boxfrenzy
02-12-2010, 11:53 AM
In most towns and cities, under the streets are lost rivers and streams, flowing through the sewers and the drains, culverted and covered. Leeds is no exception, and flowing through the city is Meanwood Beck, forgotten and half buried. It rises on Breary marsh, outside of Leeds, and winds its way down through north Leeds. This is a view of it as it comes through a place called The Hollies, believed to be a big inspiration for J.R.R Tolkein when he worked at the university of Leeds.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2731/4202911093_4ae3c39b02.jpg
As it reaches Meanwood, it becomes canalised, running through a two foot deep channel, built in the 1870's. Graffiti people have done some ace stuff on this part here.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5008/5226052840_31244d330a.jpg
There are numerous tunnels as it goes under roads and buildings. This is the first one.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5165/5226052970_8f47dbee29.jpg
After a long walk and a sharp turn, the river opens up into this tunnel.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5083/5226053164_feb3f4bd6c.jpg
And into the light, the river continues. Tall warehouse are on each side, once the home of the tanneries and dyehouses that used the water to power the machines and hammers.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5081/5225453417_407d0a692a.jpg
This is Stoney Rock Beck, a buried stream where it enters the larger water course. I took a picture looking into the dark but it was so rubbish I deleted it off my camera.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5289/5225453125_3fa729791d.jpg
The river widens under this bridge.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5226051956_072bc6a047.jpg
Inside a hidden room under the bridge is the dark trickle of water from a mill goit - redirected to one of the mills nearby.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5046/5226051862_3a6c6861e6.jpg
Back out and the beck continues on its way towards the River Aire
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5007/5226051722_4e09cdb877.jpg
21st January 1956. Photograph of a double decker bus which has plunged 20 feet from Sheepscar Street into Sheepscar Beck. The West Yorkshire Road Car bus was on its way to Harrogate with 50 passengers when it hit a bollard and veered off the road, no fatalities. The front of the bus can be seen in the beck outside L. Rosenbloom and Sons. There are sightseers and Appleyard's garage behind.
http://www.leodis.net/imagesLeodis/screen/31/4031.jpg
And the scene of the crash today.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5207/5226049694_6e8c47db57.jpg
This is Gipton Beck, where it joins Meanwood Beck. (By now Meanwood Beck has become Sheepscar Beck)
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5225457323_d529015dd7.jpg
It was here that Leeds explorer Ultrix found a body a couple of years ago.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5084/5225455403_029f85c386.jpg
Heading underground. I love the old bridges that are still here, long covered over.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5250/5225456627_061ffc18b7.jpg
This was my second visit in two days. It takes ages to walk down. I spent about 10 hours down here one weekend. Only 1 rat was seen, but there would definitely have been more. In 24 hours, the water level had dropped down by about one block.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5081/5225457051_fc647836ed.jpg
The last tunnel is the longest. A final view of the light before a couple of hours underground taking pictures and walking.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5001/5225454371_1540dfd920.jpg
The six flaps of doom. Insert joke here.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5166/5226051296_c7513c0cba.jpg
Another old bridge further underground.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5225454169_17633bdf39.jpg
These tunnels are dark. It is a sobering thought that in full flood the water can reach up to the roof. I was glad I had checked the forecast.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5285/5226050856_97c0d89e56.jpg
Occasionally pipes and holes drain water into the beck. This one looked dry.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5283/5225454007_076a66c5f5.jpg
Underneath Millgarth police station the tunnel has a flat concrete roof. Slightly further on was this blockage, caused by a log. Rubbish piled up around it.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5281/5226050648_04f4265ffc.jpg
The flow was restricted here, taking a parallel channel. About 75 yards further on is where the beck meets the River Aire. The water level rose steadily as I pushed on and as it reached the top of my wellies, I called it a day and headed the long way back.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5207/5225453555_98fddc0f35.jpg
I liked this place, the winding river that is no longer used by many, yet still flows, and is home to the rats, the graffiti people and the skagheads.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5047/5225457133_f857400121.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2731/4202911093_4ae3c39b02.jpg
As it reaches Meanwood, it becomes canalised, running through a two foot deep channel, built in the 1870's. Graffiti people have done some ace stuff on this part here.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5008/5226052840_31244d330a.jpg
There are numerous tunnels as it goes under roads and buildings. This is the first one.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5165/5226052970_8f47dbee29.jpg
After a long walk and a sharp turn, the river opens up into this tunnel.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5083/5226053164_feb3f4bd6c.jpg
And into the light, the river continues. Tall warehouse are on each side, once the home of the tanneries and dyehouses that used the water to power the machines and hammers.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5081/5225453417_407d0a692a.jpg
This is Stoney Rock Beck, a buried stream where it enters the larger water course. I took a picture looking into the dark but it was so rubbish I deleted it off my camera.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5289/5225453125_3fa729791d.jpg
The river widens under this bridge.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5226051956_072bc6a047.jpg
Inside a hidden room under the bridge is the dark trickle of water from a mill goit - redirected to one of the mills nearby.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5046/5226051862_3a6c6861e6.jpg
Back out and the beck continues on its way towards the River Aire
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5007/5226051722_4e09cdb877.jpg
21st January 1956. Photograph of a double decker bus which has plunged 20 feet from Sheepscar Street into Sheepscar Beck. The West Yorkshire Road Car bus was on its way to Harrogate with 50 passengers when it hit a bollard and veered off the road, no fatalities. The front of the bus can be seen in the beck outside L. Rosenbloom and Sons. There are sightseers and Appleyard's garage behind.
http://www.leodis.net/imagesLeodis/screen/31/4031.jpg
And the scene of the crash today.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5207/5226049694_6e8c47db57.jpg
This is Gipton Beck, where it joins Meanwood Beck. (By now Meanwood Beck has become Sheepscar Beck)
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5225457323_d529015dd7.jpg
It was here that Leeds explorer Ultrix found a body a couple of years ago.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5084/5225455403_029f85c386.jpg
Heading underground. I love the old bridges that are still here, long covered over.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5250/5225456627_061ffc18b7.jpg
This was my second visit in two days. It takes ages to walk down. I spent about 10 hours down here one weekend. Only 1 rat was seen, but there would definitely have been more. In 24 hours, the water level had dropped down by about one block.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5081/5225457051_fc647836ed.jpg
The last tunnel is the longest. A final view of the light before a couple of hours underground taking pictures and walking.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5001/5225454371_1540dfd920.jpg
The six flaps of doom. Insert joke here.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5166/5226051296_c7513c0cba.jpg
Another old bridge further underground.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5225454169_17633bdf39.jpg
These tunnels are dark. It is a sobering thought that in full flood the water can reach up to the roof. I was glad I had checked the forecast.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5285/5226050856_97c0d89e56.jpg
Occasionally pipes and holes drain water into the beck. This one looked dry.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5283/5225454007_076a66c5f5.jpg
Underneath Millgarth police station the tunnel has a flat concrete roof. Slightly further on was this blockage, caused by a log. Rubbish piled up around it.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5281/5226050648_04f4265ffc.jpg
The flow was restricted here, taking a parallel channel. About 75 yards further on is where the beck meets the River Aire. The water level rose steadily as I pushed on and as it reached the top of my wellies, I called it a day and headed the long way back.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5207/5225453555_98fddc0f35.jpg
I liked this place, the winding river that is no longer used by many, yet still flows, and is home to the rats, the graffiti people and the skagheads.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5047/5225457133_f857400121.jpg