Beneath Stockport September 2008

[Dystopia]

Thanks to Bigjobs and Alley for this wonderful weekend and for lifting me over the fences. Had lots of fun stopping up til very ungodly hours in the morning and you will never understand just how much fun floating down The Mersey in a rubber dinghy at stupid O’ clock truly is until you have done it yourself….of course the cops didn’t quite agree with that and I overheard the radio raising the possibility that we were eco warriors.

The first stop in our journey into the depths of Stockport was beneath the shopping centre, reachable only by the aforementioned inflatable watercraft. As Bigjobs pointed out, although it has appeal in its own way, the trip under the shopping centre is more about the journey than the destination and being a water baby I had fun on the boat trip.

Here are some of the images from beneath the shopping centre. It was nice to see the place above ground and to look at all the people going about their shopping and wondering if any at all know what is under their feet.

See the rest here: Underneath Stockport Shopping Centre.



The next place we went to was an air raid shelter that had been cut into the sandstone. There were still beds down there as well as some genuine World War crappers. I managed to provide the sound effects with my ring tone (it’s an air raid siren in case no one knows) but it’s such a shame I didn’t have my rubber respirator or gas mask to add to the World War theme but I managed to dig out a paper respirator when Bigjobs took my picture on the beds down there.

It was bigger than I expected in the shelter and I was informed that Stockport really was bombed and people did go down there to take cover. You can still see the chisel marks in the rocks where they chiselled the tunnels out. Like many underground places it was dark, cool and somewhat comforting largely due to the muffled sounds you get down there. For me, urban exploration is fun just because of the sights but I also enjoy sound a great deal as well as texture, atmosphere and scent if I’m not wearing a mask.

See the rest here: Stockport Air Raid Shelter.

 

[sqwasher]

Very cool! Sounds like you had a great time! Those bunks are doing well for their age! Good pics.

 

[Dystopia]

Those bunks are doing well for their age! Good pics.

You can still safely lie on them.

 

[screech]

Nice pics, cant beat gaining entry using rubber

I still use one of them toilets when i go camping, there not pretty!!!

 

[Lightbuoy]

Great work Dyst!

Good to see another interesting explore -thanks

Lb:jimlad:

 

[UrbanX]

Fantastic explore, really captures theethos of UE. Sounds like you had an eventful night too!

 

[ricmonkey]

you will never understand just how much fun floating down The Mersey in a rubber dinghy at stupid O’ clock truly is until you have done it yourself

Good explore - does this look familiar?

 

[Foxylady]

Like many underground places it was dark, cool and somewhat comforting largely due to the muffled sounds you get down there. For me, urban exploration is fun just because of the sights but I also enjoy sound a great deal as well as texture, atmosphere and scent if I’m not wearing a mask.

You've described that feeling really well, Dystopia, and I know just what you mean. Enjoyed your report. Sounds like you had a fun explore.

 

[Dystopia]

Good explore - does this look familiar?

It that the HMS Tresspass?

Screech-Yay for puerile humour and dirty jokes...why don't we throw in one about exploring dark holes whilst we're on?

I had an absolutely wonderful time and the sound of the river coupled with echoes and the humming of generators for the shopping centre was interesting, as was the sight of a long stalagtite, stalacmites beginning to form on the ground and the concrete arches of the dark tunnel. It is quite surreal to compare above ground on a busy weekend to the peace of an evening below ground.

 

[ThenewMendoza]

I was informed that Stockport really was bombed and people did go down there to take cover.

It's an air-raid shelter, would you expect anything less?

Stockport has so much to offer, good to see you've seen so much of it!! Which shelter was it? Dodge hill or Brinksway, they both tend to look the same tbh?

M

 

[Dystopia]

It's an air-raid shelter, would you expect anything less?

Stockport has so much to offer, good to see you've seen so much of it!! Which shelter was it? Dodge hill or Brinksway, they both tend to look the same tbh?

M

I'm not sure exactly which one it was but as for your first comment, I considered that it may have been built as a precaution but not used. All I know is that it was walking distance fom the shopping centre.

 

[Bigjobs]

It was dodge hill Mendo

Glad you had a good time Dystopia, I did too

 

[freebird]

Wow that looks like a really fun explore! Its good to see the air raid shelter, its bunks and even the loo! Excellent!

 

[smileysal]

Good pics from both explores. I've not done the ones under the shopping centre, but seen a few pics from here (think they were job's and havocs, but can't remember offhand). But like the Dodge Hill air raid shelters, took a while for me to go as i reckoned i couldn't get throught a gap lol, but Mendo's bigger than me and he got in easy lmao. I didn't realise just how big Dodge Hill actually is, did you put any tea lights on the stairs?

Nice work,

S

 

[ThenewMendoza]

It was dodge hill Mendo

It was a lack of any 'stairs' picture that confused me!! lol

M

 

[smileysal]

You can still safely lie on them.

And they're not very comfortable as I found out when I lay on a couple of them lmao. Now if the mattresses had still been on then, I'd probably have still been there fast asleep lol

Sal

 

[orangeacid]

Cool explore! Especially like the bits below the shopping centre, I find that sort of thing fascinating

 

[Dystopia]

Cool explore! Especially like the bits below the shopping centre, I find that sort of thing fascinating

Anything not usually seen is awesome. I too have a fascination with the workings of things even if I don't truly understand them...and I love huge machinery!