The Works - Manchester

The Works had been on my radar for years, but for one reason or another, it always eluded me. I did venture in briefly once, coming out of ‘Processor’, a tad further upstream on the Moston Brook. I only ventured as far as the penstock due to a friend who was still recovering from COVID at the time. Tackling the long stoop along some of the worst debris-filled flooring I’ve come across wasn’t exactly tempting me either after already being underground for most of the day so we vowed to return.

Eventually, I found myself walking the streets of Manchester in the height of summer donning waders whilst trying to locate one of the elusive entrances to the system. I had made a note of the penstock entrance during my last visit (or at least I thought I had), but I realised when I got there that it wasn’t right. I must have saved the location wrong or mistaken it for another water source.

We eventually figured out the way in by retracing our steps along the brook. The cool air from the culvert was a welcome and a familiar relief.

I had seen previous reports of this system and noted at least three portal entrances, so I was looking forward to tying it all together and seeing how the system connects. Back at the P37 penstock, the brook passes beneath, becoming a long, back-breaking stoop along an uneven, ankle-breaking floor, eventually outfalling into the remnants of old mill workings. The portal sits a few metres above jagged, moss-covered rocks, so it’s not exactly the best way in or out.

In flood conditions, the penstock can be lowered, and the incoming water is diverted over the walls and down two sets of staircases. I had missed this on my first brief visit, so it was a pleasant surprise to realise that the awkward stoop wasn’t the only way in. Over the overflow walls on the right-hand side, there’s an inspection shaft that around halfway up gives way to a corridor leading to the original penstock controls. These were well seized and not going to be put to use any time soon.

Following the stairs down to another steeper set of steps, we were finally into ‘The Works’. It wasn’t until Dan pointed it out that we noticed a calcified doll stuck in place at the bottom of the staircase, presumably it had been there for quite some time as it was well hardened and firmly set in place.

The passageways continue, twisting and turning in lovely old blue and red brick. A bend reveals a split, with the left-hand side bricked up, perhaps an older, disused sewer or maybe a last-minute decision to cancel a proposed dual-channel overflow? Who knows. Someone had also managed to hang a chandelier there, which I appreciated very much.

The way forward gets rather deep. It seems the lack of flow after a week of dry weather had allowed deep pools to form in the brick pipe. Eventually, the brick gives way to spraycrete, and then back to brick again before finally arriving on the banks of the Irk.

History

“A large 10ft brick overflow culvert carrying the Moston Brook into the river Irk known locally as ‘The Works’ a mixture of blue and red brick RCP meanders beneath the outskirts of the city. Sections of the outfall passage have been patched over with spraycrete keeping the displaced brickworks structural integrity. Numerous access shafts can be found along its route which look as if they haven't been lifted in some years. A few CSO's join the brook with one or two definitely flowing into the brook judging by the smell. Following the culvert upstream a junction can be seen with the left hand side bricked up, unsure of whether it had been purposely blocked off or just never built. Following the right hand passage a large set of calcified steps lead to the overflow chamber. A large penstock above can be lowered to divert the Moston brook's route over the brick walls and out to the Irk if needed via this alternative route. The original controls for the penstock can be accessed via a laddered shaft from either the overflow chamber or the surface. The Brooks General route flows beneath the penstock to a drain known as ‘inhospitable’ and for good reason.  Wading through here is slow and painful work with the passage lowering to a back breaking stoop which wouldn't be too bad if the floor was plastered with loose boulders that have gathered here over the years.The brook eventually outfalls from a similar brick RCP to the one we entered but this is around 8 ft from the floor and discharges into former Mill workings”.