# Ouseburn Culvert - September 2012



## chapmand (Sep 30, 2012)

As the Ouseburn Leaves Jesmond Vale it passes underneath 3 different parts of Newcastle, Newington Rd, Warwick street and beneath the city stadium. The culvert is 2,150ft long and was built in two stages during the twentieth century.

Before the Culvert was constructed, the Ouseburn cut deep through the valley making it diffcult for to reach nearby suburbs from the two. The valley at the time was more than 100ft deep and steep edges making it not only difficult but dangerous. Local workers and council began to fill in the valley with industrial waste, so over time the ground level rose, creating new land for housing and roads.

Laws changed soon after, thus preventing workers from filling in the valley with waste and the culvert construction was started in 1907. It cost around £23,000 before being completed in 1911. During this time the had to be diverted into millraces and was diverted back was work had been finished. 

During ww2 it was used as a air raid shelter and could seat upto 3000 people and even had its own sick bay. In the 1970 the wartime entrance was boarded over to create an outdoor riding area for neaby stables. Today the culvert still carries the Ouseburn and part of the sewer system.

I checked out this place not knowing what really to expect due to bad weather and extreme local flooding. Water levels had dropped dramatically since my previous visit so i proceeded to enter the culvert with a friend of mine. Apart from graffiti on every single inch of wall the culvert is still standing well and for me is deffiantly worth a 2nd visit hopefully with a better camera and some light toys.






































































































Hope you guys enjoy


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## PaulPowers (Sep 30, 2012)

Cracking pics, if I'm ever up Newcastle way this is on the list


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## krela (Sep 30, 2012)

Just as a word of warning it's really not a great idea to go into storm drains and culverts for a week or so after heavy rains, because storm water can often be held in massive holding tanks and pumped back into the system up to a week or so after the initial storm, meaning that what is a low natural water level can turn into a dangerous torrent in minutes in perfectly good weather.


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## chapmand (Sep 30, 2012)

PaulPowers said:


> Cracking pics, if I'm ever up Newcastle way this is on the list



cheers mate, im wanting a new camera, i can never seem to get decent pictures in dark areas. Give me a shout perhaps if your ever up this way.



krela said:


> Just as a word of warning it's really not a great idea to go into storm drains and culverts for a week or so after heavy rains, because storm water can often be held in massive holding tanks and pumped back into the system up to a week or so after the initial storm, meaning that what is a low natural water level can turn into a dangerous torrent in minutes in perfectly good weather.



Thanks for the advice bud, one thing i have heard about this culvert is this wouldnt happen into this culvert as the tyne river is very close to this location and anywater would be pumped straight into there to reduce the risk of flooding local businesses that run along side the burn.


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## UrbanX (Sep 30, 2012)

That looks fun! Looks surprisingly dry too. Cheers for sharing


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## SeffyboyUK (Sep 30, 2012)

Top stuff. I do love going underground I do. But I agree with Krela, especially living in Bristol, rain water has quite a large affect of the drains around these parts!


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## prettyvacant71 (Oct 1, 2012)

i don't know why i don't check out this side more often! luv lookin at these kinda pics but not the knowledge or the balls to do this kinda stuff unless wiv sumone who knows the score, so thanx for sharin wot i can't see myself!


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## Krypton (Oct 1, 2012)

I like the look of this, i fancy a visit...


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## night crawler (Oct 1, 2012)

Looks like a popular place with the local scrawlers. Nice work.


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## chapmand (Oct 1, 2012)

Krypton said:


> I like the look of this, i fancy a visit...



give me a shout if you want company, i like this site. Anything underground i like the look of


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