HISTORY
This report covers the last 400 m of the River Porter, to where it meets up withe the River Sheaf.
Looking at 1850's map of the area near the railway station, there were no culverts on the rivers, Porter or Sheaf. The area was a lead smelting mill, if you go to the Leadmill nightclub you will see where the name comes from.
Around 1870 most of the river in this area had been put in culverts, and around the same time Midland Railway Company bought the rights to the River Porter and River Sheaf in the Pond Street area and after enclosing the rivers in culverts they constructed the Sheffield Midland Railway Station. The culverts over the Sheaf were extended to the River Don, which included the mighty Megatron.
THE EXPLORE
I decided to start the section of culvert from the newly formed Porter Pocket Park, a de-culverted part of the river formed in 2016. It gave easy access to the river and I had parked my car not far away, no sooner than I had entered the culvert I heard loud voices shouting down the other end. I quickly retreated back and walked round on the road to near the station, the culvert was full of men in bright orange hi-vis jackets doing a survey on the culvert. I mouched round the multistory car park for an hour hoping they would go away, they did not so took a few photos and abandoned the explore for a day.
Came down early next day, all clear so on with the explore, entering again at the pocket park through a nice bricked arch entrance, then a stone arch and then a triangular section all in the first 30m, this was underneath Radio Sheffield's car park. Next a short open section the water was a couple of feet deep so waders were essential, the entrance to next section was very overgrown with debris and vegetation, once in the culvert there was the familiar Victorian construction of low brick arch and central channel, walk in the central channel, or stoop over and keep dry. The survey team I saw yesterday all walked in the central channel, but they all had chest waders, maybe time to invest in some. At the outlet I could see the entrance to the railway station section, just the open section to get through without been seen by railway police, very sad area with rubbish and needles everywhere.
Made it to railway entrance and immediately could see the two low culverts taking the porter 50m to its meeting with the Sheaf under platform 5. Very noisy under the station with the Sheaf flowing quite quick and the rumble of trains above. Did a bit of light painting and tried few photos with flash, light painting much better, had a quick look down the Sheaf culverts knowing that lead to Megatron, saving that for another day.
Porter Pocket Park
Other unwanted "Explorers" on First Day
Nice Brick Entrance
Then Nice Stone Section
Then a Triangular Section
Exit into Open Section
Overgrown Blocked Entry
Victorian Stoopy Culvert
Near the Outlet
Sad Looking Exit
Entry Point Under Railway Station
An Aerial View
Last 30m of Culvert
Final Meeting with The Sheaf
Looking Back at the River Porter Entry
This report covers the last 400 m of the River Porter, to where it meets up withe the River Sheaf.
Looking at 1850's map of the area near the railway station, there were no culverts on the rivers, Porter or Sheaf. The area was a lead smelting mill, if you go to the Leadmill nightclub you will see where the name comes from.
Around 1870 most of the river in this area had been put in culverts, and around the same time Midland Railway Company bought the rights to the River Porter and River Sheaf in the Pond Street area and after enclosing the rivers in culverts they constructed the Sheffield Midland Railway Station. The culverts over the Sheaf were extended to the River Don, which included the mighty Megatron.
THE EXPLORE
I decided to start the section of culvert from the newly formed Porter Pocket Park, a de-culverted part of the river formed in 2016. It gave easy access to the river and I had parked my car not far away, no sooner than I had entered the culvert I heard loud voices shouting down the other end. I quickly retreated back and walked round on the road to near the station, the culvert was full of men in bright orange hi-vis jackets doing a survey on the culvert. I mouched round the multistory car park for an hour hoping they would go away, they did not so took a few photos and abandoned the explore for a day.
Came down early next day, all clear so on with the explore, entering again at the pocket park through a nice bricked arch entrance, then a stone arch and then a triangular section all in the first 30m, this was underneath Radio Sheffield's car park. Next a short open section the water was a couple of feet deep so waders were essential, the entrance to next section was very overgrown with debris and vegetation, once in the culvert there was the familiar Victorian construction of low brick arch and central channel, walk in the central channel, or stoop over and keep dry. The survey team I saw yesterday all walked in the central channel, but they all had chest waders, maybe time to invest in some. At the outlet I could see the entrance to the railway station section, just the open section to get through without been seen by railway police, very sad area with rubbish and needles everywhere.
Made it to railway entrance and immediately could see the two low culverts taking the porter 50m to its meeting with the Sheaf under platform 5. Very noisy under the station with the Sheaf flowing quite quick and the rumble of trains above. Did a bit of light painting and tried few photos with flash, light painting much better, had a quick look down the Sheaf culverts knowing that lead to Megatron, saving that for another day.
Porter Pocket Park
Other unwanted "Explorers" on First Day
Nice Brick Entrance
Then Nice Stone Section
Then a Triangular Section
Exit into Open Section
Overgrown Blocked Entry
Victorian Stoopy Culvert
Near the Outlet
Sad Looking Exit
Entry Point Under Railway Station
An Aerial View
Last 30m of Culvert
Final Meeting with The Sheaf
Looking Back at the River Porter Entry
Looking forward to your eventual Megatron report.
