Air raid shelter, Newhey

Ojay/Bnugle666...

Forgot about this one, Bnugle dragged me off to some old Air-raid shelter near Rochdale he had heard of.

Situated on the site of the former Haugh Hey Colliery in Newhey is this old brick bunker.

To Quote Bungle "It's location seems a bit odd TBH and the colliery was well closed by the war so im not really 100% certain what it was there to serve".

It features 2 rooms and a short linking corridor at one end, but there is no evidence of anything else inside.

A bit of a mystery really ?

I didn't bother to get my camera out,
 so a quick ppl shot from Bnugle..

Crouch Drain, Manchester

Crouch drain, Manchester - Visited by Ojay & Stepping Lightly.

Having checked out some 'other' drains and a couple of CSO's earlier in the evening, we stumbled across this place, having decided to take a look up a smaller section of RCP to see where it lead to....
It certainly lived up to it's name as it's a real back breaker as we stooped up a long section of RCP under 3ft before eventually ending up in what looked to be a small storm overflow and CSO. complete with plant room with an Archimedes screw like processor.
We ventured behind only to find another channel of sewerfresh silently bubbling its way underneath Manchester as we looked on.

I stopped to stretch my back for a moment and as I climbed across to the ladders to take a few photos, my foot sank into the silted up nastiness, I got a few shots before heading off in the other direction to see where S.L. had vanished to?

It was now very late and I was filthy and knackered and in much need of a shower and some sleep, it wasn't long before I caught back up with him I think we both silently agreed it was time to GTFO and go home.
Concluding that Stepping Lightly appears to be superhuman, with his spine of steel and ability to lift the heaviest of grids we were back out into the fresh air, in a rather on top area of town, wadered up and covered in crap, you can only imagine the strange looks we recieved as we entered the 'normal' world of overground, "now then where was we parked again"

RCP, which ended up shrinking to under 3ft

Inside the Overflow tank/Plant room, with the Archimedes screw one side and the sewerfresh flowing in another channel behind

Looking up

A view from the top

Bank Mill, Oldham

Visited By Ojay.

Can't find much history on this one, except to say it was built in 1865 as an extension to New Earth Mill. The main mill burnt down in 1894, but this portion remained in production until 1924, when it was re-built, using the existing foundations, and with an additional storey. Subsequently renamed Bank and used for doubling by Oldham Ring Dounling Co. until 1981.

A 3 storey building used for the manufacture of textiles, and more recently as engineering leading upto it's closure.

The condition was very poor tbh, however still worthy of a mooch and a few piccy's whilst passing through the area one day last week.

Oh yeah, and it's well and truly in the Ghetto this place.

Ground Floor

Lift to all floors

Stairs down to the basement

Basement

Toilets

Stairs to top floor

Top Floor

Hoist

In case of fire.....Prob safer to jump (LOL).

Outta here

Thanks for looking

Oldham Equitable Co-Operative Society Building & Ballroom

AKA Hill Stores & Ballroom - Visited By Ojay.

1900. By Thomas Taylor of Oldham.
Ashlar faced to brick with Welsh slate roof. 3 principal storeys, divided unequally into 3 main sections with massive gable flanked by blocks of 2 and 5 bays. Left-hand range is gabled at right-angles to street, and has a modified ground floor, and 2 wide segmentally-arched windows to first floor divided by polygonal pilasters which continue across second storey and the parapet.

Arcaded upper storey of 5 bays, with marked entasis to piers. Similar pattern repeated in 5 bays to left of gable which are roofed parallel to street.
The Central block comprises a high gable at right-angles to street, with modified ground floor, 5 windows with bracketed sills and entablatures to first floor, and massive semi-circular window with round-headed mullioned lights above. Scalloped decoration above and below. Coped gable with terminal pinnacles each side. "Oldham Equitable Co-Operative Society" in decorative low relief above first floor windows.
Ground floor throughout has late C20 fascias but the original polished granite columns survive, though mostly encased.

The building was originally of greater extent with a courtyard to the rear, and the existing rear walls are faced with white glazed brick. It was also designed to include a drapery, gentlemen's outfitting, furnishing, boot and shoe, butchering and grocery departments, together with offices, committee and board rooms and included an educational department with newsroom, library and conversation room.

2 large public halls were also provided, one of which since the late 30's was used as a Ballroom, which was continued into the 80's before it finally closed it's doors. The first 2 storey's were occupied by 'Hill Furniture Stores' into the late 90's before they closed down and the lower sections of the building are now home to a carpet store, Taxi rank, Solicitors, Cafe & Betting Shop. The upper floors remain in a state of dereliction.

The building is now an English Heritage Grade II listed building, and has been rumoured to develop the upper floors into modern day living accomodation. (yeah right).

Anyway having found my way in, it was only a matter of time before I found my way up the main stairwell and into the old Ballroom above. There was serious amounts of pidgeon poop in here, as it's been empty since the early 1980's. It was definately in a serious state of dereliction.
'Crunch', 'Crunch' with every step..... Eventually I bothered to see what the hell it was, only to find I was treading on endless amounts of dead pidgeon carcases (nice!). I have never seen as many dead birds in one place, and I had no mask either FFS.

The highlight of this place was seeing the stain glass window INTACT and was a glorious sight with the natural light pouring through, WINNER!

Anyway on with the pics, thanks for looking.

Loading Bay, Looking up

Stairwell upto the 3rd floor

Toilets, nah thanks, I'll wait

Grand Designs

Doorway through into the corridor leading to the Ballroom

Corridor

Ballroom, and below the poop was the original sprung Maple dance floor

Possible venue for a future meet? (LOL)

Origianl Stained Glass Window

'The Masticator' - (Meanwood Beck), Leeds

Visited By Ojay & Thompski and Stalked By MJS & Gambino.

After our original plans of a re-visit to Bradford were scuppered, we were not to be deterred, so after a quick takeaway of chicken tikka and onion bhajis from curry capital we continued up the motorway on our quest for more drains.

The 'Masticator' had been on the list for a while, so after a quick arm bending I managed to convince Thompski and we hauled arse over to Leeds to see what all the fuss was about.

Some Facts:

The Meanwood Beck aka Sheepscar Beck flows through Adel, Meanwood and Sheepscar into the River Aire in central Leeds. The Beck was a source of water for the village of Headingley and two of its earliest bridges led straight to it. The Beck has shrunk considerably over the years as water is collected in the many drains in the centre of one of Britain's largest cities. It provides water and drainage for Meanwood Valley Urban Farm.

On it's journey downstream the composition of this drain takes many forms and changes shape and size many times. Along the way there are a number of CSO's dumping into the Beck, the most infamous one being 'Archimedes Screw' used to filter the poop out of the trunk sewer which flows alongside the Beck.

In the 16th to 18th centuries it provided power for corn mills, and in the 19th century it supplied water for a chemical works and tanneries, one of which, Sugarwell Court, is now a university hall of residence.

It suffered a serious pollution incident on 29 March 1999 when an oil tank at the University of Leeds' Bodington Hall was overfilled and 10,000 litres of oil flowed into the Beck. It is also a habitat for the indigenous European crayfish, which is currently threatened in the UK by a plague carried by the Signal Crayfish introduced from America. As well as the crayfish there is also bull head fish present which can be found easliy with a net and a pair of waders, they generally are located on the stream bed in the mud and silt.

NOT MUCH EVIDENCE OF THIS TODAY, MORE LIKE CRACK CENTRAL; NOW RESIDENCE FOR THE LOCAL BAGHEADS. THERE WERE MORE NEEDLES THAN WILDLIFE, INFACT IF THE OIL TANK INCIDENT IN 1999 DIDN'T SEE THEM OFF THEN THE SMACKHEADS CERTAINLY WILL!

AND as for the fishing in these parts I think it's safe to say that my snickers bar was more appetising.

The Beck goes above and below ground as it winds through into the City Centre. As we got to the outfall Police were accross the way staring right at us, we also had some strange looks from tourists on the bridge whilst Thompski was busy waving at every man and his dog, I managed to take a few pictures and GTFO before we got arrested!

Later we find that MJS & Gambino had and I quote "Been on your trail jumpin' down at all the open sections to try and surprise you. Were gonna wait on the other side of the bridge at the outfall to get your pic now".

Fucking Stalkers, LOL.

Anyway here is what we would have seen had we found them.....

BRITAINS GOT TALENT - LIVE FROM LEEDS, The MJS & GAMBINO SHOW

Oh and a few pictures from us, Thanks For Looking.

THE START OF A 5 HOUR MOOCH

After wadering up we were off down the Beck is it twists and turns over,

and under the city

This was deep underneath the Railway Station above

On the way there were numerous CSO's dumping filth into the Beck, we spotted these curious pipes which had the following choices:

'Pink Hole', 'Brown Hole' & 'T-Foal'

Originally they were marked up as 'Holy Grail', 'Death' & 'Tigers'

After donning disposable gloves I first took the plunge and crawled up into what I can only describe as SHITE... The smell was horrendous as particles of poop filled my nostrils (Yummy).

Eventually we both squeezed inside the CSO chamber where we came across the infamous 'Archimedes Screw' a quick pose for the camera and we were back out, more comedy moments as I twatted my knee on the way!

After much stooping and dipping in and out of the drink we came to this huge RBP, which for me was one of the best features of the whole system

Finally some of the graff,

before arriving at the Outfall