Stockport Power Station tunnels
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- Опубликовано: 18 сен 2024
- Subterranean Stockport. Stockport power station was also known as Millgate Power station. It was built in 1898 and was operational until 1976. It stood derelict until 1981 when demolition commenced. On the site now is a retail park and you would never know the Power station was once there. But underneath the original infrastructure of the power station is still intact. In the form of the old water intake tunnels for the steam turbines. The water intake tunnels utilised the old corn mill tunnels of stockport. Ancient Corn mill tunnels. These tunnels had their source at a river and sent water to turn waterwheels. We enter the Stockport power station tunnels via a water surge pipe. Then we have to pass underneath a partly closed penstock which is very frightening. Inside we can see the old chambers that took water into the power station for the boilers. The station was built to provide power for the Stockport tram system initially then domestic and industrial demand increased. The power station underwent various re fits one in the 1930's and one in the 1950's. Situated on the river Goyt in Stockport the power station was unusual in that it had two wooden cooling towers. This is also a part of Manchester history.
Joy Division Photo by Paul Slattery. Other Photos are randomly dispersed around the internet and shared in facebook groups so its difficult to credit any individual. However thank you for having the presence of mind to record this place. Thank you in advance for any health and safety concerns however lectures will not be tolerated. Thank you Roy, Marcus and James. Big thank you to Roy for finding this hell hole. Thanks everyone for your support, always appreciated. 👍🏻
That place would give me nightmares for weeks, hats off to you Martin for soildering on by yourself, you are a braver man than me.
Thank you, yes you know what they say, Curiosity .....
That pen stock is absolutely frightening. It's probably the most butt clenching I did when watching your videos. What a great report, thank you!
Thanks very much
Very interesting. Worked in a power station but we never got to see the inlet pipes. Those circular things you saw in the chambers behind the penstocks are band screen filters. Essentially you have 2 sets of filters. The coarse screen which is on the river side which filters out floating debris such as logs, bits of gas pipes and dead bodies (sadly true). The fine filters rotate and filter out suspended plant matter like leaves and twigs. The idea is that as they rotate then a jet of water blasts the debris clear from a dry side of the filter which returns the matter to the river. The semi clean water then passes through the condensors and is returned to the river downstream after its been through the cooling towers. The water for the turbines is on a different circuit because its too impure for use in a turbo alternator - generally you use town water for use in the boilers but it has to be treated before use with Hydrazine and Caustic Soda
Interesting. I wasnt sure how it all worked and it was quite frustrating
That's really interesting, tell us more! It's always funny when activist groups refer to steam coming from cooling towers as smoke, misleading people. I had a look around Fiddlers Ferry with work in the late 80s and then around the hydroelectric station in Wales and a nuclear one. They interested me for the mechanical side of things! I would like to know things like how much water is used, flow rates etc. Boring to most people I know.
Those pipes would be a nightmare for me. Hats off to you all.
They were a nightmare for me too 😦
You guy's went well above and beyond to bring us this one!. Brilliant as always.
Thank you Gareth
Yes! You could also say they went below and underneath to bring us this one!
The tightrope between heroism and lunacy has been trod with this one. Add in the incredible audio and the peril feels very real.
Going under ancient penstocks like that is borderline. If it fell who know that they are there??? Sketchy .................
I think your probably right 😄
Worked on "C" scheme @ Cornbrook Chemical Colours. You worked a 12 hour shift . Went for a shower , tipped a container of neat soap over you and SCRUBBED SCRUBBED and SCRUBBED. then you took a good hot shower. Came out with blue mascara round the eyes ! Went o bed and woke up with the sheets the same colour blue ! So much for health and safety. Never existed in the day. Brilliant video my friend , and hoping for many more from you and the team.
Of course all this stress could have been avoided had James brought a brew and biscuits. Great video, balls of steel the lot of ya.
Yes we needed a slightly stronger beverage after that
You must have balls of steel Martin! Never get me down there! Thank you for sharing xx
Thank you, its more that am just a knob 😄
@@MartinZero far from it! Took some balls that. Had me breathing in when you were going g through that tight gap 😂
Knob means something else across the pond... "It isn't steel balls, I'm actually the shaft portion". Truly impressive though. @@MartinZero
This is possibly the most horrifying video I’ve seen in a while.
Hats off to you for the bravery to be able to tell the stories of our city.
I've explored some crazy tight places but this was on another level and on your own. Great video Martin, God bless you all
Thanks Darren
No Martin , just no....👀 .I'm in the no way Jose camp for going in there ! It's making me so anxious just watching you. I can't do confined spaces, that's a complete nightmare 'get me out of here ' situation, I have the utmost respect for you guys , cracking location and fantastic to hear the history of the place .As for the chapel and older buildings, I think there is more appreciation nowadays of buildings that have historic value. It's a shame that so much was demolished , some beautiful architechture has been lost forever. Thank you so much for putting this video together. It's Very much appreciated 👍
Thank you Barbara, yes I think today that Hanover chapel would have survived
I remember someone telling me years ago. When the men came to move the lead coffins from Hannover chapel, a coffin broke open and the woman inside was preserved. She was in her best victorian clothing.
Oh wow !
Im from the area and a woman also told me she seen them being removed do you no where they moved them to?
I have fading memories of Saturday mornings going to Stocky with my grandad in the 70's... One of the things I always did, was go to the back of StMarys church and look down on the power station , and wave to the guys you'd see working in the big grey building in front of the 2 wooden cooling towers in your 1946 pic... It had a huge side door on the second floor that was always open, and you'd see workers with rolled up sleeves, having a fag or walking past this opening.... Thank you guys for this vid, it brings back so many cherished memories of a time gone by.
Lots of history in Stockport please do more,,!
Also lots in Hazel grove and poynton with mines
@@True.Methodthe forgotten dog track in Hazel Grove. Poynton Ice House at the Towers
@@apb3251 We have covered the Ice house in a 5 things video 👍🏻
unbelievable Martin and team , your taking these explores to another level
Well on this occasion it was a bit oo err
One or two steps into there and I would be unconscious on the floor. My tummy was in my mouth all through that. Nearly stopped watching but I had to see how it ended. You really scared me. Thanks for taking me along. Please take care
Hi Linda. All good but I did have to contemplate the worst 😄
@@MartinZero me too, just had to watch to make sure you ok 😉
Just made fresh coffee....
Now time for another great Martin and team watch.........
Enjoy 😉👍
Respect to you guys! I was in a WW2 bunker a couple of years ago. The roof had collapsed and it was a little tight getting in and out. Had nightmares that night. I'm still not sure if I'd go back to that place and it wasn't half as bad as what you guys endured. Hats off to you all!
Great Work Martin and team what you do to bring us all these amazing pieces of footage is really appreciated very bravev of you all.
Take care and thank you for your amazing exploits and adventures in those adverse conditions.
Just be extra careful going forward we wouldnt want anything happening to you all.
Thanks guys, I wont be going back in a hurry
Respect to you lads and especially Martin for going through that Penstock! Great work guys! I was at a Greggs near my work last week and I couldn't believe it when I saw Roy! It was great to finally meet him and hope that I didn't freak him out too much!
Oh right I think he mentioned it. He was probably surprised
I can’t imagine you ever contemplating tackling this a few years ago. Not sure I would do it. Well done. 👏👏
I have just got dafter 😄
@@MartinZeroit's age Martin. We get dafter as we get older, I think 😂
Thank you Martin. Another great video. I'm young (or old) enough to remember the power station in situ.
I really wish I had seen it Ruth
Well lads, you excelled yourselves this time. I have seen 90% of your back catalogue and this to me way by far the scariest. The only saving grace for me was the fact that you actually posted the footage which meant that you got out! What a team. This video also ‘scratched an itch’ for me. I have seen a few photos of Stockport with a cooling tower in the background and was always curious as to where exactly it was. Well now I know and a lot more besides. For me, this is the best type of video you produce. I cannot thank you enough Just one team member missing - Timmy. You don’t seem to mention him much these days, I do hope that he is still with us. Where was the tea break and music? lol . Again thank you ALL for this.
Hello, how you doing. Timmy is well I was with him and James yesterday. There was a lot to cram in this video and I still didnt get it all in so I didnt really have a place for refreshments. It was a scary one to film though 😄
Absolutely brilliant Martin. I was on the edge of my seat more than a couple of times during this video. Well over and above the call of duty. Thank you.
My goodness that was something else. No wonder you had nightmares. Brave men . What excellent filming . You are all genius. Brilliant. Thrilling and scary throughout. Wow wow wow. Thank you .
Bloody brilliant Martin, hats off to you all… braver man than me but utterly fascinating what lies beneath
Hello Martin, I spent the first 20 years of my life in Stockport, I can remember the sight of the power station very well, my uncle spent all his working life at that power station until he retired in the mid 1960's. I remember the day they blew up the cooling tower, me and my friend were up in the market for some reason ( I can't remember why) but the bang of the explosion scared us to death, it was so loud we thought a bomb had gone off. I moved away in 1984, my mum also left in 1986, so I've had no reason to go back, it's changed so much, I think I'd get lost if I ever went back there now. You're a very brave man going into those tunnels. I suffer from Gephyrophobia nothing on earth would get me to go anywhere near them. Saying that I do really enjoy your videos, they are really interesting. Best Wishes from Yorkshire 😊
Thank you Diane. You definitely have a connection to Stockport and the Power station then.
Just watching gave me sweaty palms and the shudders. Well done team, but especially Martin for pressing on alone.
Thank you all so much for bringing us that! Fascinating and scary to watch. Respect and thanks again for what you do.
Now that my heart rate has returned to normal, I would like to congratulate you and your team on your sensible approach to this exploration. Should you have been there? No! But, unlike some urban explorers I could mention you guys come with the right kit, a genuine interest in history and none of the childish bravado. The video was excellently pieced together and had just the right pace.
You should have been greeted with a nice cup of tea after re-emerging from the pen-stock. Did nobody brew up?
Thanks Richard. Yes although not the first to go in we really wanted to video and document the place. When we got out it was a lager on this occasion 😁
Particularly brilliant stuff, Martin and the team. You should never feel the need to explain why you feel cautious at times....you are all incredibly fearless! Thank you for showing us the incredible constructions of our forbears, and for the strong and moving sense of history that you capture and narrate so well.
This is a hard watch but amazing job, story telling, editing and music. Well done
Thanks very much Percy
Time to sit down and enjoy Team Zero’s latest adventure.
Oh yes 👍😄
Huge respect for the effort you guys take to bring us these videos. It must have took nerves of steel to venture so far into those tunnels.
It always amazes me just how much has changed, when you bring up old photos from less than a generation ago, and there's entire neighbourhoods gone without a trace; and I think about how much has been erased... and it wasn't even considered notable at the time. Thank-you for mentioning the _Without a Trace_ book, I've gone and ordered myself a copy, because that looks like it'll be fascinating; and thank-you for recording all this "unremarkable" infrastructure that this city is built on, even as it's busy disappearing!
The Shirley Baker book is great. Its mainly a photo book but wonderful photos. Hope you enjoy
A couple of those old industrial scenes are amazing. I would have loved to explore a city like that back in the day.
Great explore! When I think the places we explored as kids... Abandoned underground culvert tunnels, rusty abandoned scrap cars, looking into a seemingly bottomless abandoned coal shaft, oil drums dumped in wasteland that would ooze black tar in the hot summers. I had similar nightmares as a kid, especially about the brick lined coal shaft. You had to squeeze through a hole in the concrete cap and onto a thin ledge with only a line of bricks to stop you falling in as we peered over.. There was deep water way down (a brick / stone would bounce off the walls and after 4 - 5 seconds would be a huge deep splash into it) Good job my mum never knew about any of our 'playgrounds' in the 70's! 😂
That sounds nightmarish 😄
I remember exploring around the Chadderton power station just after the cooling towers were demolished, there were loads of tunnels with sheer drops in them around the canal. Wish we'd explored them more now! 😞
Brilliant video and explore. I remember my Grandad taking me to the top of New Zealand Rd to watch the cooling tower get raised to the ground.
Once again you crawl into a place I could never go. Watching you creep under that penstock I started sweating and I whispered "No way, Jose." Thanks so much for your enthusiasm and deep research. The editing on this video is quite compelling - fresh and interesting.
I’ve always been terrified of penstocks, I felt your pain.😳
Great video by the way.🏆
Cheers Kev, yeah they are scary buggers
Awsome Martin . As a Stockport resident for 20 + years and have seen random pictures of the cooling tower ( usually looking across the railway viaduct ) that shot from 1946 was jaw dropping !! Stay safe !
Well done Martin, James, Roy, and Marcus .....One of the most dangerous and impressive projects to date...well impressive.👌👌👌👌👊👏👏👏👏
I watched the power station cooling towers be demolished when I was a kid, there on Portwood! Was spectacular!
I would loved to have seen that
@@MartinZero I was only 6 but still remember it to this day!! 😄
The obelisk @15:00 is across the road (Lancashire Hill) in the (now overgrown) gardens of the former orphanage/college (now old folks home) at the top of Dodge Hill (where the air raid shelter video was filmed)
The obelisk is still there and the line of sight from the picture @15:00 would go directly over Tiviot Dale (now the M60) to see St. Mary's church to the right and Millgate Power Station (roughly where an Aldi is) would have been to the left of the church and surrounding onto Newbridge Lane.
Absolutely hairaising! I wouldn't do that for all the water in Stockport! I hate to think what pollutents were in those tunnels. You deserve a medal!
Thanks Malcolm. To be honest the water looked very clear
Scary stuff, but remember, the cameraman never dies.
Thats reassuring 😃
Wow Martin. I know you heard this before ... but ..Big Balls of steel you have for going under that gate. Bravo crew .. ie Marcus, Roy, and James... Thanks again for all you guys do.... Best Regards from Chicago ..
Usually when I watch your expeditions I tend to think I might joing something like that even when it's murky and unpleasant. But this one... nope. Hats off for going in there. That narrow downward sloping tube would have been a dealbreaker for me. You're crazy in the best possible way.
Brilliant, thank you for the upload! 😊
Thanks my friend
My anxiety was through the roof watching this!!! Well done.
We moved to Stockport in 1966 so I can remember Mersey Square as it was and the power station, although I didn't go to Portwood very often. I can also remember hearing all the sirens on a Sunday morning when the aircraft came down at Hope's Carr.
The pub you showed on Lancky Hill was, if my memory serves me well, run by Alec Stepney when he retired as goal keeper for United.
Thanks for posting this chaps, it took some (more) bottle to go down there.
Wow incredible you heard the sirens for the crash. Thank you 👍🏻
I'm four minutes into this and it's incredibly disturbing. But thank you for going there and sharing with us!
Cheers Daniel. This one was a bit of a Bitch 😄
This place was incredible! Huge respect for you pushing on Martin!
you wouldn't get me down there for a million quid because i'm petrified of small spaces , so i take my hat off to you Martin , well done
Above and beyond the call of duty Martin, Roy, James and Marcus and a riveting video from start to finish. Thank you so much guys🙂👍
Thank you very much Martin
@@MartinZero 👍🍻
Absolutely fantastic video Martin and guys
Thanks Danny
Okay Martin, you officially made me stop the video a number of times from it just being too scary to watch. Glad everyone made it out without any injuries. I do have to admit that this was a very interesting video and am looking forward to the next one.
That place really is the stuff of nightmares. Fair play to you for going through the last bit on your own.
Fantastic interesting video.
Cheers, it was very interesting
Absolutely amazing, this is the sort of content we should see on BBC and ITV to give younger people an idea of our industril heritage.
They would still be filling out the risk assessment 😄👍🏻
The big crypt seen in the graveyard belonged to Sir William Pendlebury. Pendlebury Hall opposite was originally an orphanage. The monument was not only opposite his hall but looked across the town to the gas works which he helped pay for. Sir Ralph had a bit of history mostly good but some not so good but hey, look what he achieved. I struggle to paint a landing! By the way I remember sitting on Tiviot Dale platform as a kid on a gloomy winter evening waiting for a steam train and looking up at Hanover church, seeing touch lights behind the glass and Dad saying it was haunted because of witch craft rituals. Made me shudder! Great, excellent video!
Thats interesting. Thank you for the info
Sir Ralph Pendlebury
One of your best! Felt the jeopardy.
An astonishing and highly interesting video, Martin. I recall the power station being in operation during the 1960s, and the the demolition in the 1980s. A landmark of the town, it was prominant from Stockport railway viaduct, and when the place was demolished it looked bare. Who would have ever thought that those passages/tunnels would still be there for you to discover in 2024! Totally incredible after all that time. You all did very well to cope with the conditions inside, and especially yourself Martin, going much further on beyond that tight penstock. Very well explained Martin, this is one of the ultimate Zero films, and glad that you are safe. Many, many, thanks.
Thanks very much. I really wish I had seen the place back then
I've always said I'd buy you a coffee or a beer if we met, now I've finally used this Thanks for the first time lol, you do some amazing vids and I absolutely love watching them!
Cheers Mart and keep up the great work!
Thank you very much. Really appreciate that 😃👍🏻
Well done Martin and gang! That took guts.
Christ...that looked bloody terrifying! Amazing video
Thank you, and yes it did freak me out
Yikes! Edge of the seat stuff there Martin! Thanks, really enjoyed it!
That 2nd Penstock access decision was made by just you Martin. Frightening!!. Thankfully you got out safely.
Yeah I knew I wasnt going back so had to do it all
Hi guys. I`ve enjoyed your vids for ages, but this is the most frightening for me. Well done.
Cheers Mick
One of your best videos yet... amazing.... you're all very very bonkers... great video...
Frightening! Nightmarish! Thanks for bringing us this. I grew up in Stockport and well remember the huge cooling tower and the gasometers. Also walking up Lancashire Hill to choir practice in Pendlebury Hall - but not as far up as the Hanover Chapel. I look forward to the next video.
well done Martin and the boys, another informative and interesting look at local history .I look forward to your next vid best wishes Perth west Australia
Of all the explores, this one is by far the pinnacle of success. The first pen-stock was the thing of nightmares and you traversed past a second. You all have a fearless courage few posses. Kudos to ALL of you in getting this epic explore completed for all us naves to enjoy.
Thank you. It was more curiosity. I had seen pics and had to go and get my own
Excellent video guys and thanks so much for taking such risks for us - PLEASE? PLEASE BE CAREFUL THOUGH!
Thanks Alan, yeah no more of that nonsense now
I always thought of you as adventurous, but but now I think that you are brave too. Crawling under the blade of a guillotine and then entering a chamber that might not have an exit, is much more than I would do for reasons much more important than making a video for us. So thanks!
I feel you guys' research into these places is very accurate, yet, this video was frightening to me! Be safe!! and thanks!
Thank you Bill
Brilliant video from you guys had me on the edge of my seat well done👍
Bloody hell martin I was getting more n more anxious watching that. You n the gang deserve a v c for that. Brilliantly exciting but must have been very very daunting!! Hats off again! 👍
Thanks Gareth, yeah it was daunting. Specially having to go back a second time
I puckered up just watching, and I like tunnels.
Brilliant film. A Zero classic. We recorded at Strawberry Studios back in the 80s, and it’s fascinating to see the Stockport of the past. Great work.
Lucky you. I would love to go in there
The fact you went twice is crazy 😱 well done balls of steel.
Yes tell me about it. Purely daft 😄
First time I’ve ever been literally on the edge of my seat watching a YT video!! 😅 Great explore!
Cheers Peter 👍🏻
You take suffering for your art to a whole new level.
I know, am such a Knob 😄
Wow, not surprised it gave you nightmares awesome explore.
I worked in a unit in portwood and watched the cooling tower come down Martin long forgotten memory this thank's for the post buddy.
Thank you, envious that you saw it 👍
I’m experiencing nightmares and I wasn’t even there!
Very interesting video, thanks!
Yes Martin!! This is a proper “Martin Zero” video back underground! Really enjoyed this and huge respect for going beyond the penstock solo! Makes you wonder how engineers got down to change the mesh filters on those water intakes, all very fascinating,
I think the engineers back in the day would have had a more sensible route in
That was a mega video Martin, really enjoyed that. Proper scary moments but amazing to see what’s still there. Would love for you to do one on the old power station in Chadderton. There’s nothing left but I remember the towers coming down and exposing the ruins. There must be some tunnels still left.
Yeah I remember Chadderton. 3 cooling towers and 2 chimneys wasnt it
All I can see is red eyes looking at you in the tunnels Woo Woo. Great video, Martin and the crew 👍
You saw them as well !!
@@MartinZero 😂😂
Martin I can't thank you enough for what you are doing to preserve our history and share these places with the world.
Thank you, this place was special for me
I know the feeling, in our latest video, we returned to the mine from the prior video, which does not have good air, and I lay awake most of the night prior, my mind racing with scenarios. In the end, all turned out to be fine. I was on edge just watching you do all that!
Yeah some of the stuff you do is incredible
Thanks for another wonderful video Martin. I live in New Zealand now but I used to live in the High Peak, this is fascinating and so well put together. Wonderful to see.
Thanks very much Billy
Martin, I would not have gone down the slope let alone under the penstock. You are a braver man than me, by far.
The slope was horrible the first time because I just didnt know if i'd be able to get back up
Nice one Martin, great episode as always, I was quite tense watching you guys slide down that tunnel without knowing how you would get out.
I can’t believe how tall these lads are getting either!
Anyway, Cheers! 🍻
Cheers thank you, yep he towers over me
Incredible what a video martin !!
Cheers thank you
Brilliant video guys ,I grew up in Stockport can remember the stink of the gas works and power station,when the cooling tower was demolished in 1981 we watched from the top of New Zealand road, my son was watching with us he would have been three years old.
An old Irishman lived on our street he was a navvy and helped on the power works improvement had a fall from a scaffold he ended up with one leg shorter than the other
He had an enormous orthopaedic shoe it always looked about six inches high never forget him we used to mock him as kids do he used to growl at us we would all run off as he couldn’t catch us.
Bloody heck I remember people wearing raised shoes. You dont see it anymore
Well done fellas on this one,You wouldn't of got me under that penstock😮
That was the first time it looked really scary for me! Well done to you all! 😵💫I have dealt with rough seas and give me those anytime!
Fantastic video 😊 thanks for brightening up Sunday ❤
Thank you