A small history:
The Bunker storm drain is located in the Southern area and constructed in the late 80s when Warrington itself was expanded as a town. Built for a ‘one in thirty’ immense storm, it spans some 3 miles, is mainly constructed of large RCP of 5-8 ft. whilst featuring multiple chambers and interesting details, eventually outfalling into the Manchester shipping canal.
The explore:
Visited with @Ferret, @scrappy, @Jonesey and my Mrs on a weekend in August. As we set out early from Ferrets’ gaff, within less than 5 minutes, we stopped with a flat tyre. After a quick tyre change from Scrappy as we stood and watched, we were back on the road.
After arriving, we geared up and after a quick recce on a known lid, we were into the outfall.
The photo above shows on the right hand side where water levels have once been, and as prior mentioned in the history, it’s certainly built for a hell of a storm, hence the name in the community.
As shown from the photo below of the outfall from the outsideshamelessly stolen from Google) this reinforces, excuse the pun, the name.
Heading down the ladder and into an RCP pipe section, we walked along a flat walkway with channel to our left. We were soon greeted with an abundance of wildlife. Frogs sprang about at our feet and eels lay in channel.
After our short stop at the drain safari, we continued on attempting not to crush our newly found friends.
In some parts of the pipe, the calcium build up was thick, coating the walls and floors. I do like a nice bit of calcite formation!
From a wide pathway, it suddenly shrunk dropping into the channel to follow calcite coated pipe.
Ok, enough calcite. I don’t want to bore anyone. Turning another corner, a stretch of condensation covered pipe, each drop hanging from the ceiling like a jewel. Apologies for the singular shot, magical jewels are hard to shoot at the best of times!
After more trudging along the walkway, we finally reached the first chamber.
After a chill out headed into the smaller left hand pipe.
This was dry and led to a griddled infall in a nearby park and small Brook that would feed the drain when it overflowed but was equally as dry after the hot Summer.
Back into the chamber, we then headed into the inviting glow of the right pipe.
After a short while, the pipe turned.
And further on, we reached the first of many huge drop steps used to slow the flow of water heading back towards the chamber and outfall. The steps on the right lead to a manhole cover up to the surface.
And looking from the top down.
Heading on, the pipe reaches another small chamber and intersection off to the left.
The left hand pipe had the remnants of some lids in which had fallen and been washed in. The power of water.
Continuing on the course of the larger pipe, once again it took a turn to the left.
And we hit the second of the steps to slow the flow.
And the third.
At this point we’d already been in there 3 or 4 hours and walked a fair way through the system. Knowing the only options out were to try lids or walk back, we attempted a few lids but they were ceased shut. Equally, popping your head out of a manhole into an active road isn’t wise.
We headed back and with one last shot of the outfall, we climbed the ladder and sealed the bunker.
The Bunker storm drain is located in the Southern area and constructed in the late 80s when Warrington itself was expanded as a town. Built for a ‘one in thirty’ immense storm, it spans some 3 miles, is mainly constructed of large RCP of 5-8 ft. whilst featuring multiple chambers and interesting details, eventually outfalling into the Manchester shipping canal.
The explore:
Visited with @Ferret, @scrappy, @Jonesey and my Mrs on a weekend in August. As we set out early from Ferrets’ gaff, within less than 5 minutes, we stopped with a flat tyre. After a quick tyre change from Scrappy as we stood and watched, we were back on the road.
After arriving, we geared up and after a quick recce on a known lid, we were into the outfall.
The photo above shows on the right hand side where water levels have once been, and as prior mentioned in the history, it’s certainly built for a hell of a storm, hence the name in the community.
As shown from the photo below of the outfall from the outsideshamelessly stolen from Google) this reinforces, excuse the pun, the name.
Heading down the ladder and into an RCP pipe section, we walked along a flat walkway with channel to our left. We were soon greeted with an abundance of wildlife. Frogs sprang about at our feet and eels lay in channel.
After our short stop at the drain safari, we continued on attempting not to crush our newly found friends.
In some parts of the pipe, the calcium build up was thick, coating the walls and floors. I do like a nice bit of calcite formation!
From a wide pathway, it suddenly shrunk dropping into the channel to follow calcite coated pipe.
Ok, enough calcite. I don’t want to bore anyone. Turning another corner, a stretch of condensation covered pipe, each drop hanging from the ceiling like a jewel. Apologies for the singular shot, magical jewels are hard to shoot at the best of times!
After more trudging along the walkway, we finally reached the first chamber.
After a chill out headed into the smaller left hand pipe.
This was dry and led to a griddled infall in a nearby park and small Brook that would feed the drain when it overflowed but was equally as dry after the hot Summer.
Back into the chamber, we then headed into the inviting glow of the right pipe.
After a short while, the pipe turned.
And further on, we reached the first of many huge drop steps used to slow the flow of water heading back towards the chamber and outfall. The steps on the right lead to a manhole cover up to the surface.
And looking from the top down.
Heading on, the pipe reaches another small chamber and intersection off to the left.
The left hand pipe had the remnants of some lids in which had fallen and been washed in. The power of water.
Continuing on the course of the larger pipe, once again it took a turn to the left.
And we hit the second of the steps to slow the flow.
And the third.
At this point we’d already been in there 3 or 4 hours and walked a fair way through the system. Knowing the only options out were to try lids or walk back, we attempted a few lids but they were ceased shut. Equally, popping your head out of a manhole into an active road isn’t wise.
We headed back and with one last shot of the outfall, we climbed the ladder and sealed the bunker.
Last edited:
