Report - Rubix - South Western Storm Relief, London April 2017

[tallginge]

Rubix - South Western Storm Relief

I had a look round this storm drain back in the Spring along with a few others in London. This is the only one that I've walked the full length of (pretty much) so thought I'd share it with you - its been ages since any london drains appeared on here and this is one of the least reported on. I found it while looking for lucky charms. The two cross each other but don't connect at all.

I dropped in at the downstream end, near this rather nice junction, where the pipe size changes from approx 9ft brick to 12ft concrete and these two pipes enter. If I remember correctly both pipes are from the Southern Low Level Interceptor which crosses above. Downstream from here I could hear a strange burping sound so, intigued, I approached it with caution. Eventually the trickle I was walking in led to deeper water. The burping I could hear was probably a sump, though I'm not sure what the pipe would have sumped under. Whatever it was, I realised I'd gone the wrong way so returned hastily

I climbed up these ladders (in the right hand pipe) to the chamber, with it's blue and red brickwork. Obviously storm flows come down this into the main pipe

Walking upstream along the main pipe I came to another pretty junction with two overflows entering either side, again from one sewer above.

This is looking upstream, the other side pipe leads to an almost identical chamber (not photographed) which takes excess flows from the other side of the pipe

Next up was this appalling connection made in recent times. I remember seeing this on concrete jungles inspirational website but forgot that it was here. It really is as bad as it looks in stark contrast to the quality work everywhere else

There's bull-nosed blue engineering bricks along most exposed edges (another poor handheld shot!)

The overflow for the Effra Sewer was as far as I got. I remember the main pipe decreasing in size again from here but I'm pretty sure it continues. I'd had enough anyway and emerged back into the night in a school playing field I think. It was the first time I'd come out of a drain a different way from going in. Obviously you've no idea what's above you, only that judging from the type of lid you're not in a road. It couldn't have been easier or safer, almost disappointingly so.

I liked all the concrete reinforcement beams in this one. Although flow levels were low there'd be quite a weight of combined sewage in there at capacity. Its an ominous feeling standing at the bottom of the chamber looking up at tonnes of sewage flowing silently above you so it's just as well the concrete beams are a substantial size

Please feel free to correct me on any of this! It was a while ago now and I did several others around the same time, which I might have got confused with.

Thanks for looking - I hope you enjoyed it!​

 

[Speed]

This was the first drain in London I ever did. Spent the whole day down there and at the time you could walk right to the end where there's a shaft/chamber with what I presume was overflow into the river at the top (inaccessible) and a small remote controlled sluice gate thing controling flow down some steps into the abyss below (which I assume is essentially just big storage tank they pump out.) Wouldn't mind going back down one day but by the sounds of it there's not so much to see as it's always part full!

Its 'Rubix' too I think :-)

 

[tarkovsky]

Great report, cheers. That brickwork is brilliant.

 

[TheVicar]

I remember visiting this drain a few years back.
That first shot is lovely, there's something very photogenic about that section of brickwork.
Shame the section downstream is always full of water.

 

[tallginge]

Thanks all and title corrected! Yeah it is a shame its always flooded. Those falls further downstream look great. Will have to have to pay another visit to the area!

 

[Killa]

Awesome stuff
Exellent pics and report