Found myself with a surprise free exploring pass last weekend and while racking the brains of things to do I suggested to @Idavoll that maybe we should go and get fresh under the streets of BS3. We met for pizza and beer before blending in with the locals around the notoriously famous 'Bedmee Asdawl' adorning our super sexy waddors and wellies.
One of us was sensible with the waddors, the other dickhead got soaked.
I'd previously done this drain a couple of times back in 2010 with the now retired Winch. I never considered myself someone who liked drains but then until you try them you can only appreciate the photos of others while saying 'its not for me' - turned out I loved them. I still do.
Because I didn't take as many last week I've mashed in a few from 2010 as I didn't post a report on here back then (I was probably banned still!)
In Bristol we are sure blessed with some rather good drains. Those from outside of the City will probably say that many of the storm drains in particularly are over engineered. Those who've seen the power of what the River Avon & Frome can do would say they were built not just to cope with what was the norm but with the ability for far worse. You don't build to cope with the current conditions, you build to cope with the unexpected. Over the years Bristol has seen plenty of the later.
Built in 1974 the Dreadnaught storm drain runs from Bishopsworth through to an outfall on the diverted stream of the river Avon in Bedminster. The drain runs almost parallel with the Souther foul water interceptor. Unfortunately access these days starts at the outfall and the steps at the infall are a long walk along what is uninteresting section. However it's nearly always worth the walk, especially when it's a wee bit angry.
One of us was sensible with the waddors, the other dickhead got soaked.
I'd previously done this drain a couple of times back in 2010 with the now retired Winch. I never considered myself someone who liked drains but then until you try them you can only appreciate the photos of others while saying 'its not for me' - turned out I loved them. I still do.
Because I didn't take as many last week I've mashed in a few from 2010 as I didn't post a report on here back then (I was probably banned still!)
In Bristol we are sure blessed with some rather good drains. Those from outside of the City will probably say that many of the storm drains in particularly are over engineered. Those who've seen the power of what the River Avon & Frome can do would say they were built not just to cope with what was the norm but with the ability for far worse. You don't build to cope with the current conditions, you build to cope with the unexpected. Over the years Bristol has seen plenty of the later.
Built in 1974 the Dreadnaught storm drain runs from Bishopsworth through to an outfall on the diverted stream of the river Avon in Bedminster. The drain runs almost parallel with the Souther foul water interceptor. Unfortunately access these days starts at the outfall and the steps at the infall are a long walk along what is uninteresting section. However it's nearly always worth the walk, especially when it's a wee bit angry.
Last edited:
