Sale Short tunnel, Manchester - June 09

[concreteJungle]

There's allot to be said for walking about during your lunch hour. Found this whilst doing so near Sale, what looked like a canal overflow drew my attention and found the tunnel access. Had a quick reccie down there but was in a suit, so returned later in better attire.

I dropped down inbetween two tunnel arches:
http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv119/concreteJunglePhotos/Canal%20drainage%20tunnel/IMG_0815.jpg

The tunnel has a pipe along it's length, which discharged into a small sump:
http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv119/concreteJunglePhotos/Canal%20drainage%20tunnel/IMG_0818_2.jpg

There was a lot of debris under the entrance, and a junction where a small pipe joined the main one:
http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv119/concreteJunglePhotos/Canal%20drainage%20tunnel/canal_culvert.jpg

The tunnel continued under the tramline for about 15m (looking back):
http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv119/concreteJunglePhotos/Canal%20drainage%20tunnel/IMG_0799.jpg

After a manhole shaft the tunnel was bricked up, with a smaller semi filled in tunnel in the center:
http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv119/concreteJunglePhotos/Canal%20drainage%20tunnel/IMG_0811.jpg

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv119/concreteJunglePhotos/Canal%20drainage%20tunnel/IMG_0801_2.jpg

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv119/concreteJunglePhotos/Canal%20drainage%20tunnel/IMG_0803.jpg

I can't figure out the original purpose of the tunnel, being so close to the canal overflow I first thought it was the overflow culvert. The sump could lead down to a culvert which actually is the overflow channel. Maybe the tunnel once lead somewhere else but it was blocked off and used for the drainage pipe. I ramble. Anyway a good random find!:D

[jonno22]

i thoroughly enjoyed the images and the commentary, well done. A lunch hour well spent even if you did not have time to have you 'lunch' hehe. Did you take your suit in for a dry - clean that night or was it ok haha?

Best Regards

Jonathan McGurk

Railway and Freelance Photographer

www.jonathanmcgurk.fotopic.net

[concreteJungle]

Thanks for the comments! The suit came through pretty unscathed actually, Fridays are dress down, so had a better look and took the photos then. There's some interesting looking manholes around there too, don't think I'd get away with going back in smelling culvert fresh though!