Today has confirmed it; when exploring I am never helping kids again!
Had yesterday and today off work so decided to do some exploring as it had been a few weeks. Yesterday was a big bag of fail with my attempts at MMU Alsager (Now being demolished with work men all over the site) and the Cond Building in Birmingham (Due to the AA attempting to fix a car that had broke down literally next to the way up to the derelict floors) coming to naught.
Today I thought sod it, Cavendish House in Dudley will have to do. Local to me, easy enough to get in (Despite it being "sealed") and another site to tick off the list (Even though it is wrecked) So I set off; found a gap in the fence and went round to the entry point to the building when a group of 3 lads and a girl (Looked about 16) came the other way.
"Any way in mate?" one of them asks. I should have just said no, waited for them to fuck off and then go in, but no, I was feeling charitable and showed them the way. Well once we were all in they turn into a bunch of hyper-active toddlers at a birthday party! Their noise was pissing me off pretty much instantly, so I made my excuses and headed up to the roof (Lets face it the only part of Cavendish that is worth visiting) I heard them come up slowly but lost them.
After a few roof shots, I started to explore the floors going down, by the time I got to the 5th, I could see them throwing shit off the roof onto the ground below, which of course was ballisticly loud from such a height. It got better though, as I heard them go down while I was on the 4th, thinking I now had some peace, but no, I got down to the 3rd and thought "Shit, I smell fire" at this point I heard sirens roar down the Dudley bypass and then pull up outside, fucking great.
Deciding it was probably best to leave, I headed down, not stopping to look around the 2nd, 1st or ground floors (I suspect I didn't miss much however) but when I got to the ground floor I heard people talking on radios and saw the blue lights through the gaps in the hoardings over the windows. I then heard a bloke shout, in a pissed off voice, "We know you are in there now come out!" Bollocks, here we go- I have been collared by security before, but I knew this was going to be bad. I got outside and was met by a pissed off looking Fire Officer. I thought I had better get my argument in first
"Sorry you have had to come out mate, but seriously the fire isn't me" I explained about the kids.
"Well what the bloody hell are you doing here?" I responded that I was one of those weirdos who likes derelict buildings and I was just taking pictures. I suppose the fact that my bag contained nothing but a torch, camera and bottle of Lucozade helped me out here. In fairness to the Fire Officer he was probably the most sound bloke who has ever collared me exploring, but as he said "If we have to fuck about at places like this, its another house fire that we cant go to" We then shook hands and I promptly left before taking any external shots.
So there you have it, the next time I go to a site and see kids about I am just turning round, getting in the car and fucking off somewhere else. Today could have ended badly, I have no doubt that if the Police had come with the Fire Brigade any body would have been collared for a night in the cells and that they would have been much less reasonable than the Fire Brigade. Last time I fucking help kids get in anywhere...
Had yesterday and today off work so decided to do some exploring as it had been a few weeks. Yesterday was a big bag of fail with my attempts at MMU Alsager (Now being demolished with work men all over the site) and the Cond Building in Birmingham (Due to the AA attempting to fix a car that had broke down literally next to the way up to the derelict floors) coming to naught.
Today I thought sod it, Cavendish House in Dudley will have to do. Local to me, easy enough to get in (Despite it being "sealed") and another site to tick off the list (Even though it is wrecked) So I set off; found a gap in the fence and went round to the entry point to the building when a group of 3 lads and a girl (Looked about 16) came the other way.
"Any way in mate?" one of them asks. I should have just said no, waited for them to fuck off and then go in, but no, I was feeling charitable and showed them the way. Well once we were all in they turn into a bunch of hyper-active toddlers at a birthday party! Their noise was pissing me off pretty much instantly, so I made my excuses and headed up to the roof (Lets face it the only part of Cavendish that is worth visiting) I heard them come up slowly but lost them.
After a few roof shots, I started to explore the floors going down, by the time I got to the 5th, I could see them throwing shit off the roof onto the ground below, which of course was ballisticly loud from such a height. It got better though, as I heard them go down while I was on the 4th, thinking I now had some peace, but no, I got down to the 3rd and thought "Shit, I smell fire" at this point I heard sirens roar down the Dudley bypass and then pull up outside, fucking great.
Deciding it was probably best to leave, I headed down, not stopping to look around the 2nd, 1st or ground floors (I suspect I didn't miss much however) but when I got to the ground floor I heard people talking on radios and saw the blue lights through the gaps in the hoardings over the windows. I then heard a bloke shout, in a pissed off voice, "We know you are in there now come out!" Bollocks, here we go- I have been collared by security before, but I knew this was going to be bad. I got outside and was met by a pissed off looking Fire Officer. I thought I had better get my argument in first
"Sorry you have had to come out mate, but seriously the fire isn't me" I explained about the kids.
"Well what the bloody hell are you doing here?" I responded that I was one of those weirdos who likes derelict buildings and I was just taking pictures. I suppose the fact that my bag contained nothing but a torch, camera and bottle of Lucozade helped me out here. In fairness to the Fire Officer he was probably the most sound bloke who has ever collared me exploring, but as he said "If we have to fuck about at places like this, its another house fire that we cant go to" We then shook hands and I promptly left before taking any external shots.
So there you have it, the next time I go to a site and see kids about I am just turning round, getting in the car and fucking off somewhere else. Today could have ended badly, I have no doubt that if the Police had come with the Fire Brigade any body would have been collared for a night in the cells and that they would have been much less reasonable than the Fire Brigade. Last time I fucking help kids get in anywhere...
