HISTORY
As the history of this classic explore has been covered many times before I will just give a brief history. In the 1800's this area of Sheffield was prone to flooding making the land unusable for industry. Around 1860 The Midland Railway Company bought the rights to the Rivers Sheaf and Porter and enclosed them in culverts allowing the Midland Railway Station to be built above them in 1870. The culverts were extended all the way to the River Don and thus the mighty Megatron was constructed, allowing the industry of Sheffield to thrive with the risk of flooding removed.
THE EXPLORE
Having recently explored and photographed the River Porter culverts all the way to the railway station I thought it was now time to move on to the Sheaf and the Megatron. Entering the system at the Midland Railway Station via the River Porter I headed up stream to the point were the Sheaf first enters the culvert there were some nice brick and stone culverts here not always visited as a lot of people head directly to the Megatron. At this point it sounded like a giant was hammering on the roof above as trains were passing above.
At this point the river entered two culverts a single on the left and a double on the right, I followed the larger double with about 6 inch of water in. It entered a box section then split into three culverts and set the formation for majority of the explore all the way to the Megatron. After passing the familiar spot where the Porter entered there were three fantastic small waterfalls all requiring photographing, then some very old stonework, then a steel section again all needed photographing. By the time you have set up your camera, put all your settings on done your light painting, then tried again a bit longer, each photo can take 5 minutes, its going to be a long explore.
Eventually reached the open section, being a bit wary of small weirs having stepped over one on the river Porter into 5 foot of water I proceeded with caution, I kept to the right hand side but could see this area a problem if water levels were higher.
Massive brick pillars provided the entry to the next section heading under Ponds Forge swimming baths. As the majority of the river was flowing in the left culvert I chose the middle one, I swapped about a bit for different photos then committed to central culvert as the joining arches were bricked up. Some great arched brick roof in this section again all to be photographed.
Finally came out of the central culvert into a massive 12 meter wide culvert made of stone blocks, a impressive feat of Victorian construction. In the distance I could see the light from the outlet into the Don and in between the massive domed brick arch of Megatron, going to be here for a few hours I guess. I walked as far as I could up to the parabolic roof section but the water was getting deeper, I was on my own and new my limits but I did wonder what was beyond the parabolic roof section.
TO BE CONTINUED
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MY PHOTOGRAPHS
RIVER SHEAF ENTERING CULVERT
DOUBLE CULVERT
LEFT HAND WATERFALL
MIDDLE WATERFALL
LEAVING THE STATION AREA
OPEN SECTION
ENTRY TO NEXT SECTION UNDER PONDS FORGE
LOOKING BACK TO OPEN SECTION
NICE BRICKED ROOF
LOOKING BACK UP THREE CULVERTS
MAGNIFICANT VICTORIAN ENGINEERING
FIRST VIEW OF THE CATHEDRAL
CLASSIC MEGATRON CATHEDRAL ROOF
NEED A BIG TORCH IN HERE
WONDER WHATS BEYOND HERE
THE EXPLORE
Having recently explored and photographed the River Porter culverts all the way to the railway station I thought it was now time to move on to the Sheaf and the Megatron. Entering the system at the Midland Railway Station via the River Porter I headed up stream to the point were the Sheaf first enters the culvert there were some nice brick and stone culverts here not always visited as a lot of people head directly to the Megatron. At this point it sounded like a giant was hammering on the roof above as trains were passing above.
At this point the river entered two culverts a single on the left and a double on the right, I followed the larger double with about 6 inch of water in. It entered a box section then split into three culverts and set the formation for majority of the explore all the way to the Megatron. After passing the familiar spot where the Porter entered there were three fantastic small waterfalls all requiring photographing, then some very old stonework, then a steel section again all needed photographing. By the time you have set up your camera, put all your settings on done your light painting, then tried again a bit longer, each photo can take 5 minutes, its going to be a long explore.
Eventually reached the open section, being a bit wary of small weirs having stepped over one on the river Porter into 5 foot of water I proceeded with caution, I kept to the right hand side but could see this area a problem if water levels were higher.
Massive brick pillars provided the entry to the next section heading under Ponds Forge swimming baths. As the majority of the river was flowing in the left culvert I chose the middle one, I swapped about a bit for different photos then committed to central culvert as the joining arches were bricked up. Some great arched brick roof in this section again all to be photographed.
Finally came out of the central culvert into a massive 12 meter wide culvert made of stone blocks, a impressive feat of Victorian construction. In the distance I could see the light from the outlet into the Don and in between the massive domed brick arch of Megatron, going to be here for a few hours I guess. I walked as far as I could up to the parabolic roof section but the water was getting deeper, I was on my own and new my limits but I did wonder what was beyond the parabolic roof section.
TO BE CONTINUED
*************************************************************************************************
MY PHOTOGRAPHS
RIVER SHEAF ENTERING CULVERT
DOUBLE CULVERT
LEFT HAND WATERFALL
MIDDLE WATERFALL
LEAVING THE STATION AREA
OPEN SECTION
ENTRY TO NEXT SECTION UNDER PONDS FORGE
LOOKING BACK TO OPEN SECTION
NICE BRICKED ROOF
LOOKING BACK UP THREE CULVERTS
MAGNIFICANT VICTORIAN ENGINEERING
FIRST VIEW OF THE CATHEDRAL
CLASSIC MEGATRON CATHEDRAL ROOF
NEED A BIG TORCH IN HERE
WONDER WHATS BEYOND HERE
