Dempsey
October 7th, 2007, 23:40
Well, what a excellent day! 9 hours underground!
It was finally unveild yesterday by littlemike, after seeing his report and how exited he was, there was no doubt i was draining in bradford soon! the next day to be precise. After a late night decision, we started the day at 10, arriving in bradford at around 11 with a crystal sky.
We entered the drain close to the centre of bradford, missing out a large section (mainly plain drain), but saving much needed energy.
(The drain cuts right under the centre of bradford, and makes a U from top to bottom.)
The majority of the drain is red brick with old craftsmanship, many parts of 'our' first section are very distressed and hidden away from the city, inculding a section which has collapsed. However, we soon made it to the chamber, which i nagged to see from the word go, it has a very gothic feel, good to note, the 'chamber' is directly beneath the town hall! (I havent edited the pics, just the whitebalance stuff.)
(anybody played stalker?)
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro003640.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro005640copy.jpg
After spending at least a hour here, messing around with lighting and photos, we headed further down the main drain (there is another drain which flows into the chamber, left for next time) Soon you hear the rapid water, and you see the waterfall (well a drain water fall)
Looking back up (mike was very cool about me 'using' him a lot.)
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro028640copy.jpg
Looking down
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro029640copy.jpg
This section of the drain carries on for a long distance with many styles of drain architecture.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro025640copy.jpg
Including this beutiful section which has steps being on each side, and relitively close daylight gaps (this section of the drain isnt very deep, and follows a major road)
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro032640copy.jpg
Completing this section of the drain, after having a scurry through some tight overflow tunnels before the exit, which are still as well decorated, we have a 20 min rest outside having lunch and a nice cig (notably right under a footbridge for a business park, some strage looks!)
We follow the top water stream down for quite some time, passing through large modern overflow sections with obvious sewage outlets (and yet another route which still has to be explored), eventually we reach another section of the drain, of similar age, and it shows it!
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro035640copy.jpg
This section is actually 3 tunnels, one a overflow (strangely capped at one end), however, it may be old but extensons have being made, and a quick turn up some pasageways in the left tunnel brings you to what i like to call the 'bunker'
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro038640copy.jpg
no idea what purpose it serves, a nice comparison.
After navigating to the end of the 500 metre 'culvert' you reach another open section, its actually collapsed tunnel, now ridden of debris, but the foundations are still visable. For us, it was ripe as a resting ground.
Into the next set of tunnels, two either side open up into two 15-20ft high sections, each hidden form each other.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro054640copy.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro056640copy.jpg
Traveling to the end of our 'explore' we return through the right tunnel, and we notice some more passage ways leading inwards, so we have a look, after crawling hands and knees for some time, we find outself at a small chamber and hear running water, climb some rungs and we find ourself in a sewer...
"mike its toilet paper on the rungs, of fuck!"
...so we head back through the passage and we find ourselfs looking at another passage in the main tunnel, we have a look. Again we end up 'knees and handing' it for quite a distance, this time its not a sewer but numerous pipes joining into one, in a single room, including some steps. Mike couldnt resist having a look through all of them, he even squeezed through one which was barely the width of himself, top form!
Showing the steps which lead back through our passage.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro062640copy.jpg
So we head out, come to a open section feel rain and know its best to head out, so we take the only route possible a climb up a steep bank cladded in thorns, nettles, and damn ledges, i do the majority of machete work whilst mike plans our route back though town on the map hahaha. It was still a huge walk up town, and we walked through town, never mind taking endless detours and turns.
Overall great thanks to littlemike for once again going of hand, and providing me with many spare batteries :thumb What a awesome explore, lots of comical moments.
It was finally unveild yesterday by littlemike, after seeing his report and how exited he was, there was no doubt i was draining in bradford soon! the next day to be precise. After a late night decision, we started the day at 10, arriving in bradford at around 11 with a crystal sky.
We entered the drain close to the centre of bradford, missing out a large section (mainly plain drain), but saving much needed energy.
(The drain cuts right under the centre of bradford, and makes a U from top to bottom.)
The majority of the drain is red brick with old craftsmanship, many parts of 'our' first section are very distressed and hidden away from the city, inculding a section which has collapsed. However, we soon made it to the chamber, which i nagged to see from the word go, it has a very gothic feel, good to note, the 'chamber' is directly beneath the town hall! (I havent edited the pics, just the whitebalance stuff.)
(anybody played stalker?)
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro003640.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro005640copy.jpg
After spending at least a hour here, messing around with lighting and photos, we headed further down the main drain (there is another drain which flows into the chamber, left for next time) Soon you hear the rapid water, and you see the waterfall (well a drain water fall)
Looking back up (mike was very cool about me 'using' him a lot.)
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro028640copy.jpg
Looking down
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro029640copy.jpg
This section of the drain carries on for a long distance with many styles of drain architecture.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro025640copy.jpg
Including this beutiful section which has steps being on each side, and relitively close daylight gaps (this section of the drain isnt very deep, and follows a major road)
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro032640copy.jpg
Completing this section of the drain, after having a scurry through some tight overflow tunnels before the exit, which are still as well decorated, we have a 20 min rest outside having lunch and a nice cig (notably right under a footbridge for a business park, some strage looks!)
We follow the top water stream down for quite some time, passing through large modern overflow sections with obvious sewage outlets (and yet another route which still has to be explored), eventually we reach another section of the drain, of similar age, and it shows it!
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro035640copy.jpg
This section is actually 3 tunnels, one a overflow (strangely capped at one end), however, it may be old but extensons have being made, and a quick turn up some pasageways in the left tunnel brings you to what i like to call the 'bunker'
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro038640copy.jpg
no idea what purpose it serves, a nice comparison.
After navigating to the end of the 500 metre 'culvert' you reach another open section, its actually collapsed tunnel, now ridden of debris, but the foundations are still visable. For us, it was ripe as a resting ground.
Into the next set of tunnels, two either side open up into two 15-20ft high sections, each hidden form each other.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro054640copy.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro056640copy.jpg
Traveling to the end of our 'explore' we return through the right tunnel, and we notice some more passage ways leading inwards, so we have a look, after crawling hands and knees for some time, we find outself at a small chamber and hear running water, climb some rungs and we find ourself in a sewer...
"mike its toilet paper on the rungs, of fuck!"
...so we head back through the passage and we find ourselfs looking at another passage in the main tunnel, we have a look. Again we end up 'knees and handing' it for quite a distance, this time its not a sewer but numerous pipes joining into one, in a single room, including some steps. Mike couldnt resist having a look through all of them, he even squeezed through one which was barely the width of himself, top form!
Showing the steps which lead back through our passage.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/-Demps-/Bradford%20macro%20drain/Bradfordmacro062640copy.jpg
So we head out, come to a open section feel rain and know its best to head out, so we take the only route possible a climb up a steep bank cladded in thorns, nettles, and damn ledges, i do the majority of machete work whilst mike plans our route back though town on the map hahaha. It was still a huge walk up town, and we walked through town, never mind taking endless detours and turns.
Overall great thanks to littlemike for once again going of hand, and providing me with many spare batteries :thumb What a awesome explore, lots of comical moments.