Report - Buxton Water Works - August 2023

[Mr Budge]

Just outside of Buxton bordering the Harpur hill area lies dormant the former BCWW (Buxton Corporation Water Works).

Built in 1957 for the purpose of serving the nearby Stanley Moor reservoir.

The reservoir’s principal feeds were two nearby streams, to the west and to the north. The flow was intercepted and directed through aqueducts to the intake chute, by the operation of “leaping weir” sluices.

At its peak the reservoir could hold up to 450,000m3 which was later reduced. The reservoir however was a problem from the get go, being built over a problematic fault line between the limestone and grit stone it regularly leaked.

Due to this a decision was made to decommission the reservoir and a breach was made in the dam wall to prevent the reservoir from ever filling up again.

These actions left the pump house with no active purpose and has sat derelict ever since.

Been to this place a few times over the years and must have been lucky with access as a few others have said its sealed most of the time.

Theres a couple of nice graffiti bits in here and with the right light it can be quite an atmospheric place.

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[Scoobysrt]

Nice to see the old girl again, never seen it sealed up in the 30 years I've spent taking people to it for their first explore. The building just above it is always locked up as its a store room with the heating permanently turned on.

It did go up for sale a few years ago at auction, it must not have sold, I did think about it myself but guide price of around £60k from memory was twice the amount I thought it was worth.
The one further along Longhill has made a nice house for someone and this one could be the same.

Now I'm down south I'm loving seeing these old haunts turn up, I did 15 years at hse so it was easy to pop over to this one in a lunch break.

 

[mookster]

Good to see it again, my own photos from here a few years back were shocking so I'd like to be able to reshoot it at some point!

 

[dansgas1000]

Great shots and I like how the equipment is still all in there. I tried once and it was well sealed sadly.

 

[Calamity Jane]

Opening shot is a cracker. I really like the peel here. Lovely colours too.

 

[GRONK]

Tis’ a lovely building, shame about the graffiti but you’ve captured it well. Nice to see it again.