I first explored this drain at the age of about 13 I guess, so around 1987! Crickey! Red Barn has a claim
to fame, it's the only UK drain that has been explored in the company of
David Dimbleby, who by all accounts
enjoyed his first draining experience. Draining doesn't really get more chilled out than Red Barn, entry via
its ungrilled seven foot outfall is about as taxing as drining tea.
As well as the usual pristine Manchester red brick there is a section of this drain that seems entirely out of place,
much older rough cut stone blocks form an arch topped section which it is now known was a railway bridge that was incorporated
into the culvert. Like many other Manchester drains there are sections which have become so encrusted with mineral build
up leeching through the tunnel walls that they appear almost cave like. Sadly Red Barn is a shrinker and continuing upstream you
reach a point where going on would be both fruitless and backbreaking. Around it's mid way point, similar to Processor, there is
a small inverted egg brick sidepipe that eventually leads to a big overflow chamber on a main sewer, a messy business!
