Report - Bunker Drain, Warrington - November '11

[Xan_Asmodi]

Visited with Paul Powers and MaybeNot1330​

We met up just outside a suburb of Warrington, on a wooded country path. Across a field we headed, spotting numerous raised lids; 6 in one field! We popped the first one we randomly came to. Looks small, so I popped down to do a quick check. At the bottom I found what looked like a 30cm poo pipe. Back up I go.

Paul and MaybeNot popped the next lid, as they where examining what lay beneath, I noticed what looked like one of the horsey set looking over then rapidly making her way to a nearby house. Remembering Paul had earlier commented that he'd seen the local police nicking some pikeys for what looked like man hole lid theft, we decided to swiftly GTFO and head to the outfall.

_______________history_______________​

Spanning three and a half miles under suburban Warrington, Bunker is a huge RCP storm drain. Designed for a one in thirty year storm, most of it's tunnels and passage ways are big enough for my six foot one inch height without much stooping.

Bunker really is an interesting place with many different features. According to a conversation I had with Paul whilst down there, this is the mother drain; the one that started it all in the late 90s. Siologen agrees with this

You really have to take Bunkers seemingly lacking merits along with the knowledge that its the drain that started drain exploration in the UK. it might not be the best anymore. But for years it was.

Plus everyone keeps going in from the wrong end. You gotta start at the upstream end where all the good stuff is.

I think it's a cracking drain and I'll be heading back to finish off bits that I've missed.

_______________pictures_______________​

[1]
The outfall

[2]

[3]

[4]
The R.A.E.L. chamber

[5]

[6]

[7]
The first stair chamber

[8]
Tea lights FTW!

[9]
The huge stair chamber

[10]
Ojay is a 4gas. Apparently

[11]
Bottom of the plug hole

[12]

On the way out, we spotted some wildlife. Paul spotted the shrew and...

[13]
Plenty of huge eels

[14]
and a toad camouflaging itself against a rusty aerosol can

and finally in the the outfall, we found Maddie...









No, not the long lost scion of the McCann's

​

Thanks for looking
Check out more pictures on my blog here