An amazing adventure - deep down in the earth

Tuesday, 15 June 2010 19:53

We did it .... Standedge Tunnel, our experience!

Of course I took lots of photos - as usual in tunnels the quality varied! However we have some good ones and supplemented with some photos taken by Gill (and cropped or "picassed" by me) we have a wonderful record of the whole journey from beginning to end.

Here is a selection to give a pictorial journey.

The Diggle Portal

The railway cuts through a tunnel under Standedge too - there are four tunnels, three rail and one canal tunnel. The canal tunnel is the oldest, built in 1811 and taking 17 years to complete. All the tunnels are linked by cross tunnels or adits. The rail tunnel in use is the one built in 1894.

Train passes Epiphany moored at Diggle Portal

As the tunnel is very low in places we had to take most things from our roof - they were all stored inside as we went through!

Epiphany with an "empty" roof

Our BW guide, Colin gives John his instructions (Fi and Geoff listen hard too!)

Time to get on your knees John!

The tunnel has three main types of lining - brick, stone and concrete. The stones were the ones to beware of, as they encroached into the channel and Colin pointed our the "pinch points" with his powerful torch and warned John of any nasty bits!

The tunnel bends in a few places and at one point it becomes almost a broad tunnel!

We stopped at the four adits so that Colin could check-in with his colleagues either by phone or once in person. One of his colleagues shadowed us in a parallel tunnel. This is a safety procedure, together with the glamorous hard hats, reflective coats, life jackets and personal guide!

We could see the end long before we reached it - the cameras awaited!

Gill took a good photo of us as we reached Tunnel End Portal at Marsden. Narrowboat Petroc's blog gives her perspective!

I took one from the bows as we emerged

We moored right outside the BW control Office

Inside the office Andy looked on whilst Colin filled in our certificates

Wow - what can I say, I was nervous beforehand, but really enjoyed the trip through. It was not as claustrophobic as I expected and as I had Geoff's entertaining company and my camera in hand I was OK! John worked very hard as it takes a lot of concentration to steer. He felt he missed the "enjoyment" of the spectacle, but we have now joined an exclusive club that we hope will grow and grow.

Proof!

Goodbye to Geoff, Gill and Barney

Huddersfield Narrow Canal, Standedge Tunnel

636 feet underground, 643 feet above sea level

3.24 miles, I hour 37 minutes