Worsley Brook, Manchester - May 2012.

[crippletron 3000]

Worsley Brook, Manchester

(WARNING PIC HEAVY - NO APOLOGIES)

Worsley lies to the south of the Lancashire coalfield, placed mainly on the middle and lower coal measures of the carboniferous series

These are overlaid by Permian and Triassic sandstones

The entire area is essentially the enterprise of the 3rd Duke of Bridgewater and his succeeding trust

Geology wise the area has been of historic importance since the 1760's, famous for it's watercourses & associated engineering

There is plenty to got out around these parts if you care to invest some time ;)


I'm surprised this place hasn't had more attention, as it's an absolute gem

A few people have been here before and given up as soon as it gets deep and st00py (including my good self a few years ago)

Just knowing more was on offer here, I'm kind of kicking myself that I never made the effort to get back until now!

This culverted stretch of the Worsley Brook is barely 400m from Outfall to Infall, and is packed with some amazing features along the way

Manchester & surrounding areas IMHO have more to offer drain wise than most other Towns/Cities, excluding LON and it's epic sewage system

It just seems the Norf keeps delivering :thumb
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3m Tunnels comprising of Moar >Brick/Stone >Arch >Horshoe >Ironwork >Egg >RCP and a couple of Penstocks, Cascades and some Jungle thrown in. YES PLEASE!

Apart from the camera my entire kit is f00ked, including the feet I walk on, even my car barely made it there and back,

BUT despite all that I settled on a quick pint with my mate in the 26° heatwave before deploying a set of knackered wellies, some throw-away Aldi waterproofs and my trusty underpants :D

It was finally good to see what lay beyond the stoopy tunnel under the Bridgwater Canal and to follow upstream what's now left of the original watercourse

Now home to thousands of fish, this place didn't disappoint...



I originally saw this and thought that doesn't go far and left it alone

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/2.jpg


Having since returned, all that time ago I made my way back in to head upstream

HERE, evidence of an old victorian sewer and canal overflow, now disused

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/3.jpg


Further down, this large Brick Arch is now the outfall, and has been modified over time

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/4.jpg


Looking back out

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/5.jpg


Once inside the original Arch has now become boxed off (literally) with some odd looking mix of concrete & brick :cool:

Also the crystal formations along the roof section were amazing, I just wish I had a macro lens and the patience to have taken some pics

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/6.jpg


Eventually a shaft of light could be seen from above, just at the point where this old wooden penstock intersects

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/7.jpg


Beyond, and just in view of the shot above ^ is a stoopy, fairly deep silted up section, the wellies were no match here

It's also at this point most people decide to turn around, me included, but not this time, as much WIN lay beyond :coffee

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/8.jpg

[crippletron 3000]

Keep going and this place delivers like nothing else I have seen for a long while..


Some age old iron work on the next stoopy section

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/8B.jpg


7ft Horshoe

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/9.jpg


Next up an age old sluice chamber, with a much larger wooden penstock ahead

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/10.jpg

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/11.jpg


Beyond here a sizeable Egg shaped brick pipe, teaming with thousands of fish

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/12.jpg


Once at the end Daylight ?

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/13.jpg


Looking back

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/14.jpg


"Any jungle in guy?"

"I got the Tarzan an Jane of jungle, jus swung in on the vine this mornin mate!" WORD..


Paradise

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/15.jpg


This was by no means the end, beyond the 'Jungle' I could here the roar of more water :coffee


7ft Stone/Brick Arch

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/16.jpg


The source of all the noise was this rather awesome cascade

(Chamber of mixed construction)

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/18.jpg

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/17.jpg


After scrambling up some rather slippery stone work and another cascade we entered a small inspection chamber

Ahead of which was a fairly long section of concrete

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/19.jpg


More noise could be heard before we entered what looked to be like some kind of sump/syphon system

First up Matey Boy to test the depth - He was wearing waders :gay

A near fail later and I managed to salvage his camera just in time

Cue my goodself, I was already soaked so I decided to see if my underpants were any match for the neck deep water

Obviously not..

Some broken wellies & my underpants got me this far before the camera around my neck narrowly avoided a swim :D

(Here the external watercourse enters a deep shaft via twin RBPz)

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/20.jpg


Oh, and here is one of my mate (NOTE HOW DRY HE LOOKS) :rolleyes:

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/21.jpg


Finally we headed back, once out I emptied the remainder of the Worsley Brook out to the nearest Manhole


http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx345/ojay1234/Other/Worsley%20Brook/1.jpg


Once again Manchester delivers :thumb

[Clough]

I love wellie fails. Lovely pics bro you know how to rock a drain

[coops]

Proper nice mate :thumb

[BA]

That looks like a wet explore!!
I dont know how u get down those stoopy its, i felt very claustraphobic in a small culvert and im only 6ft2!!