Bladon Burn 2 culvert and other thing?

Back in the are for another visit and to check out the culvert that runs about 1/3 mile under the site.
I knew where it started and how to get there but I made a slightly different approach this time and came across something odd.
Any idea what it is? Three rooms, the middle very narrow with only a slit window type thing. I'm baffled. Its close to the brick works/ collery site but not that close. Also near it was the second smaller building.





Second smaller building remains



OK, so now on to the culvert, taking in the scenery


At the entrance its a brick lined tunnel about 5ft high. Footing is a bit tricky and the rock/cement floor isnt to be trusted. It seems to be sandstone, which has been undermined in places and crumbles away. Therefore best to stay in the watercourse.



I encounterd two man hole accesses, on the section I covered

There are rather a lot of pipe inlets, so watch your head! And this looks rather dodgy


Some sections have brick floor and at this point the tunnel gets about 7ft high and as you can see, for a short section turns to stone construction. I think this is actually the remains of a earlier bridge that they have incorporated.



At this point I noticed a hole in the roof, with a welcome breeze. Note the tyres....well there is a tyre repair place & scrapyard somewhere on the surface, so that explains it.

This is as far as I got, as I ran out of wheelies At this point water was I think about knee deep for a stretch and I estimate, I'd only covered about 1/10 of the lenght.

SOMEONE HAS TO GO BACK WITH WADDERS

So your wondering whats on the surface? Well most of the north end of Bkaydon Burn including these old brick works. Interesting in their own right but in use.



The other end has a grill on it by the way, so its a one way in, one way out trip

Wow, that odd thingy is odd! It looks a bit familiar for some reason, but no idea what it is. Cool, though!
Nice explore there, taliesin.

Top notch

like the little building

Ooo now this one's just like Walbottle Culvert. It does look a bit low further on like.

The rusty stuff coming out that pipe is normal up here - iron based residues in the area.

That does look like an old bridge, a canny gud bridge at that cos the stonework is quite good quality.

Blaydon Burn is not an area I know well - I'm from the other side of the river.

I have absolutely no idea what that brick arched building is. To be honest it looks like a salesmans sample!
Is it mentioned on keys to the past?

http://www.keystothepast.info/k2p/usp.nsf/pws/Keys+to+the+Past+-+Home+Page

That's a very good site for other stuff up here too.

Thanks for doing this - it's always good to learn new stuff!

Ah, now why didn't I think of that.
It appears that it must be something to do with Mary drift mine. There seems to be a building marked as Rise on one of the maps.
Also found the other drift mine I went into in the Burn is Bessies drift.

Fantastic! I drive past here all the time - I've never stopped for a mooch!

been thinking about having a mooch round Norman's Riding too

Return I will....once wadders located and a bit more time is available.
I do like the idea of that brick building being a salesmans model but if it was, he'd be quiet a artist. I thought it might be a pump house or some sort of winding gear but there donst seem to be any signs of plumbing or other majot fittings. It does have some odd holes in the walls that look like drains or air vents but why? Not enough burning to be a kiln or ovens. Very odd

Floor in the one end

Celing at the same entrance

One of these off vents flues or whatever

Another North East culvert, get in! I actually thought it was Walbottle culvert it is so similar in design.

Good man for finding this one!

I think I know what the brick building is... it could be a small fan house. The mine workings may be linked to it? The holes ( or at least some ) may be where primitive shaft bearings were housed. In one of the pics, looking up, it looks as if there is a small curved vent leading to the roof. That means air flow. I would need to see it in the "flesh" to suss it.