Caged River

Bradford is named for 'Broad Ford', a fording point of the stream known as Bradford Beck. Today most of Bradford Beck, and its tributaries are invisible, buried beneath the city during the course of its urban development. Even where it can be glimpsed, it could be scarcely said to run free.

On the university campus, a short channel of West Brook, which feeds into Bradford Beck near Tumbling Hill Street and Thornton Road, is exposed to daylight, revealing it to be a narrow brown trickle, caged by bricks and bars. This image captures the point at which it dives into a tunnel, not to be seen again until the other side of the city centre.

caged river ~ buried ~ flows ~ beneath our feet ~ then wriggles free

I understand that there are some historic reasons why the cage is in place - in part to deter the urban explorers that delve under the city in search of tunnels and arches (some of whom take impressive photographs while they're under there), however I'd like to see the campus channel opened up. It would be a great ecological restoration project that would form a fitting part of our Ecoversity initiative. Beneath and within our cities lie remnants of the land that we've subsumed. Making the transition toward more ecological cities will involve rediscovering and cherishing these remnants, and patching them together.

There will soon be a symbolic return of water to the city centre, as part of the new
City Park, a rather diluted version of Will Alsop's now rather infamous masterplan for the regeneration of Bradford. This is mainly being treated with some cynicism, but I'm looking forward to it, and so seeing what if any transformation will be effected.

Update: thanks to one of my Twitter correspondents I re-checked my facts, and according to my 1906 Bradford OS Map, this stretch of water is West Brook, which feeds Bradford Beck, and I've updated the entry to reflect that. Thanks @CatriCat

Further update: I've found another urban exploration write-up, which actually includes a photo looking out of the tunnel in my picture. Please note that I'm linking to these because they give a fascinating glimpse of life beneath the city, but all accounts tell of the dangers from gas and flooding when entering this drain system, so not recommended.