Worsley Brook Culvert, Manchester
September 2014 - Explored with ViralEye
While this culverted section of Worsley brook is only quite short at around 400 metres it certainly seems longer due to the amount of features, the different types of construction, and the 3.5 hours we spent in there.
At first we thought it was going to be a fail because there was light at the end of the tunnel barely 100 feet away. This first section has what looks like the bricked up remains of an old canal overflow system, the first of many photo opportunities. Once through this part its back into the open for a minute or so before the brook takes a sharp right turn and enters the main event.
The first construction type found is what looks like old spray concrete (?) with a generous coating of crystals that has formed over the years. Past the remains of an old wooden penstock/sluice another sharp turn takes us to deep water and a very low roof where the culvert passes underneath the Bridgewater canal. It was a bit of a stoop with only a few feet between roof and water but well worth getting through. There are a few more deep sections past here in a wide brick arch that came closer than close to breaching the waders. The arch soon changes to a horse shoe shape and thankfully becomes a lot shallower under foot.
The horse shoe leads into a big chamber with a large wooden penstock at the other end which I think is probably one of the best looking drain chambers I have seen. The other side of the penstock reduces in size to a brick pipe which looks as old as the hills with its rough finish and mineral deposits. At the other end, the pipe opens out into the open air to a small but very strange area that looks like it was once part of a garden. Back into the culvert we are met with two cascades with the floor cut into the rock, the sides built up with stone and the roof constructed of red brick. At the top of the cascades the style changes once more, this time we're in a low concrete egg with a slippery channel running down the centre. A left turn at the end of the concrete brings us to a short section cut entirely into the surrounding rock and more deep wader threatening water and finally to the final feature.
The drain ends (or rather begins as this is the infall) at a deep sump fed by two small pipes high up un the circular chamber, the left side pouring out to the pool below. We could see the edge, but not the bottom so I dropped the tripod down to check the depth. It didn't hit the bottom so its way beyond wader fail and not somewhere to be falling in!
I know that was a lot of waffle for a drain, and theres photo overkill to come but this place really is worth it!
September 2014 - Explored with ViralEye
While this culverted section of Worsley brook is only quite short at around 400 metres it certainly seems longer due to the amount of features, the different types of construction, and the 3.5 hours we spent in there.
At first we thought it was going to be a fail because there was light at the end of the tunnel barely 100 feet away. This first section has what looks like the bricked up remains of an old canal overflow system, the first of many photo opportunities. Once through this part its back into the open for a minute or so before the brook takes a sharp right turn and enters the main event.
The first construction type found is what looks like old spray concrete (?) with a generous coating of crystals that has formed over the years. Past the remains of an old wooden penstock/sluice another sharp turn takes us to deep water and a very low roof where the culvert passes underneath the Bridgewater canal. It was a bit of a stoop with only a few feet between roof and water but well worth getting through. There are a few more deep sections past here in a wide brick arch that came closer than close to breaching the waders. The arch soon changes to a horse shoe shape and thankfully becomes a lot shallower under foot.
The horse shoe leads into a big chamber with a large wooden penstock at the other end which I think is probably one of the best looking drain chambers I have seen. The other side of the penstock reduces in size to a brick pipe which looks as old as the hills with its rough finish and mineral deposits. At the other end, the pipe opens out into the open air to a small but very strange area that looks like it was once part of a garden. Back into the culvert we are met with two cascades with the floor cut into the rock, the sides built up with stone and the roof constructed of red brick. At the top of the cascades the style changes once more, this time we're in a low concrete egg with a slippery channel running down the centre. A left turn at the end of the concrete brings us to a short section cut entirely into the surrounding rock and more deep wader threatening water and finally to the final feature.
The drain ends (or rather begins as this is the infall) at a deep sump fed by two small pipes high up un the circular chamber, the left side pouring out to the pool below. We could see the edge, but not the bottom so I dropped the tripod down to check the depth. It didn't hit the bottom so its way beyond wader fail and not somewhere to be falling in!
I know that was a lot of waffle for a drain, and theres photo overkill to come but this place really is worth it!
