West Park Hospital - Nov 2008 {PIC HEAVY]

[randomnut]

About time I got something up here. First of all, huge thanks to Clebby, clebby's mate, wifebeater, ConcentrationF, the other knowledgeable chap and his girlfriend for an absolutely cracking day.

This started off as a failed trip to Cane Hill -- escorted off by security. Our next port of call was the Coulsdon deep shelter, only to find it was cemented in. As a last ditch effort we went onto West Park -- and what a place.

West Park Hospital stands not far from Epsom Common. The hospital is large in scale spreading out across the grounds as a complex of wards and villas radiating out form the charred remains of the main hall.

Built in the 1920's West Park was the Eleventh and last in a long line of asylums serving the London area forming the filth and final part of the "Epsom Cluster" A complex of 5 large Psychiatric and epileptic hospitals. (Other hospitals Being: Manor, Horton, St Ebbas and Long Grove.)

West park was built to the "colony" design. This was an idea imported form America: Small groups of wards grouped together within the same building effectively creating isolated communities within those wards, each building is linked to the others creating a web like maze of corridors that stretches across West Park.

Onto the pics:

Underground tunnel - one of a network of tunnels criss-crossing under the main hall:

The main hall:

Moving onwards:

Corridors linking the wards/buildings:

Into the wards:

Collapsing floor:

Totally random hoover room:

Found (At Home!) Sept. 1966

Lots more on flickr

Again thanks to everyone involved for such an awesome day.

 

[Cosmicmoon]

Hello, I'm the knowledgable chap's girlfriend. Great selection of pictures, although I don't remember seeing that collapsing floor. Was it near admin? The knowledgeable chap says he'll upload his pictures tomorrow. Toodles.

 

[randomnut]

Great stuff, sorry I forgot to ask you guys for your forum names so had to go with knowledgeable chap/girlfriend as he seemed to know a good chunk about the sites Saying that I didn't tell you mine, i'm the other driver

I'm not sure to be honest, I got so disorientated in there! I'm pretty sure it was just off of a ward though. We should definitely go for round 2 and see the rest, we kind of got stung for time arriving so late.

 

[Concentration F]

Hey! nice shots, i'll be uploading mine at some point over the next week.

Good to meet you all, i had an awesome day. Thought it was all over after CH but it turned out rather nice in the end We should defi do it again some time soon!

p.s The collapsed floor was in the room next to the one with the cupboard with all the bottles in it, pretty sure it was admin

 

[dangerous dave]

guys a word of advice go very carefull on some of the wards as i fell thru the floor on one the other day lucky it was only a few feet, some floors go to about 10 odd feet into a basement the wards are riddled with dry rot and even the joists are like dust there so go very carefull

 

[scoobs]

Nice set of photos you've got there mate.

 

[Scrub2000]

Lovely set of pics and a great explore, nice one!
Cheers for the pics !

:thumb

 

[Fluxy]

Brilliant work here mate. This is one place I'd say is on the list for next year, I've wanted to give this one a go for a while. Much of this I've never seen before either, top job.

 

[chelle]

Nice one

Funny,we got turfed out of here,only to successfuly do Cane Hill..the reveresal of you!You was lucky to get that pic of admin too,and I really love your attacking hoovers pic.Well done.
regards from Stu

 

[LiamCH]

Here are my pictures from the explore:

In the service tunnels:

The meat freezer. It still stank.

The remains of some sort of watertight hatch in the service tunnels.

I'm the knowledgable chap by the way.

 

[wifebeater]

Great site

Its the Law here apparently

I can't believe its not butter, with a battery in it obviously

Someone please cut the grass on this pitch

I will be back, see you all there

 

[Neosea]

I'm the knowledgable chap by the way.

Was it fancy dress?

Nice photo's thanks.

 

[LiamCH]

Was it fancy dress?

Thanks for that.

 

[Neosea]

Thanks for that.

No offence meant I would never wear my best clothes to explore in.

 

[Concentration F]

Finally got round to sorting out my pics from the day so here they are. Most of them were very similar to the ones up here so I've given them a miss. They can be found on my flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/edwardfield/

And finally fhe photo i was taking in wifebeaters pic above :

 

[randomnut]

Great stuff, some awesome shots there. Decent sense of perspective - I tried a few times to get that puzzle on the bed properly and it just never came out

 

[Richard Davies]

My primary school had a lot of those Save It stickers near the light switches.

I've got a compilation of information films which has a tie-in PIF, featuring a young Delia Smith.

The attack of the hoovers made me laugh.

 

[iwaniwan]

cracking set of phots: ) glad you get there westpark is always place to visit

 

[LiamCH]

Most of us went back there on Saturday. The pictures can be seen in this thread.

 

[chelle]

Brilliant

Superb stuff ...well done to all involved.
regards Stu