Information - Bramble Brook Culvert, Derby

[ConstantCaver]

Hi folks!

I've been looking for some smaller streams under Derby recently with the help of a few old maps, and have had a couple of fun evenings in the Bramble Brook upstream of Cheviot Street Open Space.

Someone with more skills than me and an actual camera might have fun in there - no brickwork sadly, it's mostly concrete piping but with a few features of interest, lots of manholes, some nice (thigh deep) water with fish in it, and a stooping bit right under the A38 that pops out at a grille in Mackworth.

The whole thing is in the region of about 600 metres and is very easily accessed from the open space - there's a public footpath over the top that leads to the shopping complex with Sainsbury's at it, and below said footpath is a stooping sized pipe that quickly becomes standing height.

It's not up there with the Flo Selecta but it was a nice way to spend the evening, and particularly nice to be able to get right from one end to the other. Watch out for some debris on the floor about fifty metres in (there might be some sharp metal) and the sudden deepening of the water just beyond it. The far end near Mackworth has a very busy road above it so there will be vibrations - you all know to take care, anyway.

I'd love to do the downstream bit where the stream sinks underground again near the skate park, but it's well sealed. Unless anyone knows better?

I can't provide photos because my technical skills are shit, but someone might have fun with this. Hope so anyway!

 

[rastapasta69]

I never knew that was there, cheers for the heads up, I'll have to check it out!
You can get into the Boredomiser next to the skate park on bass rec, takes you out at bridge street, or viceversa, it's worth a wander through if you bored one day.

 

[ConstantCaver]

Thanks for that! I've done the Boredomiser, and the Chad culverts too. I get up to Buxton quite a lot so the one under Spring Gardens is on my hit list, and the one on the way out to Whaley Bridge.

If you're up Matlock Bath way, as well as the many caves and mines to look in, there's also a fun culvert that goes up from the river Derwent back up to Starkholmes. Fun if you like small spaces, anyway; my tolerance for hands-and-knees crawling is pretty high, YMMV. A picture of the entrance is on the AditNow website where it is described as the 'Wildersley Sough', which I think may be a mistake. It's by the bridge that goes over the river and up to the Cable Cars; near there is where the stream sinks.

A few years ago this culvert was apparently blocked, and the water that backed up flooded the Riber Mine, causing a vast sinkhole to open up in what is now part of the High Tor pleasure grounds. That was subsequently repaired, and some minimal access to the mine left (I'm told) by some concrete pipes. It certainly makes this seemingly small culvert more important than it might seem!

As it goes steeply upwards under the road, railway, and stationmaster's cottage, I presume it was built at the same time as the railway; hence why I think it's description as a sough is a mistake - I couldn't see any evidence of it connecting to a mine, but then again that could have been covered up by later rebuilding work, so I could be wrong.

Enjoy Bramble Brook, anyway!