In this video we visit the Anderton Boat lift one of the wonders of the canal world in the Canals of Britain. There is also a steam heritage day on that day. so we get to see some wonderful steam vehicles. The Anderton boat lift links the Trent and Mersey canal to the River Weaver navigation in Cheshire. The boat lift is a Iron beauty that was built for the cheshire salt industry in Northwich. The Anderton boat lift is a wonder of Victorian Engineering.

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The Anderton Boat Lift. The workings

In this video we re visit Part 4 of the River Cornbrook journey. To correct a fact we got wrong in Cornbrook 4. Its regarding the location that the traction engine went through a hole in the road in Ardwick Manchester. History of Manchester. Manchester History

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The lost Rivers of Manchester. Cornbrook 4 b The correction

In this video we explore one of Manchester's lost Rivers. The River Cornbrook. This is part 4 and the River Cornbrook now traverses underneath the Ardwick area of Manchester. We start near the Ardwick Apollo theatre. Towards Hyde Road and then underneath the Hyde Road Bus depot. We end up in Higher Ardwick Manchester in an area of former railway sidings. In this underground river urbex . We also take in the history of Manchester. As we look at the sight of the former Ardwick Cemetery. The wonderful architecture of the Nicholls School building and take in some old photographs of Manchester. As per usual our Cornbrook underground journey turns into a historical tour of Manchester

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The Lost Rivers of Manchester. The Cornbrook Part 4

In this video we look for Lost Manchester. Through old maps of Manchester and old photo's of Manchester we look at the History of Manchester. We look at what is happening to Redbank carriage sidings in and around Collyhurst road. We find an old L.S.Lowry location and look at the Location of 'A Footbridge' a sketch done by Lowry. We take a look at the canals of Manchester and look at how the names of canals are influencing modern names. We take a look at three traditional pubs in and around Angel Meadow, Ancoats and around the Rochdale and Ashton canals. We look at housing in the early19th century and read what Engels said about Manchester in his book 'The Condition of the working classes'

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Looking for Lost Manchester

The Canal and River trust have invited us to the Bingley Five rise locks in Yorkshire. We are celebrating the 250 year anniversary that these locks that were built built in 1774 at the height of the canal building age. These are a civil engineering masterpiece. The Bingley five rise locks are one of the wonders of Britains Canal network. A marvel of Canal architecture. The lock gates are some of the biggest lock gates in the country. This is also one of Britains deepest canal locks. The Locks take the Leeds Liverpool canal up a 59 feet incline over 320 feet. Designed by John Longbotham of Halifax. A Pupil of John Smeaton a civil engineer and master Canal designer born in 1724. Smeaton is famous for Smeatons coefficient. We go through the canal locks and take a canal boat and sail up the locks.  We interview canal experts from the Canal & River trust and go canal cruising. What more could you want.

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Bingley 5 rise Locks. 250 years old

In this video we visit the Pontcysyllte  aqueduct in Wales. Near to the town of Wrexham. This UNESCO world heritage site is a masterpiece of Georgian canal engineering. Designed by Thomas Telford and built between 1795 and 1805. The aqueduct has been drained for maintenance a one in 10 or 20 year event. The aqueduct was actually built by a team of master engineers during the canal building frenzy during the late Georgian period in Britain. Thomas Telford amongst others were responsible for this cast iron giant that spans the River Dee. This video is a historic canal documentary that looks at the construction of the Pontcysyllte aqueduct and makes use of that fact that the aqueduct is drained and we can look in detail at its construction and how Telford and the canal engineers at the time put it together like a large meccano set. Canal history documentary.

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Drained ! The Pontcysyllte aqueduct. A ten year event !

We visit Lathkildale in the Derbyshire Peak district to look at the remnants of old Industry. The area has a rich history of mining. In particular Lead mining. We visit the remains of Mandale mine one of the oldest lead mines in the Peak district national park. We see lots of old mine adits. Very interesting is how the river Lathkill at time has many goits and mill streams on it. Mandale mine engine house had a Cornish beam engine inside that was used for pumping out the lead mine below. We visit the Town of Bakewell to have an original Bakewell pudding. We see a mine sough a drainage tunnel for Mandale mine and get to look inside. We also see how the Lead mining industry affected the surrounding landscape and see old industrial architecture when we look at the old Engine pumping house. This is a wonderful walk in the UK

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The Lead mining Industry. Its remains in The Peak District.

Engineering work was being carried out on the Birmingham canal at Wolverhampton. So the Canal & River trust drained the Birmingham canal in a section between two locks. They then carried out a fish rescue. They used electricity Electro fishing to stun the fish and then gather them in nets and move them to a safe area of the canal. We see a few fish. Perch, Roach and an Eel. We speak to a fisheries expert from the canal and River trust and learn some fascinating fishy facts about Eels and canal fish in general. When lock gates are being replaced on Britains canal network parts of the canal have to be closed and drained. This is a fascinating time as we get to see a drained canal. Plus we see the fish wildlife living in the canal.

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Fish Rescue with the Canal & River Trust

Healey dell is a local nature reserve just outside Rochdale in Manchester, Lancashire. This local beauty spot is full of history. Old mills from the 17th century and even WW II world war 2 history. and of course a disused railway and railway history. There was a WW II munitions factory there, now abandoned. There are remains of old Fulling mills and hidden tunnels. The old disused abandoned railway line was the Rochdale to Bacup line. We take a look at Healey dell viaduct built in 1870. There afre the remains on an old waterwheel and lots of industrial history. This local beauty spot hides lots of hidden historical gems on this historic Urbex adventure. The star of the show is the river Spodden a tributary of the river Roch and the river Irwell.

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What hidden secrets did we find. Railways & WW II

The Canal and Rivers trust are carrying out their winter engineering programme and are currently working on the Shropshire Union canal at Ellesmere port. The work is to drain the canal lock and replace the lock gates. This section of the Shropshire Union Canal was built in 1797 at the height of the canal building frenzy in Britain. It was Thomas Telfords last large civil engineering project. The Shropshire Union canal or the Shroppie as its affectionately known ends at this northern section and boats can gain access to the Manchester Ship canal.  Previously to the Manchester Ship canal being built the canal basin sent boats directly to the River Mersey Estuary and onwards to Liverpool and Birkenhead and also out into the Irish sea. This is a canal history video as after we look at the canal lock we go into the national waterways museum. Amongst the many interesting exhibits in the boat museum we also see an original starvationer boat. The starvationer boats were very common in the mines at Worsley on the Bridgewater canal. This is a video about British canal waterways. The Canal and Rivers trust and Canal History in the UK. We also see how the new lock gates look and they are made of Oak. A great family video about canal conservation.

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Engineering works on the Canal Lock

In this video we take on a more festive podcast approach. We review the urbex adventures we have had over the year. Railway Viaducts, old victorian gasworks, underground river culverts and industrial heritage. We look back over the year and review all out urbex industrial heritage adventures. Mill chimneys as well.

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Christmas review of the year 2023. Gasworks, railways  and underground tunnels.

In this video we review the Cyrusher FR100 Folding mountain bike. The mountain bike has 27 gears and is a very smooth ride. It folds in the middle so this can be an ideal space saver when storing. With and aluminium frame its robust and light. It has 27 gears with a shimano gear set and front and rear shimano disc brakes. We review and put the bike through its paces at the local park.

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The Cyrusher FR100 Folding Mountain bike

In this video we review an E scooter The Isinwheel GT2. We take the E scooter off road into the woods on the Upper Don Valley trail in Sheffield. The Isinwheel GT2 folds up nicely and can be carried.  It has 3 modes Eco, Standard, and turbo. We go off road on the isinwheel GT2 and also test it uphill. It is quite fast and con go 27 miles before it needs Charging

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The Isinwheel GT2. Off road E-Scooter fun !

In this video we investigate one of Manchesters lost rivers. The River Cornbrook. This is part 3 and we follow its route in an underground culvert in Manchester. The route goes through Hulme and Moss Side. In order to see the route of the river when it ran open we look at old maps and see how Moss Side was a rural part of Manchester in the early 1800's and late 1700's. We see that Emmeline Pankhurst was born in Moss Side very close to where the Cornbrook runs. Looking at old archive photographs we can see how Manchester has changed during the Industrial revolution. In the underground river in the underground culvert we see architecture from the Victorian and Edwardian periods. We also learn that Thomas De Quincey lived in a house in Greenheys in his Childhood by the Cornbrook River. This is a History of Manchester Documentary style urbex vlog.

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The Lost rivers of Manchester. The River Cornbrook Part 3

This week we go to the park and review an E bike. This E bike is the Crazybird Jumper E bike. Front suspension, disc brakes all round, and seven speed shimano gears. We try out challenges in the local park to test the E bike

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The Crazybird Jumper E-Bike review. With Martin & James

In this video we visit the Levenshulme waterfall in Manchester. The smallest waterfall ive ever seen. Its actually a small weir but the locals have called it a waterfall. It is situated on the Fallowfield brook and the weir served an old Victorian bleach works. The Fallowfield brook at this point is running through a place called Highfield country park in Manchester. It used to have a brickworks and a farm in the area. The brickworks had lots of clay pits around it. Highfield park is now a nature reserve. We also take a look at the route of the Fallowfield brook one of 'the lost rivers of Manchester' and see where it joins the Platt brook. We also take a look at a pet cemetery that is situated in the park.

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The smallest waterfall i've ever seen !!!

In this video we cycled to the Woodhead railway tunnels along the Longendale trail. A former disused railway line. The Woodhead tunnels were known as hell holes to the railwaymen that worked steam locomotives through them. The Woodhead tunnels were part of a railway line that was one of the initial cross pennine routes. Trans pennine route. The tunnels were blasted out of rock and the Navvies that dug them had a difficult time. Plagued by Cholera and industrial injuries. Later in 1953 a third trans pennine tunnel was dug and this was Woodhead 3. The line was electrified and employed the class 76 locomotives. I tell a story of seeing the British rail class 76 locomotives at Reddish depot in Manchester. As a trainspotter this line holds a special place for me. The Longendale chain of reservoirs can also be seen. A feat of Victorian civil engineering.  The longendale trail is now a cycle route. We see photos of old steam locomotives in this railway history vlog.

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The Woodhead 'Hell Hole' Tunnels. A brief history

In this video we visit the site of Hartford Mill an old Lancashire cotton mill in Chadderton Oldham. The mill has undergone demolition and now all that remains is the industrial mill chimney. The mill chimney is going to be blown up demolition by dynamite explosives. After many delays in the chimney demolition the date was finally set for demolition October 2023. Hartford mill is an Edwardian cotton spinning mill constructed in 1907 by A H Dixon who was the architect. We look at our archive footage of the cotton mill before demolition and during. Finally we have some drone footage of the industrial mill chimney and we see the demolition by explosives in a controlled explosion. We look at some archive footage of Fred Dibnah the famous Bolton Steeplejack and his work on mill chimneys and how he laddered a chimney.

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An explosive demolition of a mill chimney

In this video we are in Manchester looking at the Moss brook. We follow the moss brook into an underground culvert in this urbex video. The culvert leads to a massive chamber with a flood control penstock. The penstock is a kind of flood gate that can control the flow of the moss brook in times of flooding. The moss brook can be diverted into a diversion tunnel that leads down to the river Irk. The area is Collyhurst in Manchester. Downstream of the moss brook was a lot of Victorian industry bleach works and engineering works. This Victorian industry needed protection from floods so in the Edwardian era around 1907 this flood control was built. We see the Moss brook in full flood and we understand why the whole victorian flood defence was built. We also go to look at the penstock control mechanism via a manhole shaft. We also look at a seewer overflow pipe, part of Manchester's sewer system. This is an underground urbex video exploring Victorian underground sewer and flood culverts.

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What was this massive chamber for ?

In this video we explore the Monsal Trail. Its an old disused railway line and we explore it on the Cyrusher Kommoda E-Bike. The Monsal trail used to be the Midland railway one of the main railway routes across the Pennines in the North of England. It is now a cycle trail. This route goes through the Peak district. It takes in some stunning railway architecture. Railway tunnels and railway viaducts all along the river Wye. We also see the remnants of the Buxton Limestone industry. This is one of Britains finest cycleways 
UK LInk https://www.cyrusher.co.uk/products/kommoda-ebike?ref=MartinZero
USA Link https://www.cyrusher.com/products/kommoda-ebike?ref=MartinZero

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Railway tunnels and Viaducts explored on the Cyrusher Kommoda E-Bike

This video is about Cheddleton Flint mill in Staffordshire. Our question was What on earth is a flint mill. Well flint is ground in the process of making Porcelain. Cheddleton flint mill is near the Stoke on Trent and all the potteries that were there in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is a water powered mill with two stunning waterwheels and it takes its power from the river Churnet. Inside the mill is all the engineering and mechanics that are associated with this type of 19th century water powered mill. The mill also had kilns for firing the flint and the flint was gathered and brought to the mill via the Caldon Canal. The mill is run bu volunteers and is a fascinating insight into the Stoke on Trent pottery industry and Industriual England in the 18th and 19th centuries.

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What on earth is a Flint mill ?

It's been carrying folk across the Manchester ship canal free for over 100 years. The Hulmes Ferry is a lesser know ferry service in Manchester that ferries people across the Manchester Ship canal between Flixton and Urmston. The ferry service was put in place to honour a public right of way across the then River Irwell. When the Manchester Ship canal was built a small bridge called Hulmes bridge was demolished, as part of the conditions of the new Manchester ship canal a ferry service was provided to ferry folk across the Manchester ship canal on demand and for free. We also take a look at Barton Locks on the Manchester ship canal. Whilst looking at the old course of the river Irwell

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The tiny Manchester Ferry you've probably never seen or heard of ...?

In this video we visit the Rochdale road Gasworks and the site of the old Coronation street set. The Rochdale road Gasworks is being demolished making way for 'Progress' in Manchester. So we have an update on the site. We have been out filming Cornbrook 3 so we have an update on that for you. Plus we visited the National Mining museum. So basically this video is an update on the industrial and historical explorations we have done recently. We also take a look at the new Factory International

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When is Cornbrook 3 out. Gasworks and Coronation street has changed a bit

In this video we explore urbex a short section of the Worsley brook in Salford, Manchester. This section of the brook is underground and host lots of subterranean historical features. We pass by the Worsley Delph, the area that the Duke of Bridgewater had his mines and James Brindley was involved in the extraction of coal from the Worsley mines. The Bridgewater canal features in our story because not only do we pass underneath it. Parts of the dry docks for the Bridgewater canal drain into it. We see drainage channels underground constructed in the 18th century. The Worsley brook also played a role in an old Corn mill flour mill that had medieval routes in the village. It is probable that the brook turned a waterwheel for the old corn mill. We see lots of subterranean Georgian engineering and architecture in parts of the brook. The brook has a beautiful drop shaft that looks to be a wonderful piece of canal engineering. We go to the Old Warke Dam and take a look at the infall. James Brindley, Francis Egerton and John Gilbeert would have played a role in the alteration and culverting of this lost waterway of Manchester and Salford.

Martin Zero