Bridgin’ The Gap

This is my first dive into the world of culverts, I covered the full thing over a number of visits once solo another with Stranton and a third with MR Budge. The Valley Brook is the largest and most important of the streams that run through Crewe, together with its tributaries, about 80km of watercourses may be reckoned. The brook begins its career high up in the Staffordshire Hills near Talke and meanders its way into Cheshire and eventually joins the River Weaver near to the town of Nantwich. During its meander through the town the brook takes a winding path towards Queens Park.

This municipal park was given as a gift from the London and North Western Railway company to the people of Crewe in 1888. One of the park's standout features is the meticulously landscaped man-made lake. Back in 1883, a dam was constructed on the Valley Brook, flooding approximately two hectares of land and creating this stunning lake. To ensure its water-tightness, the area surrounding the brook was excavated to a depth of about 2 meters and the clay was expertly compacted through a process called “puddling".