Ouseburn - Newcastle, March 2013

PaulPowers · Mar 6, 2013

I was in Newcastle for work and decided to take in some of the local culture

Not knowing the best side to start at I headed for the Outfall, Work is going on just above the outfall but I didn't look that suspicious without the waders and just slipped in

The culvert is 2,150 feet (third of a mile) long. It was built in two stages in the early years of the twentieth century. Before its construction, the Ouseburn cut a deep ravine through this part of the town making access from the town to eastern suburbs difficult.

The culvert was built in an elliptical shape, 30 feet wide by 20 feet high.
The walls are only 8 inches thick at the top of the arch, because ferro-concrete is so strong.
Building work started in 1907 and completed in 1911. It cost £23,000 to build.
Workers broke into a lagoon of gravel which had to be scraped out and filled with concrete before the construction of the culvert could be continued.

It was dry inside which was good because I wasn't looking forward to the drive home in wet boots and trousers.

the smell of fresh was strong as holes have been punched into the sewer below, it wasn't enough to set off my new 4gas

driving around and there is loads to do up Newcastle I'm surprised the city doesn't get more love.