# Rain, More Rain, and Tunnels - GKN Revisit Dec '12



## mookster (Dec 29, 2012)

One last explore for me this year, and my mate TBM who is back from university for the Christmas break wanted to see somewhere big so I suggested here, as I absolutely love this place.

A pity we chose possibly one of the rainiest days of the year to go explore a load of tunnels...but that in itself was incredible, water literally pouring in through the various vent holes in the roof in places so the sounds were incredible. Add to this that now all the manhole covers have been removed, the place is even more dangerous as while most were just general drainage holes underneath a couple went right down into the sewer system, floaters and everything bobbing about!

A good explore was had despite the monsoon-like conditions, followed up by a brief fail at the Hockley Palladium afterwards.

























































A few more here if anyone is interested http://www.flickr.com/photos/mookie427/sets/72157632377667028/

I also shot a few video clips...don't know how to get the thing to embed 

[ame]http://youtu.be/6Lgvh6kw3b8[/ame]


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## abel101 (Dec 29, 2012)

Beautiful photos Mookster


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## perjury saint (Dec 29, 2012)

*Good that! Like the pic of the water pouring into the tunnel...*


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## UE-OMJ (Dec 29, 2012)

In this case the rain certainly helped you, great stuff, brilliant photos


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## Bones out (Dec 29, 2012)

Bang tidy that is.... I gotta do some underground stuff.....


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## The Cat Crept In (Dec 30, 2012)

Now thats what I call a wet vid  well done guys.


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## johno23 (Dec 30, 2012)

Epic tunnelness
Great video and photos.
Particularly like the old document packages with the dates on them

You deserve a medal for exploring on a day like that


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## Andymacg (Dec 30, 2012)

nice work mate.love the water pouring in shot, and your certainly dedicated to to exploring in weather like that


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## TeeJF (Dec 30, 2012)

I still can't get my head round why that place has such an extemnsive tunnel netowrk. Well captured buddy, light poainting isn't tyhe easiest thing to do!


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## flyboys90 (Dec 30, 2012)

Your right about the noise great report thanks for sharing.


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## MrDan (Dec 30, 2012)

I have to say I'd have given that a miss on a day like that.
That parcel dated 1957 is great, any idea what's inside?


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## PaulPowers (Dec 30, 2012)

These are brilliant


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## mookster (Dec 30, 2012)

Thanks everyone 

It's a pity you can't see it properly but in the 9th photo there was pretty much a river of water flowing down those stairs! 

It was a great way to round off 2012, probably one of my favourite explores I've done, in one of my favourite locations to boot.


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## Black Shuck (Dec 30, 2012)

Ace work Mook!. I bet that was a bastid to light down there, and to focus too!!!... Did it stink at all?.... Looks like loadsa pooh!!!


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## fluffy5518 (Dec 30, 2012)

Hey Mookie !! You managed to get back then-and got some crackin' phots too !! I remember exploring the out builings at Fairmile a few years ago during pouring rain and it was an amazing experience !! Being underground listening to the torrent of running water must have been fantastic !! I envy you !! Well done mate - and i always told you that underground splores are the best !!


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## mookster (Jan 3, 2013)

Black Shuck said:


> Ace work Mook!. I bet that was a bastid to light down there, and to focus too!!!... Did it stink at all?.... Looks like loadsa pooh!!!



Mostly oil and stuff but the nicked manholes did reveal a couple of open sewer courses, which was quite alarming!



fluffy5518 said:


> Hey Mookie !! You managed to get back then-and got some crackin' phots too !! I remember exploring the out builings at Fairmile a few years ago during pouring rain and it was an amazing experience !! Being underground listening to the torrent of running water must have been fantastic !! I envy you !! Well done mate - and i always told you that underground splores are the best !!



Haha it was pretty amazing acoustics I have to say, reminded me of the train works I did in Belgium during a simply biblical thunderstorm. Not only was the sound on the roof deafening but the 20 or so supports on the main factory floor all had drainpipes fixed to them going to beneath the floor, all of which were broken off about two feet from the floor...so not only did we have the rain on the roof but as soon as it hammered it down every single drainpipe started pouring water out of it onto the factory floor, the sound was simply incredible!


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## Derelict-UK (Jan 3, 2013)

Great pics again, is it your last visit now? Did you also know that the hospital has now been given the go ahead? so bye bye tunnels!!

I love the flowing water shots, I was once in a tall warehouse and the heavens opened, I haven't stood still in daylight taking pictures of a burst drain pipe so much lol 



MrDan said:


> I have to say I'd have given that a miss on a day like that.
> That parcel dated 1957 is great, any idea what's inside?



What I can remember, all the documents down there are old accounts of money taken in.


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## boxfrenzy (Jan 3, 2013)

This place always is good - the rain makes it look fab


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## mookster (Jan 3, 2013)

Derelict-UK said:


> Great pics again, is it your last visit now? Did you also know that the hospital has now been given the go ahead? so bye bye tunnels!!



Probably, yeah - I've seen pretty much every inch now.

Didn't know the hospital plans had been given the green light, do you know what sort of time frame they are working on?


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## Derelict-UK (Jan 4, 2013)

mookster said:


> Probably, yeah - I've seen pretty much every inch now.
> 
> Didn't know the hospital plans had been given the green light, do you know what sort of time frame they are working on?



Not sure but I think they want to start it soon...

http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2012/12/04/pfi-relaunched-as-pf2-with-wave-of-projects/

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2012/12/06/370m-joy-for-chiefs-in-sandwell-super-hospital-bid/

http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/news..._for_long_awaited_super_hospital_in_Sandwell/


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## urban phantom (Jan 4, 2013)

nice work loved it


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## Ramsgatonian (Jan 4, 2013)

Now THAT'S a generator! It looks like a V-twin engine...

Thanks for the report, I can appreciate how much more difficult it is to take photographs in pitch darkness - and these are great!


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## outkast (Jan 4, 2013)

Ramsgatonian said:


> Now THAT'S a generator! It looks like a V-twin engine...
> 
> Thanks for the report, I can appreciate how much more difficult it is to take photographs in pitch darkness - and these are great!



Nah thats a generator LOL







Great pics, I should think you will need a canue to get through there now.


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## Ramsgatonian (Jan 4, 2013)

outkast said:


> Nah thats a generator LOL




Bloody hell! Is that a Merlin engine?!


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## mookster (Jan 4, 2013)

outkast said:


> Nah thats a generator LOL



If that's the one that was at RAF Chenies, that was my absolute favourite piece of generator equipment I've ever found on an explore, so much so I climbed all over it!


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## night crawler (Jan 4, 2013)

How did I miss this report, wonderful work there though after the last lot of rain I think you will be into SCUBA gear.


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## mookster (Jan 4, 2013)

night crawler said:


> How did I miss this report, wonderful work there though after the last lot of rain I think you will be into SCUBA gear.



While walking to the place from the nearby station it started to proper lash it down in sheets of rain, I did for a few moments ponder whether what we were doing was entirely sensible but we'd come all that way and were already soaked through so persevered


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## outkast (Jan 5, 2013)

mookster said:


> If that's the one that was at RAF Chenies, that was my absolute favourite piece of generator equipment I've ever found on an explore, so much so I climbed all over it!



Yes, sadly all gone now


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## chapmand (Jan 7, 2013)

wow!! love it!! great stuff


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## prettyvacant71 (Jan 10, 2013)

yeah it must of sounded amazing down there with all that water pouring through, great shots in such tricky conditions!

Did you have a peek at that "urgent" 1957 parcel, love the shoes too!

very interesting report and pics....now go geta tetanus


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## godzilla73 (Jan 24, 2013)

Ah, GKN. Happy memories. As D-uk says, not long for this world now, whis is terribly sad.
 Godzy


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## chargergirl68 (Jan 25, 2013)

Amazing industrial site!! Love the tunnels, great composition


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