Underground Water Storage In Yorkshire Spa Town - Feb 2008

[sqwasher]

This seems to be two areas of underground water storage areas (possibly old sulphur water) accessed by two manholes per set. The 1st manhole in set 1 has handles & controls in & is flooded to the top! The second manhole of this set is only 4 feet away but has a drop of 5-6 feet into 6-7 feet of water! There are stone walls, stone arches & RSJ's finishing only 1 foot below the level of grass! These are located in an area of grass seriously overlooked by houses so my pics are taken at 2am so flash & my arm hanging in the hole ensued! I'll try get some better one's soon! Not sure if the level will drop in summer to make life a bit easier!? Watch this space!!

Manhole covers - one set of two in this area.

Inside first manhole - i could only open this 2-3 inches.

Full of water - another lever type thing at the back?

Looking down into the darkness of the second manhole!

The underwater base of a wall.

Another part of the same wall.

A stone archway with RSJ above.

A meeting of stone, steel & wood.

The other side of the arch, RSJ above again.

The arch, wall & water level.

Thanks for looking.

 

[King Al]

Re: Underground Water Storage In Yorkshire Spa Town - 12/02/2008

Interesting, are they wells?

 

[Foxylady]

Re: Underground Water Storage In Yorkshire Spa Town - 12/02/2008

Ooh, that's interesting to actually see what's inside the manhole covers. We had some similar pics from someone else backalong, but the covers couldn't be opened, so there was some discussion as to what they were actually for.
Cheers for that.
Oh, and welcome to the forum, btw.

 

[Reaperman]

Re: Underground Water Storage In Yorkshire Spa Town -

Please don't post exact dates of visits, thanks.

 

[Jondoe_264]

Interesting. There's no step irons or ladder down into the things then? Just a drop into deep water?

 

[sqwasher]

Re: Underground Water Storage In Yorkshire Spa Town -

Please don't post exact dates of visits, thanks.

Sorry moody moderator, won't do that again!

No theres no ladders-just a straight drop!

 

[carlito]

Very interesting, the man hole covers are exactly the same as the ones near me in Heaton Park(search for heaton belle), but there is 3 here, plus several of the small square ones in pairs.

guess thats my curiosity sorted

 

[sheep2405]

Hmmm these are very interesting, as Carlito was saying he found some as well and we been trying to work out what they were. Can you see every inch of the deep one to see if there any passages or anything like a tunnel leading out of the area.

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[sqwasher]

Can't see totally how big this particular void is, i was leaning into it as much as i dare! I need to try get some more pics, do a bit of research etc. Thanks for all your positive comments.

 

[King Al]

Time to break out the scuba gear

 

[sqwasher]

Think i'll need to learn to use it first though! ha ha! Plus a large ladder, lots of lighting & all without being seen!

 

[19ninety]

I've seen something like this before, and I'm racking my brians to think where, I sure I read something about them being like an underground reservior. the one I saw were huge and built out of brick with arches (time old proven build design for load bearing structure before mass use of concrete/steel etc). Maybe its an old supplementry water supply/storage ... ?

Like here

http://www.learnwithmuseums.org.uk/museums/papplewick/resources/the_underground.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/norfolk/news/032001/21/underground_wed.shtml

 

[sqwasher]

I've seen something like this before, and I'm racking my brians to think where, I sure I read something about them being like an underground reservior. the one I saw were huge and built out of brick with arches (time old proven build design for load bearing structure before mass use of concrete/steel etc). Maybe its an old supplementry water supply/storage ... ?

That sounds like a reasonable explanation-it certainly seems old. Must be pre WW2 by the age of manhole/surround? Interesting links too, they do look simular although the arches aren't on such a grand scale as in the links.