following on with the blackburn brook theme and the weather being like a spring day i decided to check out the overflow of the fishing pond know as westwood dam. The dam was constructed by Newton chambers between 1869-1870 to provide water for the local iron works ,as with most things steel there was a colliery nearby and houses for the miners . During the 1960s the houses were demolished and the colliery tip removed the dam was drained and dredged in 1976 and the area around it was landscaped what is left today is a popular fishing spot and country park , On with the explore had to get in quick as its a popular place for dog walkers as well as fisherman the overflow starts inside the dam ( like a mini ladybower plughole ) there is then a open air section before its culverted over again ,
looking down the rcp with my back to the plughole you can see the next entry point in the distance
outside again the start of the culverted section
nice brick pipe work
moving on down there was a few little arched niches with bolted down metal plates they looked like valve covers although i cant be sure
the brickwork arched roof gave way to concrete box section guessing from the condition of the brickwork this was repair work that was undertaken
the end portal in sight its not to long a explore the box section goes on a bit before it goes back to brickwork then finishes with concrete box section
the outflow diddnt exit here but back out the way i came in
the tunnel roof is in a shocking condition the arched roof in one particular area has lurched to the side think repairs have taken place in the past but as a builder i can see its a question of time before more remedial work or a collapse occurs
think thats why the concrete box sections exist as at one time it must have all been brickwork pipe the culverted roof looks a later addition as there is a coarse of header bricks on my last pic so im guessing at one point the overflow was a open air culvert ? A nice wander to get 2020 started thanks for watching
looking down the rcp with my back to the plughole you can see the next entry point in the distance
outside again the start of the culverted section
nice brick pipe work
moving on down there was a few little arched niches with bolted down metal plates they looked like valve covers although i cant be sure
the brickwork arched roof gave way to concrete box section guessing from the condition of the brickwork this was repair work that was undertaken
the end portal in sight its not to long a explore the box section goes on a bit before it goes back to brickwork then finishes with concrete box section
the outflow diddnt exit here but back out the way i came in
the tunnel roof is in a shocking condition the arched roof in one particular area has lurched to the side think repairs have taken place in the past but as a builder i can see its a question of time before more remedial work or a collapse occurs
think thats why the concrete box sections exist as at one time it must have all been brickwork pipe the culverted roof looks a later addition as there is a coarse of header bricks on my last pic so im guessing at one point the overflow was a open air culvert ? A nice wander to get 2020 started thanks for watching
