Byker Culvert

[the loon]

While doing a reccy with dockfunk for a target for tomorrow nights north east meet had a couple of hours to kill waiting for darkness.
Decided would have a walk down to the byker culvert and see if we could get in.

Access wasnt easy - ***********not posted here ***********.
**********

Access was a little doddgy as there where a few rungs missing inside the concreat rings and didnt facy the 30 or so foot drop.

First chamber was about 15 square foot leading int the main tunnel which was a bit niffy but dry as the water is under a slab floor

View along tunnel
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w71/the_loon_uk/2007_05240025.jpg

Graffiti just inside tunnel entrence
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w71/the_loon_uk/2007_05240003.jpg

the culvert runs for about almost 2 miles and was used as a community shelter during WW2 hence the slab floor

and also still has a couple of original fittings - guessing this was a fire extinguiser bracket

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w71/the_loon_uk/2007_05240005.jpg

plus theres these at every few hundred yards that look like could of been something for ventilation or door mounting points(anyone got any other idea's)
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w71/the_loon_uk/2007_05240024.jpg

also found a couple of smaller side tunnels
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w71/the_loon_uk/2007_05240009-1.jpg

this was the only one that looked anything like accessable
didnt actually chance sticking our heads down there ...going to save that for another day but all the others where full of shit smelling foulness like this

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w71/the_loon_uk/2007_05240014.jpg

further along came across this
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w71/the_loon_uk/2007_05240026.jpg
these looked original but looks like the tunnel has been renforced at some point here

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w71/the_loon_uk/2007_05240030.jpg

eventuaky came to the daylight at the other end
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w71/the_loon_uk/2007_05240036.jpg

obligitory abandoned shopping trolley...
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w71/the_loon_uk/2007_05240037.jpg

which emerges under here
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w71/the_loon_uk/2007_05240040.jpg

well thats my first drain ...I can see why the drainers do it. Its deffinatly different and could fancy doing something like this again