Done this in December, forgot to post it...
It's early on a Sunday morning, so early I think it's actually late on Saturday... and I'm awake in bed. The alarm on my phone sounds loudly with that annoying 'submarine warning' sound. I roll out of my warm bed and look out the window to see the ice on my car glistening with frost under the moonlight.
In the dark of the house I slip on my combats, click a couple of torches with karabiners onto by belt. I silently strap on my Go Pro and roll down my facemask to kiss the sleeping Mrs UrbanX on the forehead before heading out.
Two hours and I'm sat in a dodgy car park on the outskirts of London meeting three other fellow explorers. We quietly exchange small talk - the condensation coming from our mouths virtually the only indication that we're even talking at all.
We all know the target, and start heading towards the access. One of us had recently been told that the manhole cover was off already, which was good as apparently it was too heavy to move.
It wasn't open. Our hearts sank.
I was just wishing to myself that I had bought some manhole keys, when out of the dark someone hands me one. It took all four of us to lift the large concrete cover whichweighed a ton! I was first down, but by the time my comrades joined me I was stood there motionless, jaw slightly ajar; For the sight that greeted me was as impressive as any cathedral I've ever seen.
The arches stretched long into the distance, maybe 150m or so? This 'corridor' was just stunning. The perspective of the concentric arches was just perfect. There was obsiously space on each side of the corridor beyond this colonnade, but what I certainly didn't expect was twelve perfect versions of this space all running in parallel!
Looking across the 'corridors'
I'll apologise now for the number of 'selfies' in this set, but TBH the place needs scale, and it's easier to light when you're halfway into the shot!
Not only do you get beautiful perspectives down the corridors, and across the corridors, but also diagonally:
We split up and for the next two and half hours we were all in our own worlds. The only indication that one wasn't alone was the occasional glimmer of torchlight through a random arch, or the pop of a flashgun echoing in the distance.
Staircase 1 (apologies for the focusing!)
Staircase 2:
When we were just about done we all met up in the arches for a couple of group shots.
It was time to go before the sun rose and the city became busy. We headed towards where we could taste the fresher air, and were relieved to see a square of light purple sky through the still open manhole.
Once out, all four of us silently struggled in perfect harmony to replace the cover exactly as it was.
Without looking back we rejoined the street, all slightly breathless and beaming from ear to ear.
Cheers for reading,
Video:
[ame]http://youtu.be/ghaahxxxvwY[/ame]
It's early on a Sunday morning, so early I think it's actually late on Saturday... and I'm awake in bed. The alarm on my phone sounds loudly with that annoying 'submarine warning' sound. I roll out of my warm bed and look out the window to see the ice on my car glistening with frost under the moonlight.
In the dark of the house I slip on my combats, click a couple of torches with karabiners onto by belt. I silently strap on my Go Pro and roll down my facemask to kiss the sleeping Mrs UrbanX on the forehead before heading out.
Two hours and I'm sat in a dodgy car park on the outskirts of London meeting three other fellow explorers. We quietly exchange small talk - the condensation coming from our mouths virtually the only indication that we're even talking at all.
We all know the target, and start heading towards the access. One of us had recently been told that the manhole cover was off already, which was good as apparently it was too heavy to move.
It wasn't open. Our hearts sank.
I was just wishing to myself that I had bought some manhole keys, when out of the dark someone hands me one. It took all four of us to lift the large concrete cover whichweighed a ton! I was first down, but by the time my comrades joined me I was stood there motionless, jaw slightly ajar; For the sight that greeted me was as impressive as any cathedral I've ever seen.
The arches stretched long into the distance, maybe 150m or so? This 'corridor' was just stunning. The perspective of the concentric arches was just perfect. There was obsiously space on each side of the corridor beyond this colonnade, but what I certainly didn't expect was twelve perfect versions of this space all running in parallel!
Looking across the 'corridors'
I'll apologise now for the number of 'selfies' in this set, but TBH the place needs scale, and it's easier to light when you're halfway into the shot!
Not only do you get beautiful perspectives down the corridors, and across the corridors, but also diagonally:
We split up and for the next two and half hours we were all in our own worlds. The only indication that one wasn't alone was the occasional glimmer of torchlight through a random arch, or the pop of a flashgun echoing in the distance.
Staircase 1 (apologies for the focusing!)
Staircase 2:
When we were just about done we all met up in the arches for a couple of group shots.
It was time to go before the sun rose and the city became busy. We headed towards where we could taste the fresher air, and were relieved to see a square of light purple sky through the still open manhole.
Once out, all four of us silently struggled in perfect harmony to replace the cover exactly as it was.
Without looking back we rejoined the street, all slightly breathless and beaming from ear to ear.
Cheers for reading,
Video:
[ame]http://youtu.be/ghaahxxxvwY[/ame]
