Described as 'one of the country's finest pop culture historians', Travis Elborough is an acclaimed author and social commentator who lives in London. His work delves into the ephemera of retro culture as well as the history of London, geography, and a broad range of other subjects. His Atlas of Vanishing Places won the Illustrated Book of the Year at the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards in 2020, and he has also written The Bus We Loved, a passionate love letter to the Routemaster bus which defined London transport for more than 50 years. His other works include A Traveller’s Year, A London Year, The Long-Player Goodbye, Being A Writer and A Walk in the Park: The Life and Times of a People’s Institution. Travis is a regular contributor to Radio 4 and the Guardian, and has penned articles on all aspects of travel and culture, from pirates in the Caribbean to donkeys at the British seaside. He has written for the Times, Sunday Times, New Statesman, BBC History Magazine and Kinfolk among others, and is a visiting lecturer at the University of Westminster, where he teaches creative writing.

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• IntroductionVacant PropertiesBüyükada Orphanage - TurkeyŻarnowiec Nuclear Power Plant - PolandPyramiden - NorwayThe Castle of Dona Chica - PortugalSans-Souci Palace - HaitiRubjerg Knude Lighthouse - DenmarkSammezzano Castle - ItalyUnsettled SituationsWünsdorf - GermanyOld Al-Ula - Saudi ArabiaMandu - IndiaCraco - ItalyGrängesberg - SwedenPlymouth - West IndiesKolmanskop - NamibiaKennecott - Alaska, USADöllersheim - AustriaDilapidated DestinationsThe West Pier - Brighton & Hove, UKSanta Claus - Arizona, USADucor Palace Hotel - LiberiaHachijo Royal Hotel - JapanGrand Hôtel de la Forêt - CorsicaCamelot Theme Park - Lancashire, UKThe Salton Sea Riviera - California, USANew World Mall - ThailandKupari - CroatiaHellinikon Olympic Complex - GreeceJourneys EndedNicosia Airport - CyprusUyuni Train Graveyard - BoliviaCrystal Palace Subway - London, UKSuakin - SudanCity Hall Subway Station - New York, USABalaklava Submarine Base - CrimeaObsolete InstitutionsSt Peter’s Seminary College - Scotland, UKRoosevelt Island Smallpox Hospital - New York, USAVolterra Psychiatric Hospital - ItalyGary City Methodist Church - Indiana, USAAkampene Island - UgandaSeaside Sanatorium - Connecticut, USALennox Castle Hospital - Scotland, UKAlcatraz Prison - California, USASelected BibliographyPicture CreditsAcknowledgementsIndex

Described as 'one of the country's finest pop culture historians', Travis Elborough is an acclaimed author and social commentator who lives in London. His work delves into the ephemera of retro culture as well as the history of London, geography, and a broad range of other subjects. His Atlas of Vanishing Places won the Illustrated Book of the Year at the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards in 2020, and he has also written The Bus We Loved, a passionate love letter to the Routemaster bus which defined London transport for more than 50 years. His other works include A Traveller’s Year, A London Year, The Long-Player Goodbye, Being A Writer and A Walk in the Park: The Life and Times of a People’s Institution. Travis is a regular contributor to Radio 4 and the Guardian, and has penned articles on all aspects of travel and culture, from pirates in the Caribbean to donkeys at the British seaside. He has written for the Times, Sunday Times, New Statesman, BBC History Magazine and Kinfolk among others, and is a visiting lecturer at the University of Westminster, where he teaches creative writing.

Select Guide Rating

• IntroductionVacant PropertiesBüyükada Orphanage - TurkeyŻarnowiec Nuclear Power Plant - PolandPyramiden - NorwayThe Castle of Dona Chica - PortugalSans-Souci Palace - HaitiRubjerg Knude Lighthouse - DenmarkSammezzano Castle - ItalyUnsettled SituationsWünsdorf - GermanyOld Al-Ula - Saudi ArabiaMandu - IndiaCraco - ItalyGrängesberg - SwedenPlymouth - West IndiesKolmanskop - NamibiaKennecott - Alaska, USADöllersheim - AustriaDilapidated DestinationsThe West Pier - Brighton & Hove, UKSanta Claus - Arizona, USADucor Palace Hotel - LiberiaHachijo Royal Hotel - JapanGrand Hôtel de la Forêt - CorsicaCamelot Theme Park - Lancashire, UKThe Salton Sea Riviera - California, USANew World Mall - ThailandKupari - CroatiaHellinikon Olympic Complex - GreeceJourneys EndedNicosia Airport - CyprusUyuni Train Graveyard - BoliviaCrystal Palace Subway - London, UKSuakin - SudanCity Hall Subway Station - New York, USABalaklava Submarine Base - CrimeaObsolete InstitutionsSt Peter’s Seminary College - Scotland, UKRoosevelt Island Smallpox Hospital - New York, USAVolterra Psychiatric Hospital - ItalyGary City Methodist Church - Indiana, USAAkampene Island - UgandaSeaside Sanatorium - Connecticut, USALennox Castle Hospital - Scotland, UKAlcatraz Prison - California, USASelected BibliographyPicture CreditsAcknowledgementsIndex

Described as 'one of the country's finest pop culture historians', Travis Elborough is an acclaimed author and social commentator who lives in London. His work delves into the ephemera of retro culture as well as the history of London, geography, and a broad range of other subjects. His Atlas of Vanishing Places won the Illustrated Book of the Year at the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards in 2020, and he has also written The Bus We Loved, a passionate love letter to the Routemaster bus which defined London transport for more than 50 years. His other works include A Traveller’s Year, A London Year, The Long-Player Goodbye, Being A Writer and A Walk in the Park: The Life and Times of a People’s Institution. Travis is a regular contributor to Radio 4 and the Guardian, and has penned articles on all aspects of travel and culture, from pirates in the Caribbean to donkeys at the British seaside. He has written for the Times, Sunday Times, New Statesman, BBC History Magazine and Kinfolk among others, and is a visiting lecturer at the University of Westminster, where he teaches creative writing.

Select Guide Rating

• IntroductionVacant PropertiesBüyükada Orphanage - TurkeyŻarnowiec Nuclear Power Plant - PolandPyramiden - NorwayThe Castle of Dona Chica - PortugalSans-Souci Palace - HaitiRubjerg Knude Lighthouse - DenmarkSammezzano Castle - ItalyUnsettled SituationsWünsdorf - GermanyOld Al-Ula - Saudi ArabiaMandu - IndiaCraco - ItalyGrängesberg - SwedenPlymouth - West IndiesKolmanskop - NamibiaKennecott - Alaska, USADöllersheim - AustriaDilapidated DestinationsThe West Pier - Brighton & Hove, UKSanta Claus - Arizona, USADucor Palace Hotel - LiberiaHachijo Royal Hotel - JapanGrand Hôtel de la Forêt - CorsicaCamelot Theme Park - Lancashire, UKThe Salton Sea Riviera - California, USANew World Mall - ThailandKupari - CroatiaHellinikon Olympic Complex - GreeceJourneys EndedNicosia Airport - CyprusUyuni Train Graveyard - BoliviaCrystal Palace Subway - London, UKSuakin - SudanCity Hall Subway Station - New York, USABalaklava Submarine Base - CrimeaObsolete InstitutionsSt Peter’s Seminary College - Scotland, UKRoosevelt Island Smallpox Hospital - New York, USAVolterra Psychiatric Hospital - ItalyGary City Methodist Church - Indiana, USAAkampene Island - UgandaSeaside Sanatorium - Connecticut, USALennox Castle Hospital - Scotland, UKAlcatraz Prison - California, USASelected BibliographyPicture CreditsAcknowledgementsIndex