5654ee7_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159766796/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6159784640_f242954ec9_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6159784640/)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6160739483_92b88f2413_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6160739483/)