After scanning through old maps online looking for somewhere new to explore, I came across a culvert that appeared to run through a wide embankment which automatically meant I'd have to find out more and give it a visit. After diverging from the public footpath that lead towards the beach and using the stream as a route to get there, a friend and I found what I'd been eyeing up only a few days previous. I assumed the culvert would be almost entirely straight with maybe a slight bend, but I was very wrong.
This Culvert runs through a large earth embankment that carries the East Coast Main Line and would have been built around 1846 when the section from Edinburgh to Berwick Upon Tweed opened. At the time this was part of the North British Railway Company.
The outfall is quite impressive with a 10ft diameter (approx) culvert. The large wing walls, headwall and apron are composed of sandstone. The culvert itself is composed of vertical sandstone side walls and red brick arch. It's difficult to tell but I believe the sidewalls are vertical and don't curve towards the base producing more of a pipe like structure as seen in the photos. Concrete has been laid down to give a bowl like base I presume at a later date. Much of this has now eroded into deep pits and gullies, allowing for much ankle twisting and soaked trousers. Steel cable affixed to the walls aided the traversing greatly and helped with avoiding any sudden drops. The noise inside was unbelievable even with little water running through.
As you'll see in the photos, the culvert heads straight and takes a right hand bend which is then followed almost immediately by a left hand bend. A straight section continues before heading right again up a steep incline before turning left and straight up to the infall. I didn't photograph the infall as I panicked when I saw a blue light and wiring above the entrance. Whether there was a camera or not, I didn't hang around to find out and headed back. Judging by the markers in the culvert, it comes to around 160+ metres.
Overall it was a very enjoyable explore.
Thanks and I hope you enjoy the photos.
Culvert Outfall with large wing walls. Notice the cut out in the wall on the right. This is a small culvert.
Culvert outfall Portal.
The first straight section. The layout of the culvert remains the same throughout- Vertical sidewalls and red brick arch with a profiled concrete base to giving a more cylindrical form.
The first bend heads to the right and almost immediately to the left. A small inlet pipe is visible in the corner.
Calcite deposts adorn areas of the ceiling where water ingress is occuring. This section heads straight before bending to the right- You can just see it.
This is the straight inclined section after the right bend seen in the previous photo. I'm looking back towards the outfall this time.
Another view of the quite severe inclined straight but further up this time around.
A final left bend leads to this straight upto the infall.
One final view of the outfall.
Thanks.
This Culvert runs through a large earth embankment that carries the East Coast Main Line and would have been built around 1846 when the section from Edinburgh to Berwick Upon Tweed opened. At the time this was part of the North British Railway Company.
The outfall is quite impressive with a 10ft diameter (approx) culvert. The large wing walls, headwall and apron are composed of sandstone. The culvert itself is composed of vertical sandstone side walls and red brick arch. It's difficult to tell but I believe the sidewalls are vertical and don't curve towards the base producing more of a pipe like structure as seen in the photos. Concrete has been laid down to give a bowl like base I presume at a later date. Much of this has now eroded into deep pits and gullies, allowing for much ankle twisting and soaked trousers. Steel cable affixed to the walls aided the traversing greatly and helped with avoiding any sudden drops. The noise inside was unbelievable even with little water running through.
As you'll see in the photos, the culvert heads straight and takes a right hand bend which is then followed almost immediately by a left hand bend. A straight section continues before heading right again up a steep incline before turning left and straight up to the infall. I didn't photograph the infall as I panicked when I saw a blue light and wiring above the entrance. Whether there was a camera or not, I didn't hang around to find out and headed back. Judging by the markers in the culvert, it comes to around 160+ metres.
Overall it was a very enjoyable explore.
Thanks and I hope you enjoy the photos.
Culvert Outfall with large wing walls. Notice the cut out in the wall on the right. This is a small culvert.
Culvert outfall Portal.
The first straight section. The layout of the culvert remains the same throughout- Vertical sidewalls and red brick arch with a profiled concrete base to giving a more cylindrical form.
The first bend heads to the right and almost immediately to the left. A small inlet pipe is visible in the corner.
Calcite deposts adorn areas of the ceiling where water ingress is occuring. This section heads straight before bending to the right- You can just see it.
This is the straight inclined section after the right bend seen in the previous photo. I'm looking back towards the outfall this time.
Another view of the quite severe inclined straight but further up this time around.
A final left bend leads to this straight upto the infall.
One final view of the outfall.
Thanks.
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