Excelsior Tunnel,Cornwall - 10/04/08

[MrB]

Well, this is my first report and i'm glad to say everything went well.

A brief background on the Excelsior tunnel:

It is located nr Callington in Cornwall and is otherwise known as Kit Hill Tunnel. It started out as a mining tunnel in the late 1800's and is later believed to have been used in Operation Orpheus by geophysicists of AWRE (Atomic Weapons Research Establishment) in 1959.

For loads more info and some great history on the tunnel and operation Orpheus:

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/e/excelsior_tunnel/index.shtml

Anyway, on to some pics

The Tunnel Entrance, Access was ok, infact easier than we thought. Entrance was wet and boggy, but we were expecting to have to get wetter!

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/bl4ndy/Excelsior%2010-04-08/mini-DSC_0068.jpg



Heading In

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/bl4ndy/Excelsior%2010-04-08/mini-DSC_0029.jpg



Some sort of 'Pigeon Hole' in the side wall

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/bl4ndy/Excelsior%2010-04-08/mini-DSC_0036.jpg



Further in

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/bl4ndy/Excelsior%2010-04-08/mini-DSC_0037.jpg


http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/bl4ndy/Excelsior%2010-04-08/mini-DSC_0038.jpg



Fallen Beam

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/bl4ndy/Excelsior%2010-04-08/mini-DSC_0046.jpg



Some Kind of Rail, possibly for carrying a bucket on some type of winch?

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/bl4ndy/Excelsior%2010-04-08/mini-DSC_0049.jpg


Small Break away Cavern

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/bl4ndy/Excelsior%2010-04-08/mini-DSC_0053.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/bl4ndy/Excelsior%2010-04-08/mini-DSC_0055.jpg



Collapsed Part of Tunnel

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/bl4ndy/Excelsior%2010-04-08/mini-DSC_0061.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/bl4ndy/Excelsior%2010-04-08/mini-DSC_0064.jpg



The View Back

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/bl4ndy/Excelsior%2010-04-08/mini-DSC_0065.jpg


Further In the Tunnel

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/bl4ndy/Excelsior%2010-04-08/mini-DSC_0066.jpg


Me and Lycos

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h175/bl4ndy/Excelsior%2010-04-08/mini-DSC_0045edit.jpg

Big thanks to Lycos for coming along and helpin. He is now hooked as much as me, so more reports to follow....Soon :D