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Report - - South East Essex College of Arts & Technology - Southend - June 2014 | Other Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - South East Essex College of Arts & Technology - Southend - June 2014

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Boomstick84

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member

HISTORY

As mentioned in my previous report on this place, I can’t seem to locate much official history but here’s what I have:

"South Essex College of Further and Higher Education is a further education college located over three sites in Basildon, Southend-on-Sea and Grays in Essex. The college provides courses for students of all ages, from 14 to 19 year-olds to undergraduates, adults and businesses.

The college was originally founded in 1899 as an art school and was later renamed as the Junior Day Technical School with the curriculum being restructured to include commercial and industrial skills for education in courses such as plumbing. The college became South East Essex College of Arts and Technology in 1991.

In 2004, the college building in Southend relocated to a new £52m campus in the centre of Southend as this site was closer to main public transport routes, the high street and right next to the Southend Central mainline railway station. This has left the old campus site empty since.

The site has long been under consideration for redevelopment, initially into student accommodation and then a residential block of flats but, like much of the derelict buildings along Victoria avenue, this has yet to happen."


THE EXPLORE – Part 2

My last visit here was a fail in terms of accessing the main college building however I did have better luck accessing a smaller side building I hadn’t even know was there so every cloud and all that. The fail had been bugging me though and I was determined to see inside the main campus so on the spur of the moment I decided to give it another go while I had an unscheduled free afternoon.

Another solo explore, this attempt was far more successful. The place is huge and pretty overwhelming on your own. With the windows boarded or completely obscured by the surrounding dense foliage the ground floor is very dark but full of temporary industrial lighting (all switched off) and building equipment so it looks like something is definitely underway in there.

I was able to look around undisturbed over the next few hours exploring all five floors of both wings and managed to cover the vast majority of the site. The building has one central stairwell and one at each end of the building however these are both glass fronted and very exposed so I had been sticking to the central stairwell to avoid being seen from outside.

With sunset fast approaching I decided to head back to what appeared to be a roof access I had found earlier, hoping for some nice rooftop shots before I left. As I passed the central stairwell I thought I heard faint footsteps coming up from below. Pausing in silence I listened…somebody was definitely down there and cautiously making their way up. At this point I’d by lying if I said my sphincter hadn’t started to twitch a bit. I decided it was definitely time to bail. Trying (and failing) to navigate along the long central corridor as quietly as possible through debris and excruciatingly loud doors I planned on heading back down the far end stairwell, hopefully bypassing the unknown visitor(s) on the central stairwell, to the ground floor and out the way I came in.

As I reached the next floor down I took a quick peek through the stairwell door only to see the silhouette of someone walking up the main corridor but couldn’t tell if they were coming my way or heading toward the other end of the building. Needless to say I didn’t hang around to find out.

In my haste/mild panic I overshot the ground floor and ended up at a basement entrance which was heavily boarded up. Quickly doubling back and dashing back up two flights praying I didn’t bump into whoever it was on their way down and creeping through the ground floor stairwell doors I emerged to find all the industrial lighting now turned on and the main entrance doors open. Certain I would run into secca/plod at any moment (but mildly relieved at least it wouldn’t be some local smackheads) I managed to find my way back to my entry point only to find it now closed. Somebody definitely knew I was there. Luckily it wasn’t locked so, with my heart pounding like a hooker’s headboard, I was able to make a swift exit.

Only my second proper explore, this was nerve wracking and a bit too close for comfort to say the least but a massive buzz to escape uncaught. Still a few bits I deffo want to go back and explore but think I may wait a while before returning….

Anyway, sorry for the ramblings, hope you enjoy the pics (admin - let me know if there are too many!)

1. Reception
Reception.jpg


2. Jungle Cats Nursery
JungleCatNursery.jpg


3. Study Centre Staircase
RedStairs1.jpg


4. Study Centre Staircase - Top
RedStairs2.jpg


5. Lights
Dials.jpg


6. What’s an Internet?
InternetPoster.jpg


7. Monitors
PCStack.jpg


8. Stairs to Basement. I didn’t have the balls to go down there alone!
Basement.jpg


9. Performing Arts Theatre
Theatre.jpg


10. Corridor
Hallway.jpg


11. Central Stairwell
CentralStairwell.jpg


12. 2nd Floor
Windows.jpg


13. Printing Room
PrintingMachine.jpg


14. Kodak Moment
Kodak.jpg


15. Negatives
Negative.jpg


16. Darkroom – S**t myself when I rounded a corner in the darkroom and nearly tripped over this!
Manequin.jpg


17. Canteen Floor
Cafe.jpg


18. Canteen
Kitchen.jpg


19. Kitchen
Kitchen2.jpg


20. Science Lab
Lab.jpg


21. Lab Equipment
LabBox.jpg


22. Spot Test Kit
LabBox2.jpg


23. Microscope
Microscope.jpg


24. Lab Machinery
Equipment.jpg


25. Walkway between Wings
Corridor.jpg


26. Sunset…time to leave
Exterior.jpg


Hope you enjoyed! :thumb
 

12318

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Is that last site all the college? Looks massive! Might be worth a trip over at some point
 

Boomstick84

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
The large block on the right and the overgrown area below are the college (building the photo is taken from is about the same size as the one on the right).

The building with the green roof is Southend Civic Centre and the two in the distance are a couple of massive derps which are basically gutted shells. Probably okay for a rooftop shot or two but other than that, not really worth the hassle.

Out of shot on the left is Southend nick :D

If your ever in the neighbourhood let me know :thumb
 

wellingtonian

Subterráneo
Regular User
Looks like a decent explore mate. Nice snaps. Always a bit scary when you think you're alone, and then realise others are around :eek:
Well done for getting out without getting caught :)
 

Boomstick84

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Cheers guys, appreciate the comments!

It was a decent explore and still plenty more to see but the unexpected company unfortunately meant an early exit. In a weird way it felt like the perfect end to the explore though, the rush of getting out of there unseen.

:)
 

Oxygen Thief

Admin
Staff member
Admin
It's a cracking site, and this report is miles better than your first one. What makes it is some pictures showing the actual building and the size of it. Nice work.
 

Boomstick84

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Looks a great explore, nice pics and grand report :) Thanks for sharin' :thumb

Cheers Will! :thumb

It's a cracking site, and this report is miles better than your first one. What makes it is some pictures showing the actual building and the size of it. Nice work.

Thanks OT, appreciate the feedback. Not long picked up a camera and started taking photos so it encouraging to hear I'm on the right track. It's inspiring seeing all the amazing reports on here and gives a newbie like myself something to aim for. :)
 

Oxygen Thief

Admin
Staff member
Admin
Thanks OT, appreciate the feedback. Not long picked up a camera and started taking photos so it encouraging to hear I'm on the right track. It's inspiring seeing all the amazing reports on here and gives a newbie like myself something to aim for. :)

It's all personal preference mate, and finding your own style. I won't teach you to suck eggs, but a mix of wide and close up pictures, nicely framed, always does the job. Try and get something interesting in every shot.
 

bignickb

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Wow! I studied Art/Design here in 1985-6! But then failed to get on the next course and discovered a talent in Electronics and my career went that way.
What a shame to see it like this!
 

Session9

A life backwards
28DL Full Member
Very nice fella and enjoyed reading your write up :)
What exactly is the oil burning plastic pig? :confused
 

Boomstick84

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Nice one.

Thanks Vixxie! :) Have been enjoying your recent stuff too! :thumb

Wow! I studied Art/Design here in 1985-6! But then failed to get on the next course and discovered a talent in Electronics and my career went that way.
What a shame to see it like this!

I imagine it must have been quite a cool place to study back in it's day? I never went there personally but always had a curiosity about what it must be like inside after it closed. Went back for a second visit with fellow 28DL member robg172 who also studied there! Must be a buzz to go back somewhere you personally spent alot of time many years later! Sadly it's in the process of being gutted and a fair bit more had been stripped out even in the month between visits :(

Very nice fella and enjoyed reading your write up :)
What exactly is the oil burning plastic pig? :confused

Thanks mate! :)

I think it was a printing machine of some kind and I'm guessing it was showing it's age and liked to burn up a bit of oil. Did make me chuckle when I found it though :D
 
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