Report - Chorlton Brook Culvert, Manchester - Feb 09

[concreteJungle]

This is one of the culverts along the Chorlton Brook, forgive me I don't know if it has a name.

I started at the outfall which gave a choice of two parallel tunnels, I chose the right one and headed up. The bed was like sinking sand and for some reason I had wellies on, so was overcautious walking until my foot sank deep and cold wetness invaded.

Looking back

Looking down where just come

Overly large inspection chamber

mmm, sewerfresh!

The stooping pays off

Turd river

Back in the culvert, sewer flows overhead

The infall

Thought I'd be adventurous and try the other tunnel on the way back.

More sewerfresh

From this point things got uncomfortable, the water got higher and filled my wellies, might as well press on I thought, then about 20m from the end it got deeper and ended up wading upto thigh level. Moral of the story, spare pair of clothes!

 

[concreteJungle]

On the last trip I saw a NCP in the wall near the infall, so went back to have a look.

It opened up into a small corridor with what looked like railway sleepers making up the roof, one was missing and crap had fallen in.

Looks like this used to continue to something else but has been filled in now.

Also spotted this:

Unfortunately it ended in a small room with a couple of pipes, both too small to get down.

Had a look at the upstream end of the Red Lion brook which joins the Chorlton brook further down the culvert. It was far too low to continue past a few meters down.

More here