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In on a secret
Since he began peering into dark holes three years ago Phil Davison has built up an archive of alluring images depicting a side of Leeds most people never see. Neil Hudson met the manwho can't resist his own curiosity.
FROM his eighth floor flat at Gledhow Towers, Phil Davison has a commanding view over the city he calls home. He has seen more of it than most.
For the last three years, the father-of-two has walked in places few of us would even imagine existed. Silent, hidden places. Noisome, underground places. Places forgotten by the many.
There are many cryptic corners of our city – and countless more beyond it. They take the form of abandoned mine shafts, old Victorian sewers, derelict buildings. For the most part, they stand muted and unmourned, their only company time itself.
Until that is Mr Davison shines a light on them, for he not only has an incurable curiosity for dark places but a knack for capturing their concealed beauty.
In many cases, they are right under our feet.
The 41-year-old joiner founded Leeds Historical Expedition Society three years ago after becoming hooked on Leeds's hidden history.
Judging by the number of internet hits on his website – upwards of 500,000 – he's not the only one.
He said: "It all started when my wife was looking online for some information about the old Odeon cinema and she came across this website with amazing pictures of underground tunnels.
"I started poking my nose into old railway tunnels. At first I didn't really know how to find these places but you pick bits of information up after a while. Now there's a network of people who do it. There's a lot of information out there.
"You go into some of these places and it is pitch black. You cannot see your hand in front of your face. It's often wet, cold and muddy too and sometimes very noisy, with constant water pouring in. I just like curiosities. I never used to be like this, I'd come home from work and just go down the pub for a pint. Now, I can't get enough of it.
"I've had over half a million hits on my pictures online. There's a big market for this sort of thing. I'm proud of the pictures. We take our time over them, using long exposures and high powered lights to 'paint' the insides of tunnels, to create an effect.
"Most people don't realise what's right under their feet but it's incredibly beautiful. Take Bradford city centre, there's an entire network of tunnels right under St George's Square and they are beautiful.
"I like finding old boarded up buildings, subways, tunnels, air-raid shelters. In some cases, no one has been through them for 20 years or more."
Dangerous
He added: "It can be dangerous, which is why we always go in teams, wear the right clothing and carry the right equipment. We make sure to tell people where we are going and what time we will be back.
"I think one of the strangest things I came across was about a mile into Gildersome Tunnel, when I came across a load of toads, adults and young ones.
"Other times, we've been in buildings when there's been other people knocking about but we just mind our own business. We'd like to see these places preserved. For example, we alerted the council to the fact the old York Road library was being vandalised."
Fellow group member Sam Hirst, 21, of Leeds, said: "It's great to explore the places Joe Public doesn't get to see. I am interested in the historical side of things. It's something I'm passionate about. I don't like to see old buildings fall into terrible disuse."
Contact Mr Davison at phill_dvsn@yahoo.co.uk.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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