More Xplorer Sites! Thanks to Bernard

A new member pointed me in the direction of a few new sites which sound VERY good, I don't know the area to well so if anyone can confirm safety etc it will be appreciated.

Hi Harley,
I'm a new member, was browsing the site & saw your planned visit the old Top Star. & Gas Works.
When you travel north on the M2 consider exiting at Carr St, there is the old SAR&H theatre. It's said to be haunted. A block further is the old railway hostel which can be seen when exiting the M2m Not sure who at Transnet grants access. Continue on Carr St you will find the old. Jhb abatoirs on the left hand side. Where Carr st ends at the Mandela bridge there is/was a red brick bldng now occupied by squatters, this was the SAR carpenter shop. Hope you get this.

perhaps a sunday morning visit to the inner city, while the rest of the city is still fast asleep and the light is soft? got to do it soon tho, because sun is coming up later...

Hi Guys and Gals,

I was in the Newtown area and took the liberty to enter the premises of the old theatre in Carr st, it look like it could be used as a church or meeting place of sorts. I have obtained the name of a contact person at Metrorail who may be able arrange access. Looked at the old railway compound,THIS IS A NO GO AREA. IT IS OVER RUN BY SQUATTERS AND THE LIKE. The old abatoir site is still viewable from a distance and I would suggest a group not loners. One may be able to take some pictures from the Nelson Mandela bridge, this in itself is a high risk area. Very early morning may be safer? The old carpenter shop has been lost in demolition and is a mere memory. I'll try to download pictures from my cell (phone). Enjoy your weekend and happy mother's day to all moms.

Our camera club did an early-morning photo shoot in Joburg City a few weeks ago and it was quite safe in the areas we visited in the inner city. There was another camera club there too. We were there before sunrise on a Sunday morning and stayed until about 8 without feeling in the least threatened.

In the same area mentioned above is also the old Park Station building if I am not mistaken. That should definitely be worth a visit if it is not yet occupied by vagrants.

I think if we go in early on a Sunday morning and there are enough of us and we don't wander off, we should be fine. We can always invite our friends Mr Smith and Mr Wesson to accompany us.

;-)

That sounds like fun. I'm definately in.

Bernard thanks for the updates! Please keep in touch wrt the old theatre and abattoir, e need a few new locations!

Another interesting derelict building in Johannesburg (albeit not as spectacular as the Gas Works or the Orlando Power Station) is the old Fairland brickyard. You'll find it along 14th Ave in Northcliff, on a largely undeveloped piece of land next to the MTN complex. Development is currently underway and I don't know how much longer the structures will remain.