Ebbw Vale is located at the head of the valley of the River Ebbw Fawr, a tributary of the Ebbw River. It's a town that boomed during the industrial revolution with the Ebbw Vale Iron Works, which later became the steel works, being the largest single employer in the town. To accommodate expansion of the steel works in 1937 a stretch of over a mile of the Ebbw Fawr was channelled underground. Over the years that followed the land above the culvert was used to discard the slag and colliery waste, forming mounds of upto forty metres high and burdening the culvert beyond its design load. In the late 1980s the then dis-used southern end of the steel works site was to be re-used as the 1992 Garden Festival venue. For the culvert this meant repairs in the form of concrete lining to counter the overburdening of the past fifty years.

The tunnel was originally a brick lined concrete arch for its entire length. Throughout most of that length it has raised walkways on either side, the strengthening work of the late 80s didn't entirely mask the original finish. The eroded brick invert was not replaced and a stretch of some two hundred metres, around the mid point of the tunnel, was left completely untouched with a now isolated run of steel sewer pipe along one side seated on L-shaped brackets. It's a culvert that has seen considerable additions, alterations and general bodged connections; it's a patchy smorgasbord of construction jumble that is quite unique in its un-English appearance.

The remainder of the steel works site ceased production in July 2002 and demolition began in August of the same year. At the time of my visit the site was still being cleared, which had some effect on the culvert. Side pipes that would have drained parts of the steel works site had been clumsily back filled with concrete and masonry debris which had fallen into the main tunnel causing blockages and general annoyance under foot. In some spots new drainage has been badly connected to the culvert in a manner that's left it looking as if the new pipes have just burst through the culvert wall. Other sections saw runs of missing access covers, presumably on site and due to be replaced at some point. The culvert has not been overlooked in the plans to make the steel works site fit for re-development, a contractor has been appointed to carry out further relining work for the entire length of the culvert at a cost of approx £200,000. When this work is due to commence is uncertain, but the culverts original section and features have an appointment with the history books it would seem.

Although the original section was the most fun part of the explore, and everyone loves a brick tunnel, if the drain had been entirely original I suspect it wouldn't have been quite so much fun. From end to end was five hours of walking, photographing, falling on my arse (hence the drain name), chaffing waders, aching legs, and diminishing resolve . . . This drain had turned out to be way way more interesting than I'd imagined it might. Approaching the outfall soft fingers of midday sunlight reached into the tunnel and slinked around the final corner to meet me. The boom of crashing water followed close behind and turning the corner a pipe some way up the wall was sending water cascading into the river. After a long stint underground the outfall was quite a sight, blazing sunlight shone through the new spring leaves bathing the scene in a green glow as the falling water bounced waves of reflected light across the top of the outfall arch.

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