I visited this section of Counters Creek twice. The first time with Tallginge and the second time with both @tallginge and @The_Raw.
Unlike most of the old London Thames tributaries that were converted into intercepted sewers, such as the Fleet and the Tyburn, Counters Creek has little interest to me. That is, except for this outstanding and complex sewer overflow which is bordering on pornography of a brickwork nature.
The rest of CC is just pretty much a long featureless slog through deep sewage for the most of it other than an unremarkable overflow into the North Kensington Storm Relief.
This overflow setup is somewhat difficult to explain so I have included an annotated clip of London County Council’s Main Drainage map from 1955 to assist for what it’s worth.
The first seven photos show the chamber from roughly the view of point A on this map, the second of which is an archive photo from 1907 that does not appear to show what must be the later addition of the drop into the Hammersmith Storm Relief Sewer.
These next two photos show the chamber looking right back in the opposite direction of that from the first photo.
The following three photos show the slightly newer part of the chamber that discharges overflows into the Hammersmith Storm Relief Sewer (one of the few parts of London’s main drainage that has given me nightmares).
This is point D on the map.
This following two pics are taken from point B on the map and shows the LLS#2 running from West to East (right to left) with the main CC tunnel straight ahead. The 4 piece stainless steel dam board you see is a relatively new addition to reduce overflows and keep more ‘water’ in the LLS#2 as London’s population and water consumption continues to grow at an unsustainable level.
Contrast this with what it was like in 1907!
The following photo is looking back 180 degrees:
Moving forward a few yards and turning 90 degrees, I am standing in the combined flow of the LLS#2 and CC flow looking west. The next photo is looking down the main line parallel to where my fellow drain0r is standing in the CC tunnel.
The current is powerful here and I was glad to get this shot over and done with as I had little inclination to surf on down to Abbey Mills to join Sir J. Bizzle for a good few more years I hope.
Finally, from the photo above, I steadily walked forwards in the LLS#2 just past where you can see a small side pipe discharging a flow and took the next photo which is shown as point C on the map.
The final pic shows this same point looking the opposite way on the other side of the dam wall which is the small overflow pipe as shown in the second photograph in this report (with the bright light shining from it).
I hope this makes sufficient sense to anyone that gives a shit (if you'll pardon the pun) about these amazing brickwork structures that we feel privileged to set foot in.
Finally an archive pic of the drain sometime in the 1920s:
Thanks again to Tallginge and The_Raw for the company and lighting assistance!
Unlike most of the old London Thames tributaries that were converted into intercepted sewers, such as the Fleet and the Tyburn, Counters Creek has little interest to me. That is, except for this outstanding and complex sewer overflow which is bordering on pornography of a brickwork nature.
The rest of CC is just pretty much a long featureless slog through deep sewage for the most of it other than an unremarkable overflow into the North Kensington Storm Relief.
This overflow setup is somewhat difficult to explain so I have included an annotated clip of London County Council’s Main Drainage map from 1955 to assist for what it’s worth.
The first seven photos show the chamber from roughly the view of point A on this map, the second of which is an archive photo from 1907 that does not appear to show what must be the later addition of the drop into the Hammersmith Storm Relief Sewer.
These next two photos show the chamber looking right back in the opposite direction of that from the first photo.
The following three photos show the slightly newer part of the chamber that discharges overflows into the Hammersmith Storm Relief Sewer (one of the few parts of London’s main drainage that has given me nightmares).
This is point D on the map.
This following two pics are taken from point B on the map and shows the LLS#2 running from West to East (right to left) with the main CC tunnel straight ahead. The 4 piece stainless steel dam board you see is a relatively new addition to reduce overflows and keep more ‘water’ in the LLS#2 as London’s population and water consumption continues to grow at an unsustainable level.
Contrast this with what it was like in 1907!
The following photo is looking back 180 degrees:
Moving forward a few yards and turning 90 degrees, I am standing in the combined flow of the LLS#2 and CC flow looking west. The next photo is looking down the main line parallel to where my fellow drain0r is standing in the CC tunnel.
The current is powerful here and I was glad to get this shot over and done with as I had little inclination to surf on down to Abbey Mills to join Sir J. Bizzle for a good few more years I hope.
Finally, from the photo above, I steadily walked forwards in the LLS#2 just past where you can see a small side pipe discharging a flow and took the next photo which is shown as point C on the map.
The final pic shows this same point looking the opposite way on the other side of the dam wall which is the small overflow pipe as shown in the second photograph in this report (with the bright light shining from it).
I hope this makes sufficient sense to anyone that gives a shit (if you'll pardon the pun) about these amazing brickwork structures that we feel privileged to set foot in.
Finally an archive pic of the drain sometime in the 1920s:
Thanks again to Tallginge and The_Raw for the company and lighting assistance!
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That book - YES !!!!! The guys a legend in my eyes, up there with J Bizzle for sure. Imagine doing this stuff under london like we do, before the biggest sewers were intercepted, without the ventilation there now is, before there were as many flushing toilets to dilute the sewage, before 'comfy' wadorz/ wellies were around carrying a lit lantern but still prepared to sing the national anthem as he walked down the tyburn 
And always good to see a vicar up to his middle in fresh 
Elbow is much better now thanks. Took long enough though!
