Flo Selecta - Derby

The full name is “Captain Birdseye Flo Selecta.” It’s a drain I’ve visited before, but I always felt the need to return for better photos, especially of the grilled in fall, which is the largest I’ve ever seen. Last time it was quite dark down there, so when a friend who hadn’t been before wanted to go, I was more than happy to accompany them.

It was a boiling August bank holiday weekend, and from the look of the car park it was clear people were out in force. Sliding through some palisade fencing in our waders, we headed down unnoticed by the public. There are effectively two large in falls here, both grilled and both looking a bit over the top for what they are. They’re easily spotted on Google Earth, which makes them simple to find.

It’s not the most feature rich drain and mainly consists of a few brick arched bends, access shafts to the surface, and an outfall into a large lake about a mile from the entrance. The water eventually winds its way through Derby to another culvert downstream on the Markeaton Brook, known as “Boredomiser.” The last 50 metres or so are made up of a fairly large concrete box.

History

“Captain Birdeye's Flo Selecta is a storm relief culvert for the Markeaton Brook in Derby. The original 1938 tunnel was partially lined in 2006, but the brick crown was retained. At that time, a couple of large grilled outfall chambers were also added. The numerous fish within the culvert are likely the origin of its name. The otherwise straight tunnel featured approximately three turns, and at a couple of these locations, shafts rose to the surface. These shafts incorporated a series of steps, likely designed to slow the descent of water entering from surface drains roughly 100 feet above”.