Urban Exploration

[DevilDamo]

Hi everybody!

I created a thread in the new 'Digital Photography' section regarding how to capture that 'special shot' in buildings, etc... I also showed a few examples of photo's that friends of mine have taken.

I and a few mates are interested in UE (Urban Exploration). To give you a background to UE, I have put down some reasonings and explanations behind it all.

What is Urban Exploration?</font>

urbex or UE, is the examination of the normally unseen or off-limits parts of human civilization. Urban exploration is also commonly referred to as Infiltration, although some people consider Infiltration to be more closely associated with the exploration of active or inhabited sites. In the USA, Urban Exploration may also be refered to as "reality hacking," "urban spelunking," and "urban caving."

Targets of exploration</font>

UE can further be separated into subcategories. Urban explorers do any or all of these things, but often specialize on one or two.

Abandonments...

Ventures into abandoned structures are perhaps the most common example of UE. Abandoned sites are generally entered first by locals, and often sport large amounts of graffiti and other vandalism. Explorers often focus on the natural decay, as nature grows trees on the roof and weeds in the carpet, and unnatural decay of the structure as scrappers, looters, squatters, and vandals demolish the building from the inside out. Exploration targets vary from one country to another, however some of the more common abandoned structures to explore include:

Factories
Brickworks
Grain elevators
Houses
Railway stations
Hotels
Missile silos
Military Bases
Abandoned tunnels such as mines, headraces, tailraces, and rail tunnels
Bridges, usually used by rail systems
Hospitals, asylums and sanatoriums

Tunnels...

Active tunnels include steam (such as those found under large building complexes with a central boiler), electricity, telephone, water, and other utility tunnels; subway or Underground Railway and other transit tunnels; and stormwater or sanitary sewers.

Utility tunnels...

Universities and other large institutions, such as Hospitals often distribute steam for heating buildings from a central heating plant (Boiler House). These steam ducts are generally run through tunnels, which are often accessible to humans for the purposes of maintenance. North American Universities that have steam tunnels often also have a tradition of steam tunnel exploration by students. This was once called vadding at MIT, though students there now refer to it as Roof and tunnel hacking.

Steam tunnels in general have been getting more secure in recent years, due to their use for carrying network backbones and mass hysteria over potential terrorism.

Sewers...

Entry into storm drains, or draining, is another common form of UE. Groups devoted to the task have arisen, such as the Cave Clan in Australia. Draining has a specialized set of guidelines, the foremost of which is "When it rains, no drains."

A small subset of explorers enters sanitary sewers. Sometimes they are the only connection to caves or other subterranean feature. Sewers are among the most dangerous locations to explore, and those who explore them are often on the fringe of a group that's already on the fringe of society.

Transit tunnels...

The penalties for getting caught in subway/underground railway tunnels are some of the strictest involved in this hobby. As a result, subway exploration is usually the least publicised type of exploration. New York City New York City probably has the largest num

[barrettp]

how do i search for places in the Liverpool (or North West) area?

This is something that always interested me but dont really fancy going
into these places that i have noticed on my own!! Lol

[DevilDamo]

Here are some listed in the North West that I found on the Haunted Britain website...

Click here!

It's just a matter of searching and then coming across them when you least expect to. If you do register on a forum, ask them the question and I'm sure they'll be able to point you in the right direction.

[WestyVTR]

interesting!

[saxx]

damo's forum has cool pics!

[DevilDamo]

My forum http://www.urb-ex.net/ has now joined forces with http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/

You will notice this when you click on the urb-ex link, it will divert straight to the 28dayslater page.

The reason is because their members are fairly local and it's a bit silly having two online forums talking about the same things that close to eachother.

Westy... You're just scared!!! Well, I'm sure you would be if you saw these...

[AdamW]

Thats some freaky shit.....

[DevilDamo]

Sure is mate. We haven't been able to gain access into the rooms with the painted walls yet, but it will be done soon.

[AdamW]

Do you have a tour guide or do you trespass with your mates......Im too lazy to read all your post

[DevilDamo]

When my site was up and running, we had the following disclaimer...

- - - - -

"This site does not promote criminal activity or trespassing and we would like to point out that trespassing is a civil offence and may lead to prosecution.

Entry into buildings is never forced. Items are never taken.

We would also like to point out that visiting such locations could be dangerous. Hazards are present in all buildings, but greater attention is to be drawn to asbestos, structural failures, rotten floors, walls, etc…

For these reasons, we recommend that you do not ever attempt to visit the locations outlined within this site.

Furthermore, the site or hosts will bear no responsibility for any injury or death that could happen should you choose to ignore this warning."

- - - - -

So basically... if there's a way in, then we will go.

[AdamW]

Damn right.....Not really interested in photography like....but would like to walk round one of these places at night....Would be a hell of a Night....

[DevilDamo]

I have only ever been at night. It is better to go in the day as you can obviously see a lot lot more. But security also becomes more of an issue if venturing around in the daytime.

Some of the places have rotten floors, etc... so extra care has to be taken. When we go at night, we are all kitted up.

[al_VTR]

looks good Damo, very interesting & slightly eerie. a lot of the old buildings near me are being ripped down for redevelopment so not sure there'd be much around here

[barrettp]

is that last picture the guestbook room? Is it this room you have been
unable to gain access to?

[DevilDamo]

Well the room in the last pic was their 'play room'. There are many more painted walls like this throughout, but I took that photo through the window. As said before, haven't been able to gain access 'yet'.

[Suie]

been on the site damo... looking at some pics!
i felt very emotional, like i was been taken into the picture! very interesting! sound like a good hobbie!

[DevilDamo]

Which site have you been onto Suie?

It is so strange how me and some mates got into it.

Every part is a surprise. You never know just what's around the corner.

[pug_boe]

i love the picture with the writing on the wall, it shows so many emotions its fantastic (in a person studying psychology point of view lol)
oh btw damo i had a go at taking pics and iv put them in the photography section lol

[Suie]

Originally Posted by DevilDamo

Which site have you been onto Suie?

It is so strange how me and some mates got into it.

Every part is a surprise. You never know just what's around the corner.

the sites called '28 days later'... your pics are great!
keep up the good work!

[DevilDamo]

Boe... I know. It's quite nerve racking when looking through the window and thinking what kind of people were actually in there and putting that stuff all over the walls. With you studying psychology, you would love it in these type of buildings. You should have a look at the padded cell

Suie... Ahhh yes. The site we merged with. I am good mates with the bloke who runs it. We are planning another trip soon, so I will keep you updated and link you to the new pics.