So you were wondering where I've been?

Urbex has taken a back seat of late as I have been blessed with the birth of a son! Adventures in to dark places have been confined to the contents of his nappy!

I pledge to return as soon as I'm able. Trying to catchup today and it look like NW Exploration has closed and Broken Britain is closing. Where are the people no talking?

Tooled up!

I have finally been reunited with my old UE kit from back in the day.

I've added to it with a new Gamma headlamp from Alpkit.com which is the dogs.

Kit List:

1000 candle spot light
2d Maglite
Gamma LED Headlamp
Backup headlamp
Oodles of spare batteries
Work Gloves
Fluro vest
JSP Hardhat
Spare Batteries
Compass
Swiss Army knife
Canon Eos 400D SLR camera

Now what to do with it all- I need to work on some new explores stat.

Later...peeps

Whoops long time no typey!

Been busy on the DIY front and seeing friends so not been out much in the UE- niverse.

However, a few weeks ago in early May I went out and did a long recce of various sites. I found an old partially filled in railway tunnel that runs near to Old Trafford Cricket ground and followed that for several hundred yards until a point where it was sealed up. I then followed the course of the Bridgewater canal from Old Trafford up in to Castlefield looking for possible site of old tunnels sadly to no avail. I did however find a sweet storm drain that I’d like to explore in the future.

Pictures will follow.

Dodgehill and Brinksway WW2 Air Raid Shelter

Just got back from an great morning in Stockport. Met Gage at 7am and explored Brinksway and Dodgehill WW2 Air Raid Shelters that are cut in to the sandstone in the heart of the town.

Dodgehill Shelter

We parked up close to Dodgehill and found the entrance easily (Big thanks to the guys on the forum who provided those access details- You know who you are) but unfortunately couldn't find a way in without getting wet! We checked our gear then made the crawl in. It was suprisingly warm inside and we began to explore leaving a beacon to find the way out- We were later glad we had. Dodgehill consists of a set of tunnels that wind their way in to the hill with most corridors lined with old metal bunks.

We soon realised that you can never have enough light in underground sites! My little torch was woefully inadequate. We wandered around for an hour doing our best not to get lost in the twisting tunnels.

Emerging in to the light we were caked in mud but keen to see the next site.

Brinksway

The other shelter was a short drive away in a more residential area. We parked up and found the way in. New problem - Gage and I would not be described as waif like - and the access here was through an even smaller hole than at Dodgehill.

We both just about made it with our hands above our heads and skidded down the banked earth inside the hole. This shelter has had a few more people through it judging from the rubbish down here.

Similar layout and style but it did feel different. It was colder and many walls were cover in a white mold. There were several orignal lanterns lying around that previous explorers had used to house their tea lights.

We followed one tunnel and discoved a manhole cover that wouldallow easier access in the future. However on the outside it proved impossible to locate despite 20mins hunting for it. We decided to round off the trip with a quick look at Barnes Hospital for Gage's benefit.

Unfortunately we heard voices once we were inside and bumped in to security about ten minutes later. Oh well! Two and a half out of three aint bad.

All in all a great mornings exploration.

Offkilter

Bank Holiday

Ah the bank holiday! The great British Institution. Spent the day decorating today but have big plans for this weekend of the UE variety. Have batteries - will travel.

I do get seriously inspired reading other peoples post on the forums. Also by good music. Just discovered the Gutter Twins on Jools Holland- Great QOTSA + Nick Cave crossover in my tastes!

Okay late and tired now- Beddie byes.

Worsley 4 Group, Anti Aircraft ops room, REPORT 27/04/08

Hi all,

I visited here this Sunday just gone. Its well worth a proper look around. The bunker is sealed up tight but it is in a really interesting spot with drains sewers and other tunnels in the vicinity. There are several circular stone areas that seem to have been filled up in the past. Could be bases for old fountains or access to drains. The area is landscaped and was probaly ground for Worsley Old Hall- Lots to explore in general so please read on.....

Have been doing a bit of reading about potential Manchester explores and after a weekend of decorating decided I needed a little fix. A few junctions round the M60 I entered the woods in search of Worsley - 4 Group, 70 Brigade AAOR. This is a post war Anti Aircraft Ops room and one hell of a bunker from what I'd read on Subbrit.

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/sites/w/worsley/index.html

The Worsley post war anti aircraft operations room was opened in 1952 on the site of Worsley New Hall which had been pulled down after the first world war. The AAOR served the Manchester Gun Defended Area (GDA) and was of the standard two level design built into the edge of the hillside in Middle Wood.

A quick hop across a small wall and I began bushwhacking through a forest of Rhodo dodos. There was more wood and foliage than I was expecting and it wasn't proving an easy find. Fifteen minutes of Romancing the Stone-esq buchwhacking and I discoved a very old wall. This is either remains of Worsley Hall gardens or something else entirely of a possible redoubt nature. Something of interest to follow untill I hit the jackpot.

It was looming out of the forest - boy this is a big bunker. The eastern wall is easily thirty feet high- Obviously had to be big to fit two levels inside. I had a walk around looking for access. Lots of graphitti but no way in- Doors are welded shut at the south entrance and padlocked and welded to the north- Humpf.

Got on to the roof in an undignified manner and had a look at the ventilation pipe on top and took some more pics.
This place needs proper look around as there are various manholes in the ground most of which are open and appear to be drainage or sewerage- But there are others...purpose unknown.

Its a great hunk of concrete in the middle of nowhere but worth the drive. There were lots of other intriging features in these woods that I need to research more. What was the wall for (Timeteam please)? What were the manholes and other concrete filled holes I found in the Rhodos?

I will be back to look again soon but for now my roast dinner was calling me home.

Offkilter_________________Always naughty – never nasty