Carrying on from my previous report 'The Medlock Part 1 here'.
I had a bit of time free in July and managed to cram quite a bit in including numerous days trapsing up the medlock.
On this day i was joined by @GRONK as we ventured to the 'Medlock culvert' which im surprised doesn't have more of a funky going name like most others do, and Big Humpty.
The Medlock culvert is a large culvert spanning over 600m taking the river Medlock through Phillips park.
The culvert is constructed of stone and brick and was built to divert the river after a series of floods.
The worst of these floods occurred in 1872 and is described as ‘the flood that divided a city’.
During the early hours of the morning heavy rain started to pour on the city and continued for over 13 hours.
The flood defenses of the time were no match for mother nature and inevitably the Medlock burst its banks.
The nearby cemetery was overcome with water and newly laid graves had their coffins swept away and carried out towards the city.
For three days bodies were being recovered and sent to the local police station, which was acting as a makeshift mortuary.
The furthest body was discovered in Castlefield, some three miles from the cemetery. In total the number of bodies recovered was 76.
Today parts of old gravestones can still be found in the riverbed and i did manage to find a big chunk of one on my last visit some 3 years ago.
looking in at the infall.
This culvert can be done in wellies, waders were needed for further upstream
I had a bit of time free in July and managed to cram quite a bit in including numerous days trapsing up the medlock.
On this day i was joined by @GRONK as we ventured to the 'Medlock culvert' which im surprised doesn't have more of a funky going name like most others do, and Big Humpty.
The Medlock culvert is a large culvert spanning over 600m taking the river Medlock through Phillips park.
The culvert is constructed of stone and brick and was built to divert the river after a series of floods.
The worst of these floods occurred in 1872 and is described as ‘the flood that divided a city’.
During the early hours of the morning heavy rain started to pour on the city and continued for over 13 hours.
The flood defenses of the time were no match for mother nature and inevitably the Medlock burst its banks.
The nearby cemetery was overcome with water and newly laid graves had their coffins swept away and carried out towards the city.
For three days bodies were being recovered and sent to the local police station, which was acting as a makeshift mortuary.
The furthest body was discovered in Castlefield, some three miles from the cemetery. In total the number of bodies recovered was 76.
Today parts of old gravestones can still be found in the riverbed and i did manage to find a big chunk of one on my last visit some 3 years ago.
looking in at the infall.
This culvert can be done in wellies, waders were needed for further upstream
To the right through a concrete RCP is an inspection shaft and overflow pipe presumably to carry rain water
Shes quite a big beauty
The stairs to the right lead to an infall of water coming through a small gap in the floor.
The outfall, its a wader breach for sure trying to enter this way
Continuing upstream following the Medlock we battled through heavy brambles and nesting crackheads along its banks before arriving to the most pristine brick arched culvert outfall ive ever seen.
This culvert known as 'Big Humpty' carries the Medlock underneath a park footpath for a short while.
The infall
This culvert known as 'Big Humpty' carries the Medlock underneath a park footpath for a short while.
The infall
