# Accrington culvertry. What's occurrin'



## LittleMike (Sep 21, 2008)

After one of those shitty weeks where work seems to just take over, I found myself in dire need of some excitement and adventure to wash away the stress of deadlines and retarded angry users. So come the following morning I just packed up my shit and got the hell out, cruising straight down the M62 with no particular plan on where to go. Approaching the M66 junction I realised I had some unfinished business to attend to. A quick check in the glove box confirmed that my scrappy hand drawn maps were still present so I pulled off and headed north, destination: Accrington

The draining lifestyle is an up and down affair. Is it just luck? Is it just chance? Days spent lifting backbreaking lids, trying desperately to get into the system of dreams may well defeat those with weaker resolve. But push hard, never stop trying, for nothing beats casually wandering into a small tunnel with minimal expectations only to uncover something so hot it melts your face. Some days are impossibly hard, some days are ridiculously easy, just take the rough with the smooth, man up, and see what the drain gods have to offer. If you're lucky, you may be in for a surprise.

*Triple Drop*

The first stop on my list of 3 short culverts didn't disappoint. Downstream of My Shop on the River Hyndburn, Triple Drop delivers a textbook northern array of debris, stone arches and waterfalls. Woe betide the careless explorer who forgets to check their step here, for the murky peat laden waters of Accrington hide many a drop-off. The first two waterfalls are quite easily navigable when care is taken to test the ground with a tripod, but the pit at the final waterfall unfortunately presents an impassable barrier to those lacking either a boat or face waders.




_(The mouth)_

Entering from the other side, things size up considerably. A bold 15ft arch built from blocks the size of a small child provides one of the sturdiest looking drain ceilings I've ever seen. It's a damn good job really, seeing as it's supporting 80ft of man made hill topped with a canal.




_(Official Harold approved styles)_

Triple drop is one of those drains that doesn't really stand out as being particularly incredible. The tunnel is nice, the waterfalls are great, but it really lacks that killer feature to set it apart from the other arched northern drains. Certainly one to see if you are in the area, but little did I know it was just a warm up for what lied further downstream.




_(David and Goliath)_

*The Cavern*

It's 9pm, and your standing in the middle of the countryside. The dark is slowly rising, the trees sway lazily in the cool breeze, and the owls are beginning to fire up the usual evening w00p w00p banter. A thick mist hangs in the air, suspended just above the water line, which gurgles amicably as it trickles between your feet. But this isn't the serene image of tranquillity it aught to be, and this fog isn't just your bog standard autumn mist. Brutally carved into the river bank lurks an evil monster, an 8ft sewer overflow is busy doing it's business, busting out toxic flavours into the clear night sky.

After some debate over whether I really want to be doing this solo, it dawned on me that I really couldn't let this lie. It's not the sort of thing you can just walk away from and not constantly be worrying about what wonders could be concealed inside. So I made my way into the giant pipe, the dual fenixes barely penetrating 3m through the insane mist.

The roaring noise that had been clearly audible from outside was now pretty deafening, there had to be something good up ahead. There was to be no disappointment tonight, I broke out of the end of the pipe to find myself standing in one of the craziest CSO chambers I've seen, easily on a par with the Bradford monsters. The chamber itself was a concrete affair, 20ft tall, capped with an arch shaped rock blasted ceiling which had sadly been spraycreted over. Peeling off the layers of grime from the ladder I climbed to the top of the separating wall to find a very much explorable 10ft sewer entering the chamber at the far end. On the downstream side the tunnel continues as a large rock-blasted cavern, the flow passing through a small channel in the centre in the same style as Pandora's, presumably acting as an in-line storage tank.

I took a quick reference photo at this point, but annoyingly a general lack of camera skills saw it accidentally deleted and I haven't been able to recover it. Never mind, it's not like I won't be returning, especially given what lies further down the river...

*Hall of Giants*

Standing on the edge my stomach begins to turn. I'm pretty awful with heights, but right now my legs are frozen to the spot, my brain is taking it's sweet time to process what exactly is occurring. I watch as a lonely leaf slowly ambles up to the edge of the drop, it almost pauses for a second on the edge to contemplate it's fate, before plummeting 30ft into the thick white shroud below. I gazed into the pit in wonder, watching as the foamy water is consumed gallons at a time by the giant stone arch below. It's like Drabblecore on steroids. Best. Infall. Ever.

I'm beginning to think my kit is sorely inadequate for draining in Accrington. As with every other waterfall here, the the plunge pool is clearly not navigable without nautical assistance, not to mention that to even get down there requires a ballsy and wet abseil to the base of the falls. So I traipsed my way through the adjacent muddy field towards the outfall, being careful not to get too close to the somewhat agitated horses. This drain had better be passable, less I throw myself from atop the infall, my body spending it's remaining time floating calmly through Accrington's finest drain.

I find it's quite rare to find a drain that really makes you stop and stare in awe. Hall of Giants delivers on every front, from the layered bare rock floor to the 20ft diameter red brick ceiling. Is this the pinnacle of photogenicity? Is photogenicity even a word? None of it mattered, this was one of the most beautiful spaces I have ever been in. Words can't do it justice.




_(Heaven under earth)_

I made my way quickly to the bottom of the falls. There would be time for postcard shots on the way back. I approached the base with care, checking every step with my tripod. The night was cold and the water surprisingly sewer fresh, now was not the time to be taking a dip. As I reached the edge of the ledge the wind and spray was fierce, it's hardly confluence, but it might be as close as the UK is ever going to get! I cringed as I reluctantly removed my lens cap, exposing the glass to everything the sleepy town had to offer. 6 seconds and a few billion photons later I returned to find the front of the lens dripping with moisture. It seemed a small price to pay for a memory not lost, and thankfully it cleaned up no bother.




_(Bottom 1/2 of the infall)_

I made my way back through the tunnel, climbing over the largest pieces of debris I have ever seen. This one was particularly impressive, it's seemed a shame that it's triumphant descent down the falls probably went unnoticed, it could have made the worlds most hardcore surfboard.




_(Surf's up!)_

A small side tunnel led to a nice set of steps that would have once led to a door or hatch on the surface. At some point a goat had entered through here and presumably expired some time before the top was sealed. I felt a twinge of jealousy that it had managed to chose this as it's final resting place, after all, how many of us are going to lie buried in a tomb of such grandeur?




_(Rest in pieces)_

*Minotaur's Lair*

Back on the surface it was beginning to get late. I still had one more place to check out, but I felt a sense of hopelessness after the halls. It seemed like nothing could possibly top it, and I considered heading home. After a bit of umming and ahhing it really seemed a bit lame to head back, after all it was only a 300m culvert so I headed round the corner to meet yet another nice stone outfall.

Oh! What's occurrin! Once again the same three words echoed around my head in comedy welsh style as yet another scene of awesomeness unfolded. Barely 50m in and the brick tunnel ended abruptly, the water now emanating from a smaller 7ft rock blasted tunnel. Is this the first bare rock drain in the UK? I do believe it might be, something I've been desperate to see forever! It's not big, it's not long, but this is 250m of pure uncensored hardcore porn.




_(The lair)_

Venture half way in to receive your reward, an ancient relic from a lost civilisation. Presumably the location of an old sluice, this crumbling stone arch is still to this day guarded by one of the Minotaur's fierce slave drain snakes. A wonderful end to a long and rewarding night!




_(Beware, the ancient guardian snake)_


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## ThenewMendoza (Sep 21, 2008)

Stunning! Wow, your pictures are normally A1 but these surpass that, brilliantly done and great write up too.

M


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## sqwasher (Sep 22, 2008)

Fantastic! Superb photos as ever-such a variety of culvert/tunnels too! Did the goat make you jump a bit!?  Well done for getting in & out!


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## Bunk3r (Sep 22, 2008)

superb great report and pictures. I cant wait for your return visit for pictures of The Cavern.


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## DarkPlace (Sep 22, 2008)

I would say I'm no keen drainer, but these reports are fantastic. Great pictures (black and white works _very_ well), and even better write ups.

You should collate all your reports (if of a similar standard) and publish them!

Muchos enjoyable


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## Jondoe_264 (Sep 22, 2008)

As I commented elsewhere, these are beautiful Mike, amazing cool looking drains and terrific photographs! No doubt I shall visit one or two of them myself soon enough. It is pretty incredible that SO much amazing underground treasure exists along a few fairly short stretches of connected watercourse!!

You're cracking out the Harold poses at an alarmingly increased rate of frequency! Carry on like that and people'll start to expect the accompanying wardrobe! 

JD


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## DogRecon (Sep 22, 2008)

Phenominal pictures for an amazing place.


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## LittleMike (Sep 22, 2008)

Jondoe_264 said:


> As I commented elsewhere, these are beautiful Mike, amazing cool looking drains and terrific photographs! No doubt I shall visit one or two of them myself soon enough. It is pretty incredible that SO much amazing underground treasure exists along a few fairly short stretches of connected watercourse!!
> 
> You're cracking out the Harold poses at an alarmingly increased rate of frequency! Carry on like that and people'll start to expect the accompanying wardrobe!
> 
> JD



Haha, cheers dude. I shouldn't have started that pose thread on uer, every shot I take I have to restrain myself from doing something stupid lol
I'm worried I can only hold myself back so long though...


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## smileysal (Sep 22, 2008)

Wow, wow and wow, that's all I can safely say about this. Love the whole place, but the last few going through the rock is just awesome. I really, really, really want to go here and see this. 

Excellent pics, love them all.

 Sal


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## sheep2405 (Sep 22, 2008)

Nice pics dude.


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## Jondoe_264 (Sep 22, 2008)

LittleMike said:


> I shouldn't have started that pose thread on uer, every shot I take I have to restrain myself from doing something stupid lol.



Duly noted from the various leaping pics currently gracing your Flickr.  Though I wouldn't say stupid, rather the unleashing of the UK drainers suppressed anatomical creative expression! That sounds a bit rude, then most things sound a bit rude to me. LOL! Harold would be proud.

JD


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## BigLoada (Sep 22, 2008)

I reckon these are some of your best shots yet...and the writing is wicked! You are like the Jack Kerouac of drains.

EDIT: BTW, who is this Harold that you guys always talk about??


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## Bunk3r (Sep 22, 2008)

Lithium said:


> EDIT: BTW, who is this Harold that you guys always talk about??


 did you have to ask, some of us are still getting over it from last time, I refuse to post a link but there is one in Dsank's 'pandora's birth canal' thread for those that must look (think waders, think fetish now think crusty old man, yeah you get the idea!)


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## BigLoada (Sep 22, 2008)

Bunk3r said:


> did you have to ask, some of us are still getting over it from last time, I refuse to post a link but there is one in Dsank's 'pandora's birth canal' thread for those that must look (think waders, think fetish now think crusty old man, yeah you get the idea!)



Ah man I feel ill after checking that out...Wish I hadn't asked now


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## LittleMike (Sep 22, 2008)

Lithium said:


> Ah man I feel ill after checking that out...Wish I hadn't asked now



Well how do you think Jason and Everett feel...


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## Jondoe_264 (Sep 23, 2008)

LittleMike said:


> Well how do you think Jason and Everett feel...



Depends if they're oiled up or buffed to a mirror like sheen. 

_Thread officially de-railed . . ._


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## oldscrote (Sep 23, 2008)

Dear lord that is truly awesome man,why oh why are they so friggin' huge.Love the natural floors and as for the rock blasted tunnel.........


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## Bunk3r (Sep 23, 2008)

oldscrote said:


> Dear lord that is truly awesome man,why oh why are they so friggin' huge


 are we still talking about Harolds website?

sorry thats really not helping get things back on track is it.

the culverts are huge for when it rains hard. different area but same principle look at RickJ's response in this thread: http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=7089


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## LittleMike (Sep 23, 2008)

Yes, and they not only have to handle the flood water, but also quite often whatever large debris might be carried along. Inside Minotaur's there's actually an entire tree lodged just at the entrance to the rock blast section. We're not talking a little tiny stump here, it was at one point a full on tree with a 1m diameter trunk!

As you can see from the photo of the giant slab in Hall of Giants, some rather large objects can be shifted, god knows how many tons that weighs, and they are just thrown everywhere around the tunnel like litter.


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## oldscrote (Sep 23, 2008)

O.K. chaps.I give in,us southern softies don't know what real rain is.


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## pdtnc (Sep 23, 2008)

excellent work.... :notworthy:


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## freebird (Sep 24, 2008)

Superb write up and pics! Well done. I loved all the pics so cant even single one or two out! Awesome! :notworthy:


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## magaz (Feb 12, 2009)

I can't believe these things lie beneath my quaint towns streets... I've heard rumours in the past but barely ventured too far... next time your planning on going give me a shout!


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## zimbob (Feb 12, 2009)

Drains aren't really my thing, but that's some good stuff 

'Wadery World' ...

Dear Sweet Lord....


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## DigitalNoise (Feb 12, 2009)

Thanks for that, very nice. It's made me realise how crap Reading is, we only have one culvert round ere!



> Face waders



That made me laugh!


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## holymole (Feb 18, 2009)

Awesome explore and equally awesome shots! - superb!!


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## james.s (Feb 23, 2009)

This has to be the most thorough post I have seen. The pictures are amazing and the words are great. Well Done!!!


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## underitall (Feb 25, 2009)

A great report!
Skilful write up, makes it a story, and adventure.
So pleased you went turned off at the M66 Junction.

Thanks for sharing.


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