Chaddesden Culvert, Derby - April 08

[ThenewMendoza]

Visited with Smileysal.

Mooching about in Derby we spotted this interesting looking opening in the banks of the River Derwent, and thought, 'that look's interesting, let's go to Burger King for a brew' (Sal and I are fuelled on caffeine), well, it was only a stones throw away.

Fuelled up, we returned to the culvert with wellies and headed inside. It was a fairly dull start, a brick and concrete box like construction, with a couple of inches of water, not unpleasant though.

This carried on for maybe two or three hundred feet, taking a slight turn before changing to a ribbed metal material, this was quite cool, bugger to walk on though.

Before long, we came to a slight break, which included a manhole access.

Carrying on further up the culvert the ground changed to a concrete surface, though the sides and roof were still the ribbed metal (looks's a bit like Burtonwood Hangars lol)

And after about a quarter of a mile we reached the other end, a pretty little stream strewn with litter, shame, but I didn't bother with pics from this end.

Me and Sal.

A decent little mooch for 90 minutes or so.

TnM

 

[johno23]

Chaddesden culvert

Brilliant discovery and pictures.I knew there was one in the area but thought it was the run off outfall from the contaminated land treatment works.
This looks quite different though.will pm for further details.

nice work folks

 

[King Al]

Nice one Guys, strange looking place that, where did it go?

 

[Jondoe_264]

Cool, good to see more folks venturing into drains. I can concur, that corrugated metal type construction is bugger to walk on isn't it. Does look like a chilled stroll, wonder why they concrete lined the bottom of part of the culvert but left the other section?

JD

 

[LittleMike]

Good stuff man! Nice to see something else from derby. Seems they love that corrugated metal shape, it's a bit sad to see though when you know there's a nice oldskool brick arch hiding behind it.

 

[smileysal]

I really enjoyed this, apart from trying to walk upright on the corrugated section, so everytime i slipped, just kept giggling and that echo'ed all the way up to the stream part lol. Don't know how TnM puts up with me lmao. There were a few different pipes leading off each side. And on the totally corrugated part, there was a hatch type thing (the shutter ones) on the left. (having not done much drains and culverts i wouldn't have a clue what it is).

Walked a little way up the stream, then decided to walk back down. When we arrived back at the culvert top en, 3 children were talking to us. oooooooooooooh I'ts dark in there, you're not going in there are you? hehe. just put the head torches on and said, yep, see you later. lmao.

Was a nice little explore, now we're searching for more, i've got the bug now. I did take pics in there, but after we'd been to the Frairgate Warehouse later on, i killed the camera TnM lent me. So all my pics were lost.

More to be done now, On a mission to find them

Cheers,

Sal

 

[sqwasher]

Great pics once again TNM, looks like a jolly little explore! No doubt we'll all be scanning river banks even more now! Nice find!

 

[ThenewMendoza]

Nice one Guys, strange looking place that, where did it go?

It's a small stream that flows into the River Derwent, we walked up it for a while, past some folks back gardens, but it seemed just that, a small stream, nothing more.

Cool, good to see more folks venturing into drains. I can concur, that corrugated metal type construction is bugger to walk on isn't it. Does look like a chilled stroll, wonder why they concrete lined the bottom of part of the culvert but left the other section?

JD

Cheers. I'm beginning to understand why you drain guys love them so, I have a feeling there will be further trips underground this year, hopefully bigger and better.

TnM

 

[BigLoada]

I like the lighting in these pictures, the way the corrugations brings out the shadows. I am curious what lighting you used? Since I became interested in uderground I am experimenting with lighting and wondered how you lit this as its very nice.

 

[wolfism]

You got some good photos from your mooch – I guess there's an art to lighting these dark places.

AFAIK, the corrugated metal sections are made by Armco, the same folk who make motorway barriers. A strange shape in cross section though – I always thought drains were egg-shaped so that the water flowed reasonably quickly along the bottom …

 

[ThenewMendoza]

I like the lighting in these pictures, the way the corrugations brings out the shadows. I am curious what lighting you used? Since I became interested in uderground I am experimenting with lighting and wondered how you lit this as its very nice.

Ghetto-Fenix, 9 LEDs of Tesco goodness right there, open shutter, wander around keeping the torch hidden from the camera.

TnM

 

[BigLoada]

Thats a good idea. I saw some cheap torches in the local supermaket shop so I might give it a go, or get some as a back up. Nice idea!

 

[Neosea]

Cool find, thanks for the photos

 

[Foxylady]

Excellent pics. Looks like a nice chilled-out explore.

 

[mat_100]

you sod, i've been wanting to go in there for a while now, i've just not had chance.
if you are doing it again let me know as i'd like to come

cheers