Urban Explorer

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Fresherjohn

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Just found this forum which has loads of shots with some interesting uses of lighting.
It includes this place, called Megatron, a massive storm drain in Sheffield under the train station.
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Before anyone gets excited about visiting anywhere like this I should point out there are loads of danger warnings on the forums as its not a safe place to be!
 
I've been interested in urban exploring but I don't have the nads, nor the know-how, nor the equipment to do it.

You need a decent knowledge of the law, to be in decent shape, and sometimes some quite heavy equipment - i.e. breathing apparatus, climbing gear, etc.
 
I'd love to have a go at it, but I lack a car, I do have a friend that really into caving though so I might try to get him to come too as he has lots of saftey related knowledge
 
Be really careful.
Be really really careful. Do you have a personnel alarm calibrate for low oxygen and toxic and flammable gases?
Accident waiting to happen.
Technically an enclosed space? You wouldnt be working there without brteathing apparatus escape kit, rope and a recovery team with an A frame.
Potentiallu hazardous atmosphere, lack of oxygen, asphyxiating gases, toxic gasses - especially hydrogen sulphide, and potentially explossive.
 
Storm drain exploring is one of the areas of urbex that I don't think I'll ever want to risk trying out. Far too dangerous.
 
28DL is a great site - I'm especially a fan of abandoned asylums and as you say there are some superb shots on there. I joined the site a few years ago and the quality of photography on there has really improved.

Posts seem to have slowed a bit recently though.

I've been to a few sites but unfortunately never properly explored them on account of being a paranoid lardarse.. perhaps all us nancies should get together and do somewhere - we could all hold hands :p
 
There are a number of other forums out there and you don't need to go exploring all the really big dangerous stuff.

PPE is a must though!
 
I will be doing these storm drain in summer as some of the access is flooded at the moment. It is going to be carefully co-ordinated and will be going down with the peeps that did the trip on 28 days later.

I wouldnt recommend doing it on your own or in a small group. Let someone know where you are gonig to be and a time you should have made contact by. waders are eseential at any time of year, we will have experienced explorers and climbers available to us. Saftey is always number 1.

Insurance would be a good thing to check for you and your gear!
 
33L said:
Insurance would be a good thing to check for you and your gear!
Click to expand...


I'd love to see how many insurance companies would insure you for going into storm drains if it's not part of your profession.
 
good point however i work for one of the big health insurers, and any this woudnt be different to cave exploration or any other extreme exploration where there is a significant risk to health if not done right.
 
I am a climber and mountaineer, I have trained in industrial rope access, and I am not risk adverse. In my youth I was also a caver.

You do realise that "going down with the peeps that did the trip on 28 days later" does not in itself make it safe. Are they professional drain inspectors?

If you encounter a hazardous atmosphere the numbers in the group, and leaving a note of where you are going are not going to save your life. You need appropriate escape equipment and gas alarms.

"waders" are a potential death trap. If you havent been trained, you would probably be better off in safety boots and let your feet get wet. Have you tried swimming in wellies? or been inverted in waders? how long can you hold your breath for?

The risks involved are in no way comparable to caving.

Without anything actually going wrong you will be exposed to a very substantial risk of Leptospirosis / Weil's Disease. Ditto "Needle Stick".

You are not going to get insurance for this.

Are you fully aware of the risks, and have you accepted the range of possible consequences. If you have sorted all this out go for it.
 
I'd love to be reckless enough to do that kind of thing, but in all honesty it really gives me the creeps.
 
m


You cant be too carefull at any time.
This was taken in 'Macro', underneath Bradford. At some points the water was 10cm, at others it was a metre deep, sometimes slow.......more often fast flowing.
Thats just the water, dont forget it will be pitch black...normal torches dont cut through the gloom (we use 2.5 million candle power just to navigate)...taking pictures is another thing altogether!
So thats the water and the dark, then there's the noise........oh, and the disease risks
Its not something to be taken lightly at all.

But the images are stunning.....
 
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