Best Drains in the World, London UK

As some of you know, I've recently (8 months ago) relocated to London, England. It's not usually the tourist drawcard but England (and arguably London) have the best drains/sewers in the world. Over the next couple of months you'll see why.


Sir Joseph Bazalgette

<history>
Part of the problem was due to the introduction of flush toilets, replacing the chamber-pots that most Londoners had used. These dramatically increased the volume of water and waste that was now poured into existing cesspits. These often overflowed into street drains originally designed to cope with rainwater, but now also used to carry outfalls from factories, slaughterhouses and other activities, contaminating the city before emptying into the River Thames.

Cholera became widespread during the 1840s (not least because many people believed the disease was due to air-borne "miasma"; no one then realised that the disease was water-borne — that discovery was not made until 1854 by London physician Dr John Snow after an epidemic centred in Soho), and sanitation reform soon became a high priority. Bringing together several separate local bodies concerned with sewers, the consolidated Metropolitan Commission of Sewers was established in 1848; it surveyed London's antiquated sewerage system and set about ridding the capital of its cesspits — an objective later accelerated by the "Great Stink".

In 1858, the summer was unusually hot. The Thames and many of its urban tributaries were overflowing with sewage; the warm weather encouraged bacteria to thrive and the resulting smell was so overwhelming that it affected the work of the House of Commons (countermeasures included draping curtains soaked in chloride of lime, while members considered relocating upstream to Hampton Court) and the law courts (plans were made to evacuate to Oxford and St Albans). Heavy rain finally broke the hot and humid summer and the immediate crisis ended. However, a House of Commons select committee was appointed to report on the Stink and recommend how to put an end to the problem.

By this time, the consolidated Commission had been superseded (at the end of 1855) by the Metropolitan Board of Works, and despite numerous different schemes for "merciful abatement of the epidemic that ravaged the Metropolis", the MBW finally accepted a scheme proposed in 1859 by its own chief engineer, Joseph Bazalgette. Over the next six years, the key elements of the London Sewerage System were created and the "Great Stink" became a distant memory.
</history>



I've been spending some time exploring this vast vast system, and according to the maps I have only been in about 10% of what is considered explorable. The trunk lines are generally 12ft redbrick tunnels, half full of swiftly moving sewage/greywater, flowing between pumping stations which raise the flow up again so it can gravity feed west->east across london.



It's mostly elaborate Victorian redbrick construction, with some obviously earlier sections scattered around the place. The earliest known section we've been into is circa 1830. More on this specific place in the coming posts. I'll kick this off with the Frogmore Storm Relief Sewer, known as Crypt.

Crypt is known for one spectacular feature alone. Access could not be simpler, the shiny new hinged easylift manhole drops directly in this feature. It's literal drain tourism with none of the hard work usually needed to see something so impressive. The turbulence below is clearly audible as you approach the manhole, as the manhole lifts open it roars over the street.



An oviform and a round tunnel enter the chamber from upstream, and drop into a central channel which collects the flow and directs it downwards into a lower level tunnel. Spanning the channel and dividing the chamber are rows of two tone brick columns which arch into the ceiling. The chamber seems far more elaborate than it needs to be, why not simply merge two tunnels through a series of churnblocks?



Was it simply pride in their workmanship and professionalism that inspired such an attention to detail in a place so few would ever see? This chamber is elaborate in ways totally unnecessary. Chamfered edges, rounded edges, dual manhole access, safety handrails, the dominating brick columns. It's over the top and excessive but who's to complain.


Looking towards the oviform tunnel.

The volume of water collecting in the channel makes passing into the lower level tunnel a dangerous looking affair, visibility is low and ending up a soaked rat is guaranteed. There is manhole access further downstream of the tunnel, which leads back up to a neat staircase closer to the chamber. Downstream of the lower manhole remains unexplored, and upstream from the chamber showed no features or changes after 10 minutes of struggling against the flow.


Looking into the central collection channel of the chamber.

Much more to come

 

Damn fine sewer architecture. Awesome shots as always and eagerly awaiting for the rest of the London Sewer series

n00b question.. how bad is the stench? ever encounter any 'funny' stuf floating around while exploring? like a severed arm or something?

 

Wow.

I wonder if the depth varies ... ???

(that was a serious question

 

Here I am this evening, lamenting another unsuccessful plan to return to Waa

Anyway, you're spoilt for when and if you return home - I get excited when I encounter *bricks*...

 

Awesome can't wait for more. Always fun to go e-xploring with you.

 

Just spectacularly awesome dude, can't wait for more.

 

Here I was talking to magga yesterday about the fact that you've disappeared and haven't posted any images for a long time.

Keep it up

 

For more information on the drains check out "7 Wonders of the Industrial World" - Episode 4 - The Sewer King

 

Really interesting stuff Great images too.

I used to enjoy reading about draining and urbex in London when I lived there a couple years ago. There are still completely abandoned tube stations that exist, and an entire disused railway (old Postal train system).

Up until about 2006 you could actually see disused platforms for the old Wood Lane station on the Central line. They've got rid of all that now though. There is a gap near Holborn too if you're looking out the window, used to be the old British Museum station.

Plenty of old shelters there to explore too. Would love to see more pics!

 

Generally there are trunks lines (~12ft, half full of rapid flow), sewers (3-12ft, varied flow) and storm reflief sewers (3-12ft, usually little flow). There are also branch sewers which are smaller brick sewers but there are thousands of miles of these under london - boring, but useful for accessing bigger stuff.

The stench varies immensely. Fast flowing sewers don't smell much, the stagnant ones are horrid. There is one affectionately known as "Soup Kitchen" which is section of ankle - shin deep sewer which takes very little flow so just sits there festering.

No severed limbs yet but enough nuggets and sanitary pads to fill a supermarket aisle.

Water depth from 0-6ft that I've seen. The tunnels fill right up in heavy rain.

Depth underground varies a lot.

You're not still having trouble with that are you? The manhole in the little 'hobo' room is safe to use, as are manholes near the grille you'll find upstream, and the manhole up the brick sidetunnel from the skinny side tunnel is okay to. Get to it!

I've been around, just quite busy over here

The abandoned tube stations are just too risky to consider right now. The consequences are serious fucking business as I'm sure you know with the terror related drama. Plus the CCTV situation is just ridiculous, it's a little hairy. Sub-brit have a lot of information and arm-chair tours on their site (http://www.subbrit.org.uk/) about all the lost stations and shelters.

 

woahh really cool man, really really cool! haha

 

It's the rain (mostly) My lawn looks great, though.

 

I think I chucked a piss in that room, was busting

Nice write up dsankter, next time you're on the tube with turdy waders be sure to take a photo, or at least stench up some denzien's night.

 

Hmm... nice I ended up in there last night... where specifically did you mark your territory?

 

There's worse stuff in there than my piss
The overflow for the sewer system dumps into everywhere downtown of mr skinny. You can actually hear the flow - Yum yum

Guess that's one unique way of tagging up, eww.

 

I didn't smell anything untoward, but there was a good congregation of cockroaches at one point, which I took to be a telling sign. We had of course had that earlier downpour, so that would no doubt have cleaned things up a bit. That said, I didn't venture much further than the hobo room and the rusty pipe, so it might have been sewer city just around the corner

 

haha, it gets interesting after there. Next time, run the whole thing on a Friday or Saturday night. The end is good on those days

I didn't see any effluent either, they're usually clear unless there are system issues but the overflow is there in case.