Macclesfield Culvert

Problem: A stone culvert running through the properties curtilage had started to collapse in the rear walled garden. Property was a listed building and access was restricted. Culvert took the overflow water from a reservoir higher up the road. Provision had to be made to over pump the water so that works could be undertaken. Plans of the culvert showed it going around the property, but once exposed and investigated further it was found to run under the property.

Answer: The rear garden had to be excavated by hand with spoil lifted out by crane. Culvert was found to have been badly repaired previously with its cross sectional area being reduced, causing turbulence which in turn slowly broke down the culvert sides. The stones from the culvert had been washed downstream restructing the flow still further. The culvert was exposed in the rear garden, a section was removed and replaced with pre-cast concreate sections which were then mated to the original culvert. A section of the culvert downstream was cleaned out under confined space conditions to obtain an unrestricted flow.