HISTORY
The River Porter whose source is high up on the hills west of Sheffield flows through Sheffield leafy suburbs, through several parks then with only one mile left through Sheffield city center it goes underground through a series of culverts. Some of these culverts are modern 1940/50 and some are Victorian 1860 to 1900. The culverts are so extensive that this report just covers the section from Waitrose Supermarket to Decathlon Sports Store, a distance of about 800 meters. The culvert construction is so varied and the land being used for several types of industry over the last 200 years that you could include dozens of photographs to give a true picture.
THE EXPLORE
Access to the river was not easy, a choice of wade through 4 foot deep pool at bottom of a weir or climb down 15 foot culvert wall, I chose the later as I did not want to get wet at the beginning of this exploration. The initial entry point is very disappointing as it is shrouded in ugly concrete but once inside the culvert you are treated to a beautiful Victorian brick arch, this then changes to stone then to really old stone what looks like a bridge incorporated into the culvert. Investigation back home showed this to be a old bridge over the River Porter, providing access to Broomhall Cornmills, early 1800,s or earlier as there were no culverts over the river pre 1850. Only gone 50 meters and three types of construction already.
I then entered a large concrete box area around 8 meters wide, at the far end I could see the river enter a modern concrete box culvert built around 1950,s I think, a bit uninspiring to look at but very easy walking in 9 inch of fast river water but nice level concrete base to walk on. On passing a ventilation/access grill in the roof I new I was under Waitrose car park and entering a older type of culvert, low with a central wide channel I soon passed under Waitrose Supermarket itself, a very modern low section took me under the loading bay, this meant crawling this section on hands and knees, the builders having no consideration for culvert explores of the future.
Disturbing several pigeons I was out in the daylight in a short open section the water was flowing very fast in the central channel so carefully I entered the next section this again was a low brick arched roof with a wide central channel containing all the water. The choice was walk with your back painfully bent double or walk in two foot of fast flowing water in the central channel, I chose the painful method as I had no love of water slides and I had a feeling that,s what I would end up in.
Eventually came to a small weir with water also appearing to enter at the sides, probing with my walking stick shallowest area was nearly the depth of my waders, no intention of going back so entered the water on tip toes and crossed couple of meters to safer ground, this was the hardest point of the explore, another 50 meters of walking and back out in daylight again
The next section was only 200 meters but had hit the headlines in January 17 2017 "Massive Sink Hole Opens Up in decathlon Car Park " it was the concrete culvert collapsing into the river not that many people seemed to know the river was there. Many previous explores of this culvert will have seen the state of the reinforcing all hanging down as far back as 2010. I entered the safe Victorian section of culvert, very nice dressed stone and proceeded to the disaster zone, soon I was looking up at the sky through a 15m open section that had collapsed, I did not hang about for long but needed my photographs, I was soon out the other end and realized I had been down there for 6 hours, so much to see and photograph.
All that,s was left was the walk across town back to my car attracting that look of, whats that strange man doing with waders on in town ?
Then it Change to Stone
Entry to Beautiful Victorian Brickwork
Very Old Bridge Incorporated In Culvert
Entry to Concrete Box section in Far Corner
Boring Box Section but Easy Walking
We all Have to Look at The Ventilation Grill
The Painful Walk
The Quick Way if You Like Water Slides
Would Make a Good Water Slide Though
The Deep Bit
Disaster Area Ahead
Headlines "Giant Sink Hole Opens Up in Decathlon Car Park "
Nobody Thought There Was a Problem !!
I Can See the Sky
The River Porter whose source is high up on the hills west of Sheffield flows through Sheffield leafy suburbs, through several parks then with only one mile left through Sheffield city center it goes underground through a series of culverts. Some of these culverts are modern 1940/50 and some are Victorian 1860 to 1900. The culverts are so extensive that this report just covers the section from Waitrose Supermarket to Decathlon Sports Store, a distance of about 800 meters. The culvert construction is so varied and the land being used for several types of industry over the last 200 years that you could include dozens of photographs to give a true picture.
THE EXPLORE
Access to the river was not easy, a choice of wade through 4 foot deep pool at bottom of a weir or climb down 15 foot culvert wall, I chose the later as I did not want to get wet at the beginning of this exploration. The initial entry point is very disappointing as it is shrouded in ugly concrete but once inside the culvert you are treated to a beautiful Victorian brick arch, this then changes to stone then to really old stone what looks like a bridge incorporated into the culvert. Investigation back home showed this to be a old bridge over the River Porter, providing access to Broomhall Cornmills, early 1800,s or earlier as there were no culverts over the river pre 1850. Only gone 50 meters and three types of construction already.
I then entered a large concrete box area around 8 meters wide, at the far end I could see the river enter a modern concrete box culvert built around 1950,s I think, a bit uninspiring to look at but very easy walking in 9 inch of fast river water but nice level concrete base to walk on. On passing a ventilation/access grill in the roof I new I was under Waitrose car park and entering a older type of culvert, low with a central wide channel I soon passed under Waitrose Supermarket itself, a very modern low section took me under the loading bay, this meant crawling this section on hands and knees, the builders having no consideration for culvert explores of the future.
Disturbing several pigeons I was out in the daylight in a short open section the water was flowing very fast in the central channel so carefully I entered the next section this again was a low brick arched roof with a wide central channel containing all the water. The choice was walk with your back painfully bent double or walk in two foot of fast flowing water in the central channel, I chose the painful method as I had no love of water slides and I had a feeling that,s what I would end up in.
Eventually came to a small weir with water also appearing to enter at the sides, probing with my walking stick shallowest area was nearly the depth of my waders, no intention of going back so entered the water on tip toes and crossed couple of meters to safer ground, this was the hardest point of the explore, another 50 meters of walking and back out in daylight again
The next section was only 200 meters but had hit the headlines in January 17 2017 "Massive Sink Hole Opens Up in decathlon Car Park " it was the concrete culvert collapsing into the river not that many people seemed to know the river was there. Many previous explores of this culvert will have seen the state of the reinforcing all hanging down as far back as 2010. I entered the safe Victorian section of culvert, very nice dressed stone and proceeded to the disaster zone, soon I was looking up at the sky through a 15m open section that had collapsed, I did not hang about for long but needed my photographs, I was soon out the other end and realized I had been down there for 6 hours, so much to see and photograph.
All that,s was left was the walk across town back to my car attracting that look of, whats that strange man doing with waders on in town ?
Then it Change to Stone
Entry to Beautiful Victorian Brickwork
Very Old Bridge Incorporated In Culvert
Entry to Concrete Box section in Far Corner
Boring Box Section but Easy Walking
We all Have to Look at The Ventilation Grill
The Painful Walk
The Quick Way if You Like Water Slides
Would Make a Good Water Slide Though
The Deep Bit
Disaster Area Ahead
Headlines "Giant Sink Hole Opens Up in Decathlon Car Park "
Nobody Thought There Was a Problem !!
I Can See the Sky
