[Ojay]

Worsley Brook, Manchester

(WARNING PIC HEAVY - NO APOLOGIES)

Worsley lies to the south of the Lancashire coalfield, placed mainly on the middle and lower coal measures of the carboniferous series

These are overlaid by Permian and Triassic sandstones

The entire area is essentially the enterprise of the 3rd Duke of Bridgewater and his succeeding trust

Geology wise the area has been of historic importance since the 1760's, famous for it's watercourses & associated engineering

There is plenty to got out around these parts if you care to invest some time


I'm surprised this place hasn't had more attention, as it's an absolute gem

A few people have been here before and given up as soon as it gets deep and st00py (including my good self a few years ago)

Just knowing more was on offer here, I'm kind of kicking myself that I never made the effort to get back until now!

This culverted stretch of the Worsley Brook is barely 400m from Outfall to Infall, and is packed with some amazing features along the way

Manchester & surrounding areas IMHO have more to offer drain wise than most other Towns/Cities, excluding LON and it's epic sewage system

It just seems the Norf keeps delivering
____________________________________________


3m Tunnels comprising of Moar >Brick/Stone >Arch >Horshoe >Ironwork >Egg >RCP and a couple of Penstocks, Cascades and some Jungle thrown in. YES PLEASE!

Apart from the camera my entire kit is f00ked, including the feet I walk on, even my car barely made it there and back,

BUT despite all that I settled on a quick pint with a mate in the 26° heatwave before deploying a set of knackered wellies, some throw-away Aldi waterproofs and my trusty underpants

It was finally good to see what lay beyond the stoopy tunnel under the Bridgwater Canal and to follow upstream what's now left of the original watercourse

Now home to thousands of fish, this place didn't disappoint...



I originally saw this and thought that doesn't go far and left it alone




Having since returned, all that time ago I made my way back in to head upstream

HERE, evidence of an old victorian sewer and canal overflow, now disused




Further down, this large Brick Arch is now the outfall, and has been modified over time




Looking back out




Once inside the original Arch has now become boxed off (literally) with some odd looking mix of concrete & brick

Also the crystal formations along the roof section were amazing, I just wish I had a macro lens and the patience to have taken some pics




Eventually a shaft of light could be seen from above, just at the point where this old wooden penstock intersects




Beyond, and just in view of the shot above ^ is a stoopy, fairly deep silted up section, the wellies were no match here

It's also at this point most people decide to turn around, me included, but not this time, as much WIN lay beyond

[Ojay]

Keep going and this place delivers like nothing else I have seen for a long while..


Some age old iron work on the next stoopy section




7ft Horshoe




Next up an age old sluice chamber, with a much larger wooden penstock ahead






Beyond here a sizeable Egg shaped brick pipe, teaming with thousands of fish




Once at the end Daylight ?




Looking back




"Any jungle in guy?"

"I got the Tarzan an Jane of jungle, jus swung in on the vine this mornin mate!" WORD..


Paradise




This was by no means the end, beyond the 'Jungle' I could here the roar of more water


7ft Stone/Brick Arch




The source of all the noise was this rather awesome cascade

(Chamber of mixed construction)






After scrambling up some rather slippery stone work and another cascade we entered a small inspection chamber

Ahead of which was a fairly long section of concrete




More noise could be heard before we entered what looked to be like some kind of sump/syphon system

First up my mate to test the depth - He was wearing waders

A near fail later and I managed to salvage his camera just in time

Cue my goodself, I was already soaked so I decided to see if my underpants were any match for the neck deep water

Obviously not..

Some broken wellies & my underpants got me this far before the camera around my neck narrowly avoided a swim

(Here the external watercourse enters a deep shaft via twin RBPz)




Oh, and here is one of matey boy (NOTE HOW DRY HE LOOKS)




Finally we headed back, once out I emptied the remainder of the Worsley Brook out to the nearest Manhole





Once again Manchester delivers

[Morrisey]

Wonder if that place connects to the underground canals at some point?

[Ojay]

It doesn't appear to, the upstream section connects with a lake these days, but it's certainly possible that once upon a time it did, the original Brook was diverted

[rigy]

Great stuff mate, is that the one we did a recce of a year or so ago that goes under the canal? mate you just get better an better

[Ojay]

Thats the one Rigy, you should go take a look, just wait until the rain subsides

[Reddood]

a lovely culverted brook! There is another section to this that passers under the M60, it has a grated infall that you can just about squeeze through right at the side of the M60 slip road at eccles and come out just behind the new salford reds ground

[Ojay]

Yes done that one as well mate

[suboffender]

Epic. Each time you post things like this, i get one step closer to listening to Leaf and doing a drain.

[Ojay]

Originally Posted by suboffender

Epic. Each time you post things like this, i get one step closer to listening to Leaf and doing a drain.

Anytime mate, give me a shout