Metal Gear Solid, Manchester
I always knew this place would deliver, and I'm quietly content I managed to finally get under here to see what was going on
It's one of those places where access, although obvious isn't straight forward..
There are a number of opposing factors such as heavy traffic, cctv, security, locked lids, absence of ladders, freak weather
And of course it's often frequented by UU, which made it all the more of a curiosity
Essentially a pumping station/cso/storm overflow(s) complete with in-line detention tank
Ting is when it rains, this place deals with some serious waste water (see pics & vt further below)
As a result, the original inadequate sewer and overflow has undergone some serious upgrades over the last 15 years to cope with demand!
With the entire system heavily pikey'd, quite when and how I have no idea but fair play considering the access into this one
The absence of ladders certainly made for an interesting entry
Also shouts to Nickindroy for his patience
Having dropped into the 'replacement' overflow (a very long stoopy 5ft bolted concrete pipe) I made my way upstream towards the familiar sound & smell of
The incoming sewer was a right pain to access, due to Mr Thief and his ever increasing metal antics
A sketch climb up from the primary overflow was all it took too sniff some shit
Here the sewer enters via a 5ft RCP and runs a channel high above a large detention tank
Screening machinery runs the length of the sewer to scrape out the solids and prevent them from entering the watercourse during heavy flow
Shot looking from inspection walkway beyond the shit scraper down into detention tank
(It looks clean because it was Jetwashed a short while prior)
At the far end, a gantry sits high up within the shit tank allowing further inspection, access to Penstock winder and the compound above
Below all that the sewer exits via a small Penstock and through a 2ft concealed pipe which runs through the primary overflow chamber heading downstream
A short stoop through a 4ft section of RCP connects the primary overflow chamber to the detention tank which fills up during heavy flooding
And again more evidence of the metal fairies as ladders and other stuff had been yoinked
A slotted exit hole leads through to the other side of the overflow chamber, and out to the main overflow pipe
You can hear the sewer exit the other side of the chamber, sadly no pics as the ladders up from below and the ones from the manhole above have been pikey'd
Down below, A long & stoopy, 5ft bolted concrete pipe carries any discharge to the River when at capacity
As I said earlier, this entire overflow system has been massively updated since it was first constructed
Here is the original overflow (since bricked & diverted) before the newer larger setup was constructed ^
A more detailed explanation of the older setup can be found here > http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/uk-draining-forum/84890-jack-box-manchester-october-2013-a.html
Eventually the outfall; It's not possible to get in/out here
It's only when you witness the place at capacity you begin to understand why so much effort has gone into upgrading it
When it rains..
(TRUTH)
A short clip as the pics don't really show the ferocity
[video=youtube_share;PaUNYdrRjxs]http://youtu.be/PaUNYdrRjxs[/video]
The outfall in full flow looks some scary shit, really wouldn't want to be stuck in there when it pisses down
