Europe 2010 Trip 2. Picture heavy!

After a very early start, our group of 5 people between 2 cars arrived in Dunkirk. Our first priority was to set up a base for the next 5 days and move promptly on to our first site. Visited with Jaff Fox, Havoc, Hydra and Reaperman. We chose 'Cokerie De Anderlues' as it was a large site, not too intense and despite it's horrendous condition, was very photogenic.

Built in 1904, The coking plant was in operation for 98 years and was among the last in Belgium.










From Anderlues we made our way to a familiar site, the SNCB train graveyard. Massive diesel locomotives abandoned in and outside of a crumbling engineering works. Amazingly, since our last visit a few of these massive machines had disappeared - presumably cut up for scrap.







following these 2 low key explores, we headed back to base in anticipation for the next 2 days in Germany. The sleep we got on the first night was much deserved.

The following day, we were all up early - assisted by Havoc making sure there were no slackers! We were headed for Germany and weren't coming back for the best part of 2 days.

First stop after crossing the border and driving on the Autobahn for the first time was Kent School. A site with a varied past including being used as a military hospital and a Catholic run school for English students. Completed in 1913 and built around the iconic chapel, the site was pretty interesting and built on a grand scale with very high ceilings - if a little stripped with the exception of the chapel, which was incredible.






















Nothing could prepare us for the sheer scale of the next site, Kokerei Zollverein is one of the best examples i've seen of what to do with protected industrial landmarks. After closing down a few years ago, much of the site has been converted into a sprawling park and visitor attraction where the general public can wander around unsupervised in a largely un-modified coke works - except we snuck away from the tourists to see areas that were yet to be converted - the first part of which involved a nerve racking climb if you suffer from vertigo!

Thanks to Jaff and Reaperman, i was up, over and on top of the coking battery and walking from one conveyor to another you could appreciate the views across the site, which looked quite surreal in their well kept state.




















Our next site was Zeche Hugo, a colliery which we wanted to see for one main reason. With the headstocks out of bounds in a separate complex we headed for the vast and surreal locker rooms that housed over 1400 'bird cage' lockers








Following this, I took a break and the others proceeded to Zeche DB. They all came out quite happy and we drove back to Kent School in order to spend the night on the balcony of the Chapel!

After just a few hours sleep we all woke up to morning sun glaring in through stained glass windows - after a few minutes packing away we were back outside and on the road again.

First stop of the day was Power Station E, a coal fired effort in pretty good condition - complete with a dated control room! It was a fair size, and the precarious platforms provided some interesting views.




















We soon crossed back into Belgium and made a revisit to HH Hospital. Not a lot had changed, with the exception of a Ferral cat which Jaff and Havoc found in the basement. Unfortunately, our radios were out of range and I missed them.








Our final explore of the day was a re-visit but one that was well worth going back to. University L is a massive site, consisting of about 5 separate blocks on a sprawling campus. Mine, Jaffs and Reapermans previous visits only granted us access to one block, which we went into first and spent ages wandering round vast lecture theatres but our luck was also in when we discovered a second block was open. It revealed yet more lecture theatres, a variety of science labs and side rooms packed with equipment and paperwork. We were all worn out by time we got back to the cars.






























We all went back to the campsite and chilled out. A good shower was much appreciated.

Day 4, we were headed south and Havoc had lined up a really good mix of sites to see. Five in one day!!

First stopoff, Le Crypte. An explore I would have expected to feel morbid, but instead was very peaceful. The crypt was well lit from skylights 10 feet above us - we wandered down rows of tomb stones, the most recent of which were from about 1950.












After a short while we were headed for another type of graveyard, Chatillion car graveyard was nestled amongst the trees and housed the rusting hulks of long forgotten cars. We rummaged in amazement at just how old some of the cars were, in fact the newest models in there would have been from about 1970. Once we had seen enough leaf springs, rusting chrome and asbestos brake shoes we headed to the next site.










We arrived at the next site in blazing sunshine with an abandoned industrial mammoth perched on top of a small hill. Central Thermique power station was built in 1951 and actually ran from toxic furnace gas from Terres Rouge - a neighboring furnace which was to be our next explore! Both sites closed within a day of each other in 1997.

Central Thermique:
















Terres Rouge Steelworks:


















To round off an eventful day, we headed (wrongly to start with!!) towards a fine old favourite. Who can resist Chateau Noisy?

On our last day, we got up in plenty of time, packed away our tents and headed in the direction of Dunkirk, stopping off at some neat little places on the way.

Our first site of the day was incredible, X-Press printing was a quaint old printworks which looked largely un-modernised since it was set up over 90 years ago. Although large sections of the site had been cleared, a lot of the ancient press equipment was gathered in one place, displayed in all its splendour. An upstairs archive room revealed castings, templates, master copies, invoices, cheques and original prints dating back to 1918.






















Reluctantly we had to leave and it was time to see HH2 hospital. The building was massive and in good condition, it looked very dated from the outside but once inside was quite pleasant and in good condition. Eerily, although the site was being stripped of asbestos, a lot of the lights still worked and even more so that I called a lift and it arrived!

















[nomedia]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIEz-SUXIoE[/nomedia]

Lastly in Dunkirk, we strolled across the beach to see what remained of coastal defences - put up during World War 2 and slowly being washed away since then.










We stopped for a drink and hopped on the ferry where we arrived back in Blighty a couple of hours later.

Until the next adventure....over and out

Mr. B!

top banana..... love the power station and crypt, looks like a good trip had by all

Nice work san Was a good trip. Pro hoboing in a church was a first for all of us lol.

This was certainly an eventful trip with a real range of locations, Camping in the chapel was definately a highlight. I'll probably not post any photos any time soon but may put a few of the Mamiya shots up when they are processed... Even if thats in 6 months time!

Cheers to Mr Bones & Havoc for doing the driving,

t_o_m_m_o said:

top banana..... love the power station and crypt, looks like a good trip had by all

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Cheers Tommo, the crypt was a great little find - very peaceful and also well laid out with natural light rom the skylights.

havoc said:

Nice work san Was a good trip. Pro hoboing in a church was a first for all of us lol.

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Cheers H. The hobo night in the chapel was great, waking up to light beaming in through stained glass windows was grand.

Reaperman said:

This was certainly an eventful trip with a real range of locations, Camping in the chapel was definately a highlight. I'll probably not post any photos any time soon but may put a few of the Mamiya shots up when they are processed... Even if thats in 6 months time!

Cheers to Mr Bones & Havoc for doing the driving,

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Aye it was certainly action packed. I reckon your Mamiya shots will be worth waiting for.

11/10. The sites over there look incredible, I really need to get my act together and actually join you on one of these trips sometime!

great report(s)

looks like an awesome trip
it looked like you could have spent a week at just one of those places

King Al said:

Absolutely fantastic selection of pic’s and locations Mr B, looks like you had a great week!! I wish I could have been there,

Did you restock on Kasteel nectar goodness?:spinny::spinny::spinny:

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Hiya Al, cheers for the feedback. The locations are virtually all thanks to Havoc, and although some of them were re-visits, we got something new from all of them - and who can resist a bit of Noisy!

Didn't get many Kasteel this time, and I think thats mainly because we were haring around so much. I reckon there might be space on the next Euro trip for you to tag along

racingstripes said:

great report(s)

looks like an awesome trip
it looked like you could have spent a week at just one of those places

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Cheers racingstripes. Some of the sites really could have entertained us for a week! Especially University L

Outstanding sets

Really impressive collection there fella,but the power station with the sci-fi control room is my buzz..that looks like its from a film set.And those lockers..wire lockers that remble a set from an old Hellraiser movie..you can tell I used to watch some crap years ago!!
I am visiting Dunkirk and Flanders in 2 weeks time so look forward to seing what you have.
Well done is an understatement.

lost said:

11/10. The sites over there look incredible, I really need to get my act together and actually join you on one of these trips sometime!

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i agree they do look incredible, think i might have to do a trip 1day soon

What a fantastic tour! Excellent explores...love the look of so many of them. Such beautiful images in the crypt. Great idea to keep the kokerie and convert it to a park.
Good stuff, Mr B.

What a fantastic mix! There is a bit of everything in there.
Looks like you had a smashing time with the weather to match.
Top marks for a clearly very well planned and executed trip.
Many thanks.

Wow. Just Wow.

I really wish I had the cash and balls to go abroad and do some urbexing. But alas I'm skint and don't know the legal aspect of it all...with my job I have to be VERY careful with anythin illegal.

Cracking reports tho, really enjoyed every single one. If I'd done just one of those sites I'd be chuffed, but to do all those sites must have been belta

Really enjoyed reading these reports....that's dedication....an UrbEx holiday !

Le Crypte and the print works were my personal faves

Great report, really enjoyed looking through this one