Inside The River Fleet Sewer

[@briangarrow448]

I worked for 25 years in construction and maintenance of the storm water system and sewer system in my hometown. Most people and politicians don't realize that the most valuable capital assets of any municipality are the ones buried underground. And those systems are ageing. Fire trucks, police stations and parks are really just cheap baubles. The real valuable assets are buried. Sewers aren't sexy, but try to live in a city without functioning wastewater facilities.

[@sarahmforever]

Brian Garrow agreed! You can’t live in a city without proper sewage systems. It’ll take you right back to the 1800’s and before. I firmly believe that the lack of hygiene and sewage systems is why the lifespan was so short back then. Amongst other things that is. I find it fascinating that these rivers became that system.

[@Nick_80599]

They were sold off at 78% discount under privatisation in 1989, all the sewers are now part of the water companies and their shareholders own them, nothing is municipal.

[@Nick_80599]

​@@sarahmforeverThe fleet wouldn't exist if it wasn't made part of the sewer system, if you take the sewage away, there would be hardly any water, the natural sources up in Hampstead like the ponds don't really produce mass amounts of water, its pretty much dried up. So if the fleet wasn't built over, we'd be left with a huge waste of space by Blackfriars especially when the tide on the Thames goes out.

[@Beezees95]

Lovely- would love to see more on London's lost rivers.

[@zarrow50]

Check out the websites where they explore these rivers

[@billyshearer117]

Fascinating. I love the Lost Rivers book

[@taraelizabethdensley9475]

Such a shame rivers have ended up as part of the sewer system

[@pixelkatten]

*Puts on hipster glasses and flannel shirt* I'm really into the river fleet, but you've probably never seen it, it's really underground.

[@AlisonBryen]

Tulle Rönnmyr I preferred The River Fleet's earlier stuff...

[@aperrin9727]

Tulle Rönnmyr I

[@TransportForLuka]

That's super cool would love to go down there, and that brick work looks stunning

[@NigelFortune]

Great video very interesting. More like this please!

[@ih82r8]

Aaahh!! The London sewer system is so wonderfully built it makes me wish I could tour it.

[@user-it3vk9wx7z]

Ew

[@scorchx3000]

Bad idea. I visited the sewer once and got attacked by a siz foot tall turtle armed with nunchucks.

[@Vince-l4k]

I've worked in under ground sewers, and it's a very dangerous place all sorts of problems if u go in one on your own, but u can find lots of stuff people lose in the system, i

[@AFCManUk]

You should do a video exploring the Tyburn.....but don't let her catch you down there!! :)

[@HenrysAdventures]

Very interesting! I'd love to go down there!

[@Doogal_UK]

So, how smelly is it then?

[@Londonistvids]

+Doogal Not so bad as you'd think, you quickly get used to it. It's actually really warm - camera lens get steaming up and had to be wiped. But then when you go to exit, you get hit by a wave of fresh air, and THEN you realise how clammy it is down there but you'd just adjusted to it.

[@1984isHereNow]

I would love to do that job. well done lads.

[@Mike6867]

What are those big holes on the walls of the river siene?

[@nightw4tchman]

Isn't there a Blackadder quote about London's sewers and not wanting to go wading in them but finding them interesting? I sit in that camp.

[@sarahmforever]

nightw4tchman that makes two of us.

[@tinblue]

Fascinating

[@paulkirkland3263]

Genuinely fascinating.

[@xprs1257]

That’s fascinating

[@CrippleX89]

In the final shot you kind of expect someone or something to be there, staring at you from the dark

[@kingsaf90]

Im currently doing an architectural investigation into the Fleet, how did you organise a trip down?

[@Londonistvids]

+King Saf Got in touch with Thames Water PR team.

[@lohphat]

Why a square hatch and not a round one?

[@thomasczthomash1859]

Easier to open

[@Sterlingjob]

So raw sewage goes straight into the Thames??

[@owjburnham4317]

It apparently hits an "interceptor sewer" before the river, under the Embankment.

[@marcmccormick8235]

So has nothing to do with Fleet Street?

[@nathans1856]

+Marc McCormick I think that Fleet Street is named as it's above the Fleet river.

[@kirenjohn]

+Marc McCormick The river flows under Fleet Street towards Blackfriars. Fleet Street gets it's name from the river.

[@wavelen9454]

So epic

[@nicoduck]

So domestic waste water is directly fed into the river and leads directly into the river Thames?

[@doktorbimmer]

+nicoduck No, the flow is redirected into an intercepting sewer that runs parallel to the Thames..accept during heavy storms when the combine sewer does indeed over-flow into the river untreated

[@lfewell2161]

The new sewer tunnel under the Thames should prevent that.

[@madhatter61]

So raw sewage straight into the thames

[@erichb2249]

What? No monsters?

[@Nick_80599]

It doesn't actually enter the Thames anymore, its intercepted by another sewer just south of Clerkenwell unless its seriously overwhelmed and those days are also numbered because of the super sewer being built,

[@Sparx632]

Funny how many things in London are essentially now named after a sewer

[@NowAndThenEH89JW]

So storm water flushes everything into the Thames. eeewww. Need to catch that rain water, everywhere, before it hits the drains. Streets, pavements, parks, carparks, school playgrounds, roundabouts, roofs, private front and back gardens etc. # Rain gardens. kzbin.info?search_query=%23+Rain+gardens

[@AlisonBryen]

NowAndThen_EH89JW Yes and no... there is a huge catchment sewer under the Embankment which catches all the nasties before the Fleet enters the Thames at Blackfriars...except when there is heavy rain..then they have to let it overflow into the Thames which is pretty rank 💩😭

[@WELLINGTON20]

It’s called a culvert bruv, a culvert,

[@ezri6585]

You know sometimes I think my fascination with London has gone a bit too far...

[@connorcore7008]

They really are a thing of beauty, despite their smelly reputation

[@Tubekeny1]

imagine slipping down into that subterranean section. eeeek

[@normathomas8276]

Ugh yuk don't even go there

[@richcampoverde]

i have walked the whole section

[@jacksearle5485]

remind me to never go down there

[@user-it3vk9wx7z]

Gross 🤢

[@daviddredge1178]

Would make a great location for an epic chase sequence in a movie.

[@khomol]

Fascinating