Haddon Tunnel, Derbyshire, November 2017

After a short break in explores I joined Tbolt and Snapt for chips and curry up in Matlock Bath followed by a quick mooch into the Haddon Tunnel in the failing light of the late afternoon Autumn murk.

Haddon Tunnel opened in 1863 and closed as part of the Beeching Report. Built to hide the railway from the sight of the Duke of Rutland as it passed his home, Haddon Hall. The now closed tunnel runs a total length of 967 metres.

Sadly I brought the wrong tripod for the job in hand.

Easy potter in, sadly I have been spoilt with tunnels and one gets a little complacent over time.

Sadly a 5/10 from me.

Crown Theatre, Eccles - May 2016

A very early start brought myself, Tbolt and the hobbit like creature know as only Zer081 out for this meet up on a rather rare and warm sunny spring morning.

Eccles, a small town which sits of the edge of the cities of Salford and Manchester and is a shadow of its former self, sadly.

The Crown Theatre opened in 1899 as The Lyceum, a luxury venue for Shakespeare productions, converted in 1932 into a cinema and further converted in 1963 into a Bingo hall.

Since closure in the 1980s this Grade II listed building has fallen into major disrepair, partially demolished with a gaping hole in the rear of the property and little or no roof.

 

This building is hanging on for dear life, with rough sleepers on the upper tiers sheltering under the remaining last parts of the roof structure.

Sadly with the owners pushing for demolition, the future looks grim for this once grand building.

I rather liked this place for some reason, but I'm a sucker for old cinemas and theatres and thus biased  with 5/10 - although I'm sure Tbolt and Zer081 would give it a 2/10 or possibly a 1.

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St Josephs Church, Wigan - May 2016

Following a heads up from Lavino, Tbolt fired up the Venga Bus and we pitched up in Wigan with Urban Caveman for a look see. The rain tumbled down and so we made a swift entrance into this rarely visited church.

Built in 1861, this derelict Grade II listed building is a former Roman Catholic church which finally closed its doors to worship in 1995.  A notable worshiper at this church was the comedian and film star George Formby.

 

It is, was it is, so from me its a  5/10 for this pigeon infested, yet rather grand, stripped out church.

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Taxal Lodge, Whaley Bridge - April 2016

Built in 1904, this country residence was used as a special school from the late 1950s until 2005 and now sits rotting.

Visited with Urban Spaceman, once again we had turned up a few years late and found a scene of severe derpington.

Now I did say rotting, didn't I.

Still not a bad little explore, but you have to tread very, very lightly 5/10

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Croda Chemicals, Bromborough - February 2016

We visited Croda Chemicals over in Bromborough back in December 2015, a sprawling site of an industrial chemical plant, administration blocks and workshops, an excellent mooch was had by all.

February 2016 and Blober fancied a trip up into England for a look see, we joined Blober for some Mersey derp, being myself, Tbolt and Blacksnake.

Arriving on site most of the buildings had been demolished and we found contractors undertaking "extra curricular activities" for a bit of extra pocket money. It's amazing how health and safety goes out the window when contractors think no one is watching.











Still rather good, although somewhat smaller 7/10 and disappearing very fast.

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Huddersfield Royal Infirmary & Kirklees College - January 2016

Start the New Year on the tourist trail I say, and so we did. Tbolt and myself hopped into this now very popular Yorkshire spot in the heart of the area now know as Happy Valley.

This now disused building closed its doors in only 2013, once hospital, once college, now sits rapidly rotting and is occasionally used as a film location - it is vast and a maze corridors and stairwells.



For this little explore we will stick to the older part of the building, through its darkened corridors.



















An excellent explore, with a full on scare for all who enter giving it an 8/10 and chance encounter with another photographer sent us on to our next Huddersfield destination,

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DYL Motor Group, Halifax - January 2016

Sometimes you follow crowd, I think none of us really had high hopes for this place, but you do it. Nothing ventured and all that. The chap the suggested the place couldn't even be arsed to turn up...

So welcome to Happy Valley or to be more specific the now derelict buildings of DYL Motor Group, of Halifax as visited by Judderman, Tbolt, Luigi and my good self one rather damp January morning.

Derp 2/10 - but whilst in the area we went on the search of what Hillary Briss would call "special stuff"

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