I’d been looking forward to exploring this drain for a while and finally got the chance on Saturday. The weather forecasts had not been good for this weekend, and I didn’t expect to get the chance do much in the way of draining. Instead, the weather was excellent and I got to see more than I expected.
The last time I attempted this drain, the brook was too full and up to the top of the grille, but this time it was perfect. Climbing under this was not too bad, but getting the kit through must be much trickier if you’re alone.
A few yards down the RCP, the brick built tunnel begins. The brickwork here is in good condition and the bullnose chamfered brickwork forming a channel in the centre makes for a nice feature.
50 yards or so downstream and the tunnel opens up into a what appears to be a more modern chamber with a ceiling made from precast concrete sections.
This chamber is filled with loads of rubbish, including the obligatory shopping trolley, a few scooters and trikes, and a huge quantity of logs and branches. At the end of the chamber, the tunnel splits into two sections and it is here that the branches and logs have made a dam which has caused the water level to back up in this section.
After climbing over the dam, it was a case of choosing the driest tunnel which was on the right hand side. This went on for quite a way with plenty of water pouring down from strange manhole shafts which had no step irons. The water in this drain was obviously cleaner than I expected as small fish were swimming in the water here.
About 200 yards downstream, the tunnels joined up again and further down on the right hand side was a large RCP leading into a huge CSO chamber.
The impressive chamber consisted of two stories with a ladder leading up to the second level which is constructed over a main sewer. Here, there are two wheels which can be used to open and close the penstocks below.
There was a ladder down into the sewer here, but I gave it a miss on this occasion.
Back out in the main drain, and further downstream from the CSO chamber, the water gets deeper and deeper and light can be seen from the outfall. I didn’t go any further but returned to the infall and limbo’d out! All good fun!
These pictures from Manchester Image Library show the drain being constructed and the original finished article back in 1914.
The last time I attempted this drain, the brook was too full and up to the top of the grille, but this time it was perfect. Climbing under this was not too bad, but getting the kit through must be much trickier if you’re alone.
A few yards down the RCP, the brick built tunnel begins. The brickwork here is in good condition and the bullnose chamfered brickwork forming a channel in the centre makes for a nice feature.
50 yards or so downstream and the tunnel opens up into a what appears to be a more modern chamber with a ceiling made from precast concrete sections.
This chamber is filled with loads of rubbish, including the obligatory shopping trolley, a few scooters and trikes, and a huge quantity of logs and branches. At the end of the chamber, the tunnel splits into two sections and it is here that the branches and logs have made a dam which has caused the water level to back up in this section.
After climbing over the dam, it was a case of choosing the driest tunnel which was on the right hand side. This went on for quite a way with plenty of water pouring down from strange manhole shafts which had no step irons. The water in this drain was obviously cleaner than I expected as small fish were swimming in the water here.
About 200 yards downstream, the tunnels joined up again and further down on the right hand side was a large RCP leading into a huge CSO chamber.
The impressive chamber consisted of two stories with a ladder leading up to the second level which is constructed over a main sewer. Here, there are two wheels which can be used to open and close the penstocks below.
There was a ladder down into the sewer here, but I gave it a miss on this occasion.
Back out in the main drain, and further downstream from the CSO chamber, the water gets deeper and deeper and light can be seen from the outfall. I didn’t go any further but returned to the infall and limbo’d out! All good fun!
These pictures from Manchester Image Library show the drain being constructed and the original finished article back in 1914.
