Explored with The Wombat
History
Due to its location beside the confluence of the River Derwent and the Markeaton brook, Derby has a long history of being flooded from either the brook or the river. In the early 1930s there were two major floods caused by the brook, which provided the impetus to find a solution, and prevent further flooding in Derby. The first was in September 1931 when heavy rain across Derbyshire, caused substantial flooding from the brook in the centre of the town. Residents living alongside the course of the brook were trapped in their houses, and produce from nearby allotments was uprooted and swept through the streets. The second flood occurred less than a year later in May 1932; again intense rainfall caused the brook to overflow, with considerable flooding throughout the central shopping quarter. A contemporary account recalls that; "Water poured into the streets and many houses were filled to a depth of six or seven feet. In the low-lying parts of the town it gathered quickly and, by ten o’clock on this memorable Sunday morning, shops in the Cornmarket, St James’s Street and the bottom end of St Peter’s Street were immersed half-way up the windows. The centre of town presented the appearance of a lake and the sight was unforgettable."
Derby Cornmarket, May 1932
Following the floods of 1931 and 1932, the Borough council arranged for an investigation to be carried out into the flooding problem within the catchment. The planned solution was the construction of two flood relief culverts, with associated improvements to the sewerage system. Opened in 1938, the largest of the diversion tunnels was called the Northern Flood Relief Culvert, and drains excess flows from the Markeaton and Mackworth brooks. The second, known as the Bramble brook culvert takes surplus flows for that tributary stream. The northern relief culvert commences at Markeaton Park, near to the confluence of the Markeaton and Mackworth brooks. Each brook has its own inlet spillway, with a weir that overflows during periods of high flows. Flows from these inlets converge, and are then taken by the relief culvert eastwards for 2.2 km through the suburbs of Derby, to an outfall with the Derwent in Darley Park. In 2006, the inlet works were improved and upgraded to cope with changes in the catchment that have occurred since the original design.
Improvements being made, 2006
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This has been on my urbex bucket list since starting. It was certainly worth the anticipation, we spent a good hour an a half in there, before realising how limited for time we were. When exiting, we surprised an Angler , who watched in bemusement as we clambered out and made our way back to the car.
Great explore with my old partner in crime
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Cheers for Looking
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