Bograt's Tomb, Manchester

Shouts to Siologen...

Here, a relief/branch sewer which intercepts a few smaller sewers both up and downstream before eventually hitting the WwTW.

It also has a non-screened CSO/storm overflow chamber added to relieve the system during capacity, although it was very dry and quite clean, I suspect that it's probably only once or twice a year this would  occur.

I remember speaking with Siologen a couple of years ago about this place having seen it on his epic drain list.

In summary he described it as a muddy shit hole and a slog through a 3ft turdfest before seeing anything worthwhile (sounds like my sort of thing).

He did mention BRICK and ARCHES though, which sadly, due to UU having to once again clean their act up, it seems whatever was here before is no longer, instead being replaced by a less favourable concrete setup.

Either way it was one of the few systems he bothered to publish any pict0rs of, shame really as it would have been good to compare the before & after.

The thing is I was supposed to stop in tonight and chill out, but having cracked upon a Kronie and staring at google maps, the power of the drain got the better of me.

Fast forward a couple of cans later, I was in my car and back on it.

Having niggled me for almost 2 years now I was determined to find a way beyond the 3ft grilled outfall that has since replaced whatever Siologen stumbled upon all them years ago.

A couple of trips spent wandering above ground during that time never turned anything up, and the absence of manholes within a few hundred feet of the overflow certainly prevented one with a challenge, which was duly accepted :)

Manhole access

(And here the only sign of brickwork now left in the system having had a good poke about)

A 20ft laddered drop shaft to the sewer below

Looking back up

The chamber gives way to the downstream section of the sewer, which also acts as a smaller detention tank.

HERE, it exits a near 5ft pipe, drops down through a plughole behind a small weir a good 10ft to the continuation below.

Having climbed down you can see the sewer once again exit through a 2ft pipe ahead of the weir as it flows left to right exiting via a 6ft RCP

I attempted to go further downstream from here, but it was far too slippery in the flow, besides having shone the torch down revealed a never ending RCP.. Meh.

I decided to brave the st00p through the 5ft pipe as seen in pic 4) ^, being very careful not to slip into the plughole.

It was a horrible 10 minutes to say the least, having all manner of shite spraying in my face, but I figured as long as I didn't lick my lips I would be ok, however my nostrils were stinging like hell for some odd reason ?

Eventually I clambered out of the pipe into a fair sized overflow chamber, to the left a ladder up to a landing which allowed a good view of the sewer below.

At the far side a ladder led upto a smaller section and eventually to a split lid that wouldn't budge .

To the sides, more ladders which drop down either side of the CSO chamber, with the left hand side leading to the overflow pipe.

Making my way back down the ladder I climbed up previously, (approx 15ft) to the sewer below I was surprised how clean & dry it was.

Here the sewer exits a 6ft RCP ahead of me, runs down a 2ft channel and leaves the CSO behind me through the stoopy pipe I had managed to contort myself up earlier.

Either side of the chamber are 2 large metal screens, these are supposed to prevent solids from passing over when the system is at capacity, I never understood how they work really.


After watching the poop flow by for a little while I grabbed a quick pic and decided to head upstream of the sewer to see whats what.

Into the 6ft RCP, it was slippery as hell, also my holy wellies failed me and began filling with fresh that was nice.

It was a steamy journey 
as the shit pipe just seemed to go on and on and on...

After a while the pipe entered a junction
 within a smaller inspection chamber

Another sewer connected on the left, with the main branch continuing onwards.

Both pipes were barely 5ft, I had a quick wander up both of them, but they just appeared never ending so I gave up and made my way back to the CSO.

Once back in the overflow chamber, I climbed up, then back down the far ladder to the other side for a closer look at the overflow pipe down to the outfall.

A jam ragged catch chain guards barely a 5ft side pipe, I decided to head on down, as there was no other obvious access beyond the grilled outfall.

Having walked above ground on a few recces here, I knew this was going to be a slog, as the CSO isn't near to the outfall, infact it's a good 700ft away at least!

Eventually it takes a sharp turn and passes through an inspection chamber near to the outfall

(Despite my best efforts I never did locate the lid above ground)

The overflow now shrinks to around 3ft as it heads down to the river, and there was no way I was up for crawling down.

SO, here is a rubbish pic from when I decided to head back and GTFO

(Believe it or not it was dusk when I took this shot, with little light left)

Thanks for looking :)