[Ojay]

The Cavern CSO, Accrington - Visited By Ojay & Andjyj23UK.

Our second trip to Accrington to check out it's collection of drains & culverts...

QUOTE "Overground Accy being a veritable mound of faecal matter" - That said we decided to head below ground and sniff out some more shit

Our first stop of epic day of draining was The Cavern CSO, which provides overflow from Accringtons main foul trunk sewer



After a bit of a squeeze through the vandalised gate/grille we were now in the main overflow, a 10ft RCP which led to the CSO around 200 yards in



The smell of fresh was overwhelming, and the entrance was quite steamy so we swapped the budgie in the cage in favour of the 4 gas just in case.

Once inside, the main overflow chamber which was an impressive rock blasted spray creted tunnel of around 25ft high with an equally impressive inspection chamber which was over 16ft in diameter and around 60ft high with multiple ladders and 2 landing stages to the surface



Ahead were a set of rungs, which led us to a platform below the main chamber, which allowed us to see what all the fuss was about the other side of the overflow chamber



At one end an 8ft RCP, where the sewerfresh enters at high speed down a 2ft weir and down through a smaller central trench, with approx 4ft concrete walkways either side

(Sewer flows the other side of here)



There was also the controls for the penstock below



We now had two ladders to choose from, down into the fresh or up into the giant inspection chamber?

So it was decided, Andy down into the fresh whilst I headed up to try and find a lightswitch so we could light up this badboy...

First ladder, looking down into the sewer, you can just about make out the fresh in the central channel below, with the walkway either side



Once up I was on the first landing stage, ahead was another ladder to the final landing stage



still in search of the illusive lightswitch, I followed the wiring loom upto the next and final level,



I managed to locate it, sadly it was locked behind a metal control box. There was also another ladder leading to the surface so again up I went for a closer look,



it wasn't budging so I got a quick shot looking down into the sewer and climbed back to meet up with AndyJ and check out the 'Fresh'



The ladder down was rank, covered in all manner of shite and fanny plasters, (I must start wearing gloves in these places)

I had left my rucksack by the ladder, and decided I would go for a mooch with just my camera and tripod.

Here I found Andy snapping away, so I waited until he had shifted to the other end of the trunk so I could get a closer look at the flow coming into the chamber.

An impressive 8ft RCP, with a 2ft weir of foul water rushing by in a 4ft channel - belter



Whilst I was dicking about with my camera, I noticed the sewer was starting to lap over the side of the main walkway I was now sat with a sea of fresh swirling around me (Nice)

I was fairly close to the weir and assumed it was just a build up so I moved back 2ft so I didn't get completely covered in crap!

As I moved back I noticed the levels starting to rise, I looked back to Andy who was 40ft away taking pictures at the other end, I pointed out the levels were rising and we should be wary.

At this point I attempted to get more photos and was oblivious to the fact it had started to overflow bigtime "OJAY, OJAY" as I looked round Andy had managed to scoop my rucksack up in the nick of time, the levels were rising fast, we seriously needed to GTFO of here, no time to fold away the tripod and worry about the fanny plasters we were both up the ladder in a flash.

We managed to scramble to the safety of teh inspection platform whilst we watched the fresh rise over 30cm in less than 5 minutes, it was an odd moment, and of all the times spent in sewers & drains I have never witnessed anything quite like this before

Looking back down the level was now rising fast, the walkway was no longer visible, instead replaced with a sea of shite and all manner of sewer goodies....



Time to leave,

Close the gate on the way out... (Oh no it's fooked)!



Thanks for looking