PDA

View Full Version : Baptiser, Birmingham, Report 01/09/2010



stanmorrison
07-09-2010, 12:01 AM
A partial report here as I only made it to the "font of poop". We entered by the outfall close to where the drain discharges into the Tame and headed upstream.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/4965675890_c5d9b0fa1a_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/41717334@N05/4965675890/)
The second underground stretch is this neat brick arch tunnel that runs beneath two railway lines. The gap in the distance looks like it goes up almost to track level, and at the top are to iron pipes which I assume are the track drains.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/4965675892_5c78a16508_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/41717334@N05/4965675892/)
The tunnel emerges into an open brick channel much like those of the Rea.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/4965675896_a424f0da31_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/41717334@N05/4965675896/)
The channel is somewhat overgrown in areas.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/4965675898_fb232eed91_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/41717334@N05/4965675898/)
Further upstream the channel is covered with concrete. It isn't particularly thick as it was possible to get GPS and (usable) mobile signals down there at some points!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/4965675900_209f53116f_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/41717334@N05/4965675900/)
This RBP is abandoned and plugged with concrete a short way up. The plugging was poorly executed as allot of concrete had poured into the tunnel and created a small dam with water pooling behind it.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/4965675902_8782175d22_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/41717334@N05/4965675902/)
The baptiser itself. The drain stoops into a sump that I couldn't cross without total wader breach, and my exploring buddy was in wellies. I'm not sure what the bricked-up arch on the left wall is.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/4965679876_c089fbd5f2_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/41717334@N05/4965679876/)
A short way down from the baptiser is this smaller channel that seems to run in parallel. It too is rather deep, and the water was murky. Not being able to see the bottom I didn't want to risk plodding into a sudden drop in floor level. I later found out that this is actually an overflow to the main sumps and reappears on the other side, has anyone been through here? I didn't get far enough around the corner to see whether it's passable.

We eventually made a comedy exit via a ladder that dropped us in front of a brewery, that sadly didn't sell directly. This needs a return trip to go beyond the sumps and there was a promising (i.e. poop particles and the sound of rushing water) brick arch CSO outfall at the beginning of the outfall tunnel.

MJS
07-09-2010, 12:24 PM
I like the look of this

KingElvis
07-09-2010, 12:33 PM
Really nice, love drains...like alien motherships they are LOL

Clough
10-09-2010, 05:32 PM
some nice pictures there

ceejam
10-09-2010, 05:36 PM
Nice stuff there mate, :thumb love the first pic.

crippletron 3000
10-09-2010, 05:37 PM
Yup, nice work, it's been opn my list now for ages, it's gonna have to get done soon with the rest of the Midlands drains

boxfrenzy
10-09-2010, 07:29 PM
Very nice. I love seeing the Midlands ones, and these are nice pictures mate. Good stuff :thumb