The Hidden Waterworks Tunnel

In this video we visit Yorkshire and venture into a hidden waterworks tunnel. This tunnel is the remains of the Conisbrough waterworks tunnel. Originally a piece of victorian engineering and infrastructure to deliver fresh water from a large reservoir between Sheffield and Doncaster. It carried a water mains pipe. Now disused and abandoned its a wonderful piece of Victorian architecture. We start off on the Conisbrough viaduct and make our way to the hidden tunnel We visit the the tunnel shafts and look down. This Urbex adventure also takes us to the disused Cadeby railway tunnel. A short disused railway tunnel with a secret history. This is an urbex exploration of abandoned places

[@stevenmacdonald9619]

Remember kids. Never climb in an outdoor pizza oven thinking it's a tunnel. 😂

[@MartinZero]

Thats good advice Steven 😀

[@heaart2145]

T e Fi Fo Fum!😂

[@Dekko-chan]

It does look strangely like a pizza oven.

[@Gappasaurus]

James always seems like a fun guy to bring along on any adventure: slightly out of his element, but game for anything 😄

[@MartinZero]

Yeah he is always up for whatever I put to him

[@whiskeycook3323]

Yeah he’s just got that shit eating grin. Glad to see him go along on martins adventures

[@maggiefleuriot4427]

Always a smile, the man.

[@livingonthetyne]

James is a legend on your videos, doesn’t have a clue but is always happy always smiling always willing for the adventure! Love it

[@painmagnet1]

He's a fungi lol.

[@wantmot]

My guess of the small "refuges"spaces on each side of the pipe are so they can have room for the spanners to tighten joint bolts as thats were the spaces appear at each joint...update the joints used can also be tallow filled with Hemp and lead filler cauked in but i think the spaces are still to give them easy acsess to work on the joint but as i say a guess

[@MartinZero]

Good thinking

[@notwenjohn6852]

Yes that was my thoughts too Nairb, to give clear access around the flanges etc

[@andyhill242]

I thought that too as the refuges definitely seemed to line up with the pipe joints.

[@grahamdorey3244]

Yep. Personal access to get around and under the pipe to access joint in pipe. A lot of work, but probably easier that the full tunnel that width.

[@A.Martin]

Was going to say this too, they would have needed room to climb up and down ladders to get under the pipe.

[@GregDaniel78]

The first tunnel you were in was very likely just to carry the cast iron pipe which is very much still there. If you imagine building reservoirs on such a vast scale, as the victorians did, was in its infancy. A lot of new engineering was pioneered. It was not certain how the ironwork would survive underground. Water pipes were not driven through earth and rock, as newer concrete and plastic pipes are. The outer tunnel is so the pipes could be maintained and repaired.

[@raithwilson6845]

Hi Martin.Ive been watching almost all your videos and they are truly great.I am a composer and studio /musician so I know how hard working in that field is.I can really appreciate the amount of graft you do in these vids to get them up to production status.I would be correct in saying that the filming and trekking is the easy part and most of the time consuming stuff is done at home.In my view the mainstream tv BBC .ITV etc are really losing out to you.They either dont know how you tube film makers of your calibre are attracting a lot of of people from all ages.I have learnt so much from your vids.I dont know much history about Lancashire and tbh ,I would have never cared that much to find out.But you have a rare gift of pulling people in to your world of exploring .I would love yto see you make films for the whole of the world to see .Good luck and ffs keep making them m8.

[@andyrobinson1237]

Hi Martin, you’re on my my old patch ! The area where the water tunnel begins is called The Don Gorge & at the opposite end to the viaduct was a small village called Levitt Hagg. This was abandoned & demolished in the 1950’s but signs of it still remain. There are numerous lime kilns along the Gorge too, near to where the village was.

[@MartinZero]

Ahh thats interesting Andy thanks

[@chrismccartney8668]

Superb as usual my claustrophobia kicked in as it does when Martin goes down the mole hole

[@MartinZero]

You would of loved it Chris

[@doncoffey5820]

You haven’t got a river named after you then Martin 😉. Don’t know if you knew but the shafts are only for ventilation after the tunnel is complete. They are actually sunk as construction shafts which gives each shaft an additional two “headings”. This vastly improves the speed of tunnelling. That tunnel with four shafts plus the ends will have had ten headings. Furthermore, they measure the depth by using sight sticks laid out over the top and then they drop plumb bobs in to determine the direction. It’s all done by eye and when they meet, they are very accurate. Short tunnels like your rail tunnel didn’t justify the effort of building a construction shaft. Brilliant video but for goodness sake, think of a way of letting someone know where you’ve gone!

[@MartinZero]

Yeah Pretty much the way they did Standedge Don. I am working on a way of naming a river after me. Might have to dig it first 😄

[@MartinDHayes]

Another interesting video! Love the tunnels and stories. But, Skim Milk? That's just white colored water, HA! As always, Crack on & Cheers!!

[@MartinZero]

Yeah skimmed milk has no use on this planet Martin

[@linardskinard8199]

If you think that walking through that tunnel was rough ,imagine dragging 500 lb of bell and spigot cast iron pipe and joining it ,whilst using oil lamps for light

[@BrianRS1968]

When you came to the "fault" crack around 13 minutes and you said that looks dodgy, a wave of concern came over me. Then I remembered that I wouldn't be seeing this if you were trapped. Stay safe Martin, many worry about you while you are providing an education to us.

[@MartinZero]

Thank you, it was more the cracks in the bricks that concerned me

[@brianartillery]

A new Martin Zero video. Tunnels! That's sunday night sorted, then. Much appreciated. And no, you can't make a good brew with skimmed milk - it's basically water that someone has rinsed some emulsion paint brushes in. Silver/blue top milk or nothing, for me, every time.

[@MartinZero]

That pretty much sums up skimmed milk

[@ItsMe-io5bl]

Thats exactly what ive always said... a drop of emulsion in a bucket of water = skimmed milk, tastes the same too!

[@davidmills636]

You've sme guts going down a tunnel like that - very interesting and one can only imagine the harsh working conditions to construct it - thank you

[@MartinZero]

Yeah I loved all that bare rock

[@stevejones8665]

Amazing amount of work must have gone into that brickwork, carrying all the bricks and mortar. Don't think we will ever have workers like them again. Hats off to those workers.

[@bobingram6912]

Afraid of spiders? Suffer from claustrophobia? Like walking with a stoop? You do? Then join us in a tunnel trip to see some wildlife!!! 🕸🕷🐌🐀 Good to see you top KZbinrs on another collab, always great viewing👍🏻

[@MartinZero]

Thanks very much Bob 😀

[@auser1484]

Cor blimey, that's a big pipe you got there Martin. 😮

[@MartinZero]

Were gonna need bigger trousers

[@rogerbarton497]

Apologies if this has been said before, I haven't read all the comments! Looking at the map, (10:42) the tunnel doesn't appear to follow your red line. I guess it follows the line of the shafts and terminates at the west end where it says Wr Twr (Water Tower) and Resr (Resevoir). I suspect the pipe is the outlet from the water tower. The cracks are probably due to mining subsidence.

[@MartinZero]

Yeah the red line is just a rough guide Roger. Yes there was a water tower nearby we kept seeing

[@danensis]

@@MartinZero - the water tower was built in 1951. Thrybergh reservoir was built between 1874 and 1880, which is when the pipeline would be constructed.

[@NickNorton]

Whenever I'm shown little brick tunnels, The Grand, ok small, thoughts of the River Tib makes me smile. When I'm dead. Can someone ditch my ashes in River Tib?

[@MartinZero]

We will have to drop your ashes down a manhole into it Nick 😃

[@steverpcb]

That air shaft you looked down had been capped just above the tunnel, flat bottom with a green polythene liner, and no arches visible.

[@danielbarrows7144]

Can you imagine lugging all that pipe into the tunnel and fitting it all together, can't imagine the man hours involved! Another awesome video thanks for sharing this Martin! 🔦💧👷🏻👍🏻🕷🕸

[@MartinZero]

Thanks very much Daniel

[@danensis]

When I went down in the early 60s there were narrow gauge railway tracks in the tunnel, presumably to carry the pipes.

[@djp120970]

You certainly go the extra mile for these videos! Thanks, good to see Ant on board.

[@MartinZero]

Thank you, yep this was Ants find

[@Aldamiras]

YOU can go down into those spider-infested dark places, I'll watch from the comfort of my office 😋. Cheers from Florida.

[@MartinZero]

Yeah wasnt the best of places, Ive been in classier joints 😀

[@davidmunro1469]

Thank you Martin. The brew wil help you wash down the spiders. HA HA HA.

[@wackbatt4746]

martin , you make my sunday evenings

[@MartinZero]

Thank you 😄

[@markcantemail8018]

Martin I love it . The Smirks and Smiles on your faces at the start made me know it was going to be a Good Time . Ha ha ha The Music at the Shaft was Great . Can I request something by Semprini next time ? Yes I am impressed by the Victorian Workmanship , Be Proud . You have a Good crew with you . Thank you and please stay Healthy .

[@MartinZero]

Thanks very much Mark. yeah we had a good day 😀

[@fryxc.doncaster3483]

Awesome nice to see you in my home town lol last time I was in those tunnels probably I was 14 am now 44 .

[@Dave64track]

Great video Martin spiders and tunnels the things you do for us Sunday night viewers I thought you was going to get stuck going it the other end of that pipe and your mates saying we will get the rescue out at midnight don't panic. Looking forward to your next video with a lunch break interval with flasks.

[@richardteun7694]

I remember going down these tunnels when I was younger was always a good trek

[@crazyfvck]

These days, Martin spends more time underground than a Hobbit! :D Anyway, thanks for a another excellent video :) It's really cool to see these hidden places.

[@MartinZero]

Thanks, yeah we have had a run of underground stuff

[@jessewilson8676]

Now imagine the brick layers and the people carrying the bricks down that tunnel

[@tardismole]

Wow. I lived in Doncaster for 25years but had never been to Consiborough, except through it on the train. The tunnel was very interesting. 11/10 for creepiness. And, for the record, skinned milk is just coloured water. :)

[@stevefoden7853]

Another great watch, keep them coming buddy

[@meruliouslacrimens5154]

So you creep into a claustrophobic tunnel, then pause and point out the crack in the ceiling. I love your videos, they are always very interesting as you show us the forgotten and un- loved buildings of previous engineering marvels ( largely forgotten ) i would pay good money to go on a guided tour with you, but no dingy, tiny tunnels please.👍👍

[@wonkdonk3844]

martin has a severe case of tunnel vision...lol.. great vids lads!

[@MartinZero]

Cheers Wonk

[@davidfoley5128]

Great explore, well done Martin & lads.

[@WarHawk-]

Another great video Martin, and the music was a nice touch.

[@MichaelaWatkins2015]

Great explore, thanks.

[@lindamccaughey6669]

Well Martin that was just fantastic. That first tunnel was so long I’m surprised you lasted so long in there, having said that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Now that second tunnel was just beautiful. The stonework was fantastic it was a gem. Thanks so much for taking me along. Wishing you a Merry Christmas, please stay safe and take care

[@bearcubd3900]

Oh Man that Shinning music give me the Chills 💀 Happy Holidays & Prosperous 2021 Martin .

[@katherinekinnaird4408]

Not only is this interesting but you all are a crack up. We all need a laugh these days thank you and Merry Christmas.

[@MartinZero]

Thanks Katherine, Merry Christmas

[@petergrant2366]

Brilliant video Martin, one of your best I think, so glad you stopped when you did, I was there with you, all sorts of things start going round in your head, I was in an old canal tunnel a few years ago and we actually saw some small movement in the brickwork, so I love old tunnels but they can be frightening, well done.

[@normanyates6735]

Martin, your arse was twitching towards the end of the first tunnel, can see why you didn’t want to go along the other end, your very brave or daft, another thrilling vlog Martin,thanks.

[@MartinZero]

Cheers Norman, yeah it was just more of the same

[@davidmunro4653]

Manchester is a gold mine of visual treasures. I find your videos are one of my favorite escapes.

[@davedavidson8845]

Thanks for producing another great video 👍🏻

[@MartinZero]

Thanks Dave, glad you enjoyed it

[@philpowe3079]

Great video Martin climbing into the tunnel reminds me of Data trying to get in a shaft on Star Trek

[@briancopp4024]

Missed you last week. Thanks for another great video Martin

[@MartinZero]

Cheers Brian

[@dtb2654]

thanks Martin, very interesting 👍

[@timbuthfer901]

Superb exploration Martin, very interesting to see the old Victorian building work.

[@stephennesbitt6059]

Love the crawl into the second entrance!

[@matthewgriffiths8423]

The music at the start of your video was from the film The Shining. Its called Midnight and the stars and you. Brilliant

[@MartinZero]

Yep 😉👌

[@totalrecone]

Recorded by Al Bowlly w/ Ray Noble & Orch. if I remember rightly.

[@shaneroberts3796]

I grew up playing in these tunnels, all way through and back again with candles, there called the air tunnels, brilliant memories seeing them again

[@MartinZero]

Cheers Shane, you were brave with Candles

[@shaneroberts3796]

We only had candles available in the 80’s as kids, there was always some in cupboard at home for when the 50p used to run out in electric meter 🤣 Great videos really interesting cheers

[@timothybarham6374]

Very cool, glad you had fun!

[@MartinZero]

Thanks Timothy

[@anythingbootneck]

Another fascinating exploration guys, well done, I enjoyed it very much. Btw, I thought James was going to say soya milk for the tea! 😀. Yes, it has to be full fat!👍🏻

[@raydeignan9917]

Those arches are for jacks to be put under the ends of pipe when pushing them together, and when a section has to be replaced they would jack numerous sections to make the pipe shorter so a mew section could be put in as they aren’t bolted joints they are slotted sections

[@stephensaines7100]

Yes! If not exactly as you state, something closely akin.

[@stephensaines7100]

To add to your point, when I read "jack" I immediately thought vertically. But like a tunnel boring machine, it jacks its way forward by pushing back against the lining rings installed as it progresses. Those archways would allow same: jack horizontally against their inner facing to force the pipe sections into the one before or after. Tight caulking would require the force of a jack for a pressure capable pipe.

[@MartinZero]

Good thinking Ray

[@matthewrail6065]

Thumbs up Martin another great video

[@MartinZero]

Thanks Matthew

[@officially-ROB]

This channel never disappoints. Thank you Martin and gang!

[@MartinZero]

Thanks very much Rob

[@andrewkowel3547]

Thanks for these trips that you take us on , always fascinating . Much appreciated 👍

[@MartinZero]

Thanks Andrew

[@davidmunro4653]

Thank you Martin.Great Explore.

[@MartinZero]

Thanks very much David

[@shauntodd7123]

Martin another great adventure with James absolutly amazing, Merry Christmas.

[@MartinZero]

Thanks very much Shaun Merry Christmas

[@BLINDEXPLORERASIFMUHAMMAD]

Very amazing video well done and keep up the great work and merry Christmas and Happy New year hope you have a good one

[@daftmonkey7296]

Top Video! 👏🏼👏🏼

[@rydermike33]

Many thanks Martin, James and Ant. Another couple of tunnels. Very interesting indeed. And..Definitely blue top milk in tea....Merry Christmas and thank you for all your wonderful videos Martin.

[@macclesfieldmaggpie]

Fantastic exploration Martin

[@MartinZero]

Cheers mate glad you enjoyed

[@christycullen2355]

I've been slacking on the vids recently, I'm currently binge watching them all. Great content as usual Martin

[@richardjellis9186]

ANOTHER great video Martin 😁. Keep'em coming. Rich 🥰🥰🥰

[@MartinZero]

Thanks very much Rich

[@garethparr9482]

That entrance would phase many people me included but Martin and our intrepid explorers are not phased. The places and lengths you go to pal to bring us these incredible videos is up and above the call. You and the team have a bloody good Christmas and look forward as always to the next one.

[@pathegarty4757]

All the best for the new year mate . Stay safe and take care. 😀

[@chrislynch924]

Skimmed milk.... really!!! Another great video Martin...

[@murkydepths181]

I love how you take us along with you on these adventures Martin Thank you for all your work 🙏🌹

[@MartinZero]

Thank you glad you enjoyed

[@jezm1703]

Great video, along with all the others. Really enjoy them.

[@MartinZero]

Thanks Jez 👍

[@andyalder7910]

The little arches are at every joint of the pipe so presumably to give room to use a spanner.

[@stewartthompson72]

That is the first thing that came to my mind as well.

[@MartinZero]

Yeah good thinking

[@vetrieska11]

think the same, just for replacement of piping section to be made easier.

[@stephensaines7100]

A "spanner" is only usable if there's nuts and headed bolts. No sign that I could see. It was the first thing I looked for. Pressure able piping, even cast iron, was certainly extant at the time of construction. As other commenters have pointed out, it appears caulking was used, and wisely so. In a tunnel that length, flexibility rather than rigidity would be needed to prevent fracturing, especially with cast iron. Note also that the sections *appear* to be held in place by (ostensibly) clay save for at the unions. Again, this would permit some flexibility in the 'seating' of the pipe along the hard floor.

[@philiphowell1505]

@@MartinZero Hi martin , thanks for your fab vids, when i started my plumbing apprenticeship in 1969 we were still mainlaying with cast iron pipe and caulking joints with spun yarn and molten lead, the firm was mostly involved with industrial type work.I was in my absolute element as although the work was very heavy , we had a great team back then and they made sure that i learned the jointing method in order to stand the 200 lb pressure tests demanded by the then water and hospital authorities. The cut outs near the joints would be there so you could swing the hammer during yarning and "bumping up" during the jointing process .Very happy days i was still there 40 years later, now retired in Gran Canaria .

[@MrVxrman]

Nice video Martin 😎 Thanks for sharing m8y 😃🍻👍🏻

[@danielmeakin6472]

Fantastic video I love them because of all the great and very interesting history that is in the video

[@King786_]

Good stuff..

[@whiskeycook3323]

Geez Martin you certainly have the adventure spirit in you to bury yourself in those tight spaces

[@gingerbread6614]

Thank you guys love everything. Thank you

[@MartinZero]

Thanks very much

[@grimreboot]

Thanks for another video! :)

[@MartinZero]

Thanks Ben

[@michaeltidbury4835]

That was surprisingly amusing and interesting. The repartee was worthy of Saturday Night at the Palladium. Thanks for having the gumption to go into that waterworks tunnel 😉

[@DarrenFlinders]

Hey Martin, glad to see you in my neck of the woods (on the right side of the pennines lol). Great vid as always, but didn't know about the tunnels etc. The viaduct is a great site, and pretty high when you are on it. Looking forward to future vids. Keep up the great work, and have a great Christmas.

[@MartinZero]

Thanks Darren all the best

[@jeffreyyoung4104]

Tea? that's a funny way to say beer. I enjoyed every inch of the tunnel, and I could have gone all the way if allowed!

[@MartinZero]

I was worried that the tunnel would become boring Jeffrey

[@jeffreyyoung4104]

@@MartinZero No, not at all Marten! There were many times I stopped the video so I could take a close look at something that caught my eye. Like the cracks in the bricks and stone, and the transition areas between the rock and bricks. Like I said, I am always looking for evidence of why they made a tunnel the way they did, and then put in air shafts or man ways for the workers and construction waste. Those shafts and tunnels have outlived the reason they were made for and then left to rot, but have remained 200+ years because they were made so well. The other reason is the trash people have thrown into the shafts, like the wheel barrow, but also the bottles and other trash to see how deep they were. But that is why I like watching the mine videos too! You have some cool stuff where you are, where I am, there is only sand and gypsum mines.

[@gafrers]

Great once again

[@MartinZero]

Thank you

[@andymcclymont6626]

Thanks Martin. Another belter of a video. Thank you for the work you put into these videos for us to watch mate. I hope your christmas day is the best it can possibly be and hope you and your family stay safe. All the best buddy. Andy from Wigan

[@MartinZero]

Thanks very much Andy all the very best to you

[@austingupton1421]

I always love the content y’all make. So many Urbex videos I’ve seen are just people wandering around having no clue what they’re looking at, but y’all really seem to do your homework and know what y’all are talking about. Keep up the good work!

[@MartinZero]

Thanks very much Austin

[@stehaughton5074]

Thanks Martin, Merry Christmas mate & a Happy new year👍👍

[@MartinZero]

Thanks Ste merry christmas

[@EveinEden301]

Only just watched this but another amazing video, cheers Martin! Far too many massive spiders, my idea of a nightmare. Loved the Christmas Live last night too. Merry Christmas. 🎄 🤶 😁

[@ponyboymb]

Great video. Been busy with Christmas! So just catching up 👊👊 we we're watching your live feed the other night, always a good giggle. Hope you've had a great Christmas, (hope James got some decent boot's! Rather than his trainer's) all the best for the new year ✌👊🤘🔥angi+marc

[@johnmehaffey9953]

Shafted again, sorry bad pun love your adventurous spirit lads reminds me of my childhood days always exploring tunnels and no thought of safety, as ever lads superb engineering and brickwork on the tunnels even the small tunnel

[@JDLeonard74]

Chocolate cake and Cherry soda, after eating leftovers from last night's family Christmas party here. That's a great exploration! You could leave a bottle of Bailey's the day before and see if it's gone the next day.😉😄

[@MartinZero]

I would, but am not going back in there

[@carlwilson1772]

Great explore. Very interesting waterworks tunnel.

[@MartinZero]

Thanks very much Carl

[@NolimitsMedia.]

great video mate ive been down there and bloody ekk it doesn't half get to your back afterwards

[@MartinZero]

Yeah a bit stoopy

[@TheKogly]

Martin your crazy. Just the sort of videos we need at the moment as it was fascinating.

[@MartinZero]

Cheers Ken, glad you enjoyed

[@samdimmock2240]

Al Bowly, fantastic!!

[@MartinZero]

Cant beat a bit of Al

[@sampointau]

And a very merry Christmas Martin and all!

[@Tom-gr6nx]

excellent video martin great work keep safe.

[@MartinZero]

Thanks very much Tom

[@Tom-gr6nx]

@@MartinZero have a great xmas and new year.

[@moweron1]

I would concur with Brian Hilton who suggests the " refuges" spaces are there on each side of the pipe joint for maintenance. At a glance the pipe seems to be made with cement joints, which is in line with early water industry practice, this means each joint would have to be hemp sealed before troweling the cement in. The hemp is caulked in with chisels, so the joiner would need about 18" to hammer and caulk each joint. The joints may be a very early version of an "o-ring" joint, if so the space might be for hydraulic equipment to pull the next pipe in and make the joint. What ever the seal, the space provides room for an external leak clamp should failure occur.

[@MartinZero]

Thank you for the info

[@peterkilvert2712]

Another great adventure. I was very pleased when you didn't go beyond the shaft - it looked like very low headroom. The other features shown were also amazing. Best Wishes Pete.

[@MartinZero]

I think it would have been more of the same Peter, so we left it

[@m1cxf]

This took me back to over forty-five years ago when I last went through the tunnel, nice to see it in more detail as we had an old bike lamp which we avoided using to save the batteries and a couple of jam jars with candles in. Not surprised to see cracks though as you had Cadeby Colliery at one end and Yorkshire Main at the other, although Cadeby had a fault line running through it. I was quite surprised that you didn't have a search for the funicular railway that ran from a quarry. The track was made from L shaped slabs of limestone.

[@dingbatfpv]

Mate your videos have such a good vibe. Originally from Manchester myself and I've learnt so much about the city I never knew. Keep it up :D

[@MartinZero]

Thanks very much

[@mileshigh1321]

Great intro song! Al Bowley with the Ray Noble Orchestra ! Al was killed during WW2 when a bomb bounced up the street, through his front door, up the stairs and hit his bedroom door! It did not explode! But...the door hit him and killed him! Its easily overlooked but is a Shinning example of 30's music haha! Oh and of course great explore! I like when you go with Ant and James!

[@MartinZero]

Poor old Al

[@Gappasaurus]

28:00 I knew it, the tunnel leads to the Barrow-Downs! 😱 It’s a good thing you guys turned back when you did, wouldn’t like to run into a Wheel-barrow-wight down there 😁

[@MartinZero]

You speak from experience

[@Gappasaurus]

@@MartinZero Maaaaaaybe... but my therapist said i shouldn’t talk about it 😆

[@AlisonBryen]

I appreciate this LOTR reference.