Underground Manchester

[grimey121uk]

This site is located underground in Manchester near the cathedral,
It was used as public toilets and storage areas in the very early 1900s for boats traveling on the river Irwell. During the second world war it was converted into air raid shelters for over 3000 people from the local area.

Id imagine many tens of thousands of people walk over this every day without even knowing what they are walking on top of.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Cathedral_Steps (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Cathedral_Steps) -- wikipedia link with more information

This is quite a rare site, and only a handfull of people have visited it so far (we were not on an offical visit), we visited twice in 2008

We also filmed this with a night vision camcorder - http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8662986487058706861&hl=en#

Here are the images all taken in pitch black darkenss, no flash but uses the torch painting technique

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3518/3231910848_2cf63cb415_z.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3508/3231911128_d74f53d207_z.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3342/3231911314_445d7646ff_z.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3504/3231060773_2d53650035_z.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3384/3231911630_303eb7b54f.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3322/3231912118_b662c87ce6_z.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3079/3231061579_76df9c4efd.jpg

[Specialone]

Thats awesome mate, love things like that.
Is it public to view?

[grimey121uk]

Thats awesome mate, love things like that.
Is it public to view?


Sadly the public cannot see this :(
Its underground

[Specialone]

Sadly the public cannot see this :(
Its underground

So you was trespassing then :rolleyes:

[tigersaw]

Awesome. I've been to some of the underground bunkers under epsom downs, but none in such fantastic condition. I love all this urban exploration, but appreciate it needs to be kept secret to prevent vandalism.

[lukemillar]

Me too. I did a few excursions to Severalls mental hospital in Colchester. Man, some of the place really freaked me out! The site is huge.

Another guy's pics are here: (as I have too many to upload)
http://www.simoncornwell.com/urbex/tours2003.htm

[El Saxo]

Wow, nice pics. I've heard about the tunnels from someone at work but never realised exactly where they were - I used to walk past them every day going to Victoria station from work! I'd love to have a wander around a few places like that.

My dad used to work for the Post Office and was telling me about the tunnels underneath Manchester that he's been down - they now belong to BT IIRC and carry most of the phone lines & fiber optics under the city. Apparently they are large enough to drive a van through and were also reserved for use as shelters in the cold war era. A fire in one of the tunnels knocked out about half of the phone lines in Manchester a few years ago!

* Goes off to Google more urban exploration sites *

[KeithCRM]

* Goes off to Google more urban exploration sites *

Try this one: http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/index.php

[missyburd]

wow, how fascinating! Love steps back in time like this :-D

[no_akira]

Trafford Park made the merlin engines and generators for the russians during WW2. Was meant to have been a huge site with a large network of tunnels connecting all the buildings.

It's all been cleared in the redevelopment / Trafford park ind. estate, so I believe.

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1193083_manchesters_tunnel_vision

[timwilky]

The Metrovicks factory at TP, did indeed have some tunnels. The air raid shelters were left as abandoned at the end of the war, the ARP stuff was simply hung up and left. The works engineer who was the only person allowed down there told me it was just as they left it.

[Messie]

I love these types of places and pictures too.

I looked at Severalls in Colchester too - it's an abandoned Victorian mental asylum - and some great pictures of it, and so many other places, can be found here
http://www.abandoned-britain.com/

[Owenski]

I never knew this sort of thing generated such interest.
I had to do to a structural survey on Killingbeck Hospital in leeds a couple of years back, scared the crap out of me walking through some of the old nutter wards. Absolutly hated it at the time but loved the thrill of it after, there was drug evedece and the odd can of beer in certain ground floor rooms but as you ventured on to the upper floors it took some balls, it was obvious even the homeless and the traspassers hadnt ventured on up to the lepper unit, ill have a look for the pics on works machine.

[leebex]

I love these types of places and pictures too.

I looked at Severalls in Colchester too - it's an abandoned Victorian mental asylum - and some great pictures of it, and so many other places, can be found here
http://www.abandoned-britain.com/

wow knew that place was huge but not that huge!! interesting pics.

Heres a fave of mine, used to play here when I was a kid:

http://www.derelicte.co.uk/beacon-hill-fort

only the radar tower is open to the public, the rest is on privately owned land, fenced off.

[Daimo]

28days later site is really good, if you go back through the archieves, theres some fantastic sites. Some not in the UK also.

[dizzyblonde]

Excellent, I love explorations of old buildings and abandoned places. I'd reaaaaaally love to go to Chateau Noisy (Miranda) ..look it up on googlefu, its a real shame such a magnificent piece of architecture is left to rot.

[Milky Bar Kid]

As for the 28DL site, been reading through some of the reports, some of the finds they make are bloody amazing.

I think the pictures the OP posted on here are brilliant though. Really like them,.

[loonytoon]

ive done quite a bit of exploration myself inc, hospitals, mental asylums, detention centres, cinemas, tunnels, factorys.
you would be amazed with some of the stuff you can find an some fantastic pictures to be had.

[Luckypants]

The slanging posts have been moderated to remove swears. If continues those posts will be removed. Please stop the unnecessary derail of the thread.

EDIT: Now removed per my warning.

[Reeder]

Round near me in Hales we have Heckingham Institute. Really wanna have a look round but it's private property and boarded up. Drove onto the property one day just having a look at the outside and we were swiftly met by two men telling us to get off!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3579/3853220621_6e870b1ba2_o.jpg

[dizzyblonde]

wow that photo colouration looks really eerie Reeder.
You usually find some blokes 'swiftly moving you on' in those places. That chateau Noisy place is like that, as its falling apart so much. In fact in the silence of the place thats the only noise you hear....falling masonary! But there is some fabulous ceilings and staircases there and folk just can't help themselves to try taking a peek....at their own peril.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/69/217041874_c0965de3ca_o.jpg

http://www.pastglory.nl/data-pages-news/11-chateau-noisy/chateau-noisy.jpg

http://www.talkurbex.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/3026578865_5573143446_o.jpg

[Girth]

wow that photo colouration looks really eerie Reeder.
You usually find some blokes 'swiftly moving you on' in those places. That chateau Noisy place is like that, as its falling apart so much. In fact in the silence of the place thats the only noise you hear....falling masonary! But there is some fabulous ceilings and staircases there and folk just can't help themselves to try taking a peek....at their own peril.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/69/217041874_c0965de3ca_o.jpg

http://www.pastglory.nl/data-pages-news/11-chateau-noisy/chateau-noisy.jpg

http://www.talkurbex.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/3026578865_5573143446_o.jpg


Its such a shame that places like that are just being literally let to fall to pieces.

[dizzyblonde]

Its such a shame that places like that are just being literally let to fall to pieces.


It really is, its almost as if the country that has them are happy to allow it, just for the 'urban explorers'.
Rather than trawl through many sites that have pictures of many places, this photographer has a selection of some of my favourite achitectural ruins, amongst them Chateau Rochendaal.
http://vincentjansen.punt.nl/?gr=787808&page=2

[Reeder]

Wow that looks brilliant!
Where is it Dizz?

[dizzyblonde]

Funnily enough theres a pattern, all these places are found in Belgium, including Noisy (Miranda)
I wish someone could tell me why so many wonderful places are left to fall apart there!

Visited as recently as April. I'm surprised its not fallen down, I've been watching reports of visits here for around three years now.

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=613519

[Reeder]

I honestly wouldn't ever let anything like that fall down. Imagine how much they'd cost to build nowadays!

[dizzyblonde]

Sadly, I doubt the expertise to rebuild such places would be easy to find either :(

[Nobbylad]

I honestly wouldn't ever let anything like that fall down. Imagine how much they'd cost to build nowadays!

Yeah...but it would cost more to refurb than build from scratch.

[Milky Bar Kid]

Yeah...but it would cost more to refurb than build from scratch.

Think Reeders point was, why let them get to the stage they need a refurb. Why not look after buildings like those and keep them in good condition?

[munkygunn182]

I love all the urban ex stuff. If anyone else is interested, I've been up for a look at Caldwell House. Done every single room (in fairness, over many visits). It's dead handy as it's right at my work!

Next on the list is St Peter's Seminary, Cardross

And Inverkip Power Station...

[Specialone]

Yeah...but it would cost more to refurb than build from scratch.
Yeah it probably would be cheaper to refurb, but the new ones they build are never as good imo they would never incorporate the features like in that house into a new one.
Its a shame cos that building is amazing, some top architecture pieces in there.

[cluffy]

Didnt even know urban exploration existed till this thread, cant stop google'ing sites on it now. ive walked past those bricked up tunnels in manchester numerous times and always wondered what mite be lurking behind them, quite cool to think that theres actually something there but kinda annoying that you could never really experience these places for yourself.

[grimey121uk]

Didnt even know urban exploration existed till this thread, cant stop google'ing sites on it now. ive walked past those bricked up tunnels in manchester numerous times and always wondered what mite be lurking behind them, quite cool to think that theres actually something there but kinda annoying that you could never really experience these places for yourself.


Check out my blog, its a bit crap but it shows some of the sites I have done

http://l-glass.blogspot.com/

Everything from roof tops in Manchester to cold war bunkers in Preston

[Specialone]

]Didnt even know urban exploration existed[/B] till this thread, cant stop google'ing sites on it now. ive walked past those bricked up tunnels in manchester numerous times and always wondered what mite be lurking behind them, quite cool to think that theres actually something there but kinda annoying that you could never really experience these places for yourself.
Nor me :(
Its some cool sh1te :)

[Dave20046]

Great photos Grimey. Were you in pitch blackness then (bar a torch)? bet you shat your kegs!
Didnt even know urban exploration existed till this thread, cant stop google'ing sites on it now. ive walked past those bricked up tunnels in manchester numerous times and always wondered what mite be lurking behind them, quite cool to think that theres actually something there but kinda annoying that you could never really experience these places for yourself.

As Daimo said see 28dayslater site, fascinating. The old ROC posts pictures and locations are interesting - one got sold on ebay not too long ago. There's one near Castleton we could do an .org rideout, then bust-in for a few photos & a picnic :lol:.
There's a cavern in a train tunnel along the manchester-Sheffield line which I wouldn't mind a gander at. The old hospitals and mental asylums are worth a look too.
Great time waster looking through all the photos.