Charlton Tunnel, Sheffield, May 2009

[lodestar]

Here's an explore for some Sheffield explorers to try. There's a large shaft somewhere in Sheffield in which barrage balloons are rumoured to have been tethered during World War 2. The main shaft is locked up, but there's always another way in. :)

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c221/drumnbach/6-1.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c221/drumnbach/7b.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c221/drumnbach/8b.jpg

The tunnel is in use, not by the council or anyone but rather by some guys who like to party and play Connect 4. The place is used fairly frequently: freshly stocked tea light candles abound, and the juice by the minibar is always well within the sell by date. The guys who use the place obviously take pride in it, which is why I've kept the location a relative secret (though it shouldn't be too hard to find just using the information I've given in this post).

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c221/drumnbach/9-1.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c221/drumnbach/13b.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c221/drumnbach/14.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c221/drumnbach/15.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c221/drumnbach/16.jpg

We couldn't resist some cheeky light painting...

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c221/drumnbach/17.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c221/drumnbach/18.jpg

The tunnel becomes a little less homely the further in you go, until eventually you encounter a large shaft and some sort of drainage system.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c221/drumnbach/19.jpg

Tethers for barrage balloons maybe?

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c221/drumnbach/20.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c221/drumnbach/23.jpg

Aaand the main shaft itself.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c221/drumnbach/21.jpg

Enjoy!

[pixelchick]

Not fond of the tunnels usually but these are great pictures. Well Done, nice set :thumb

[Mr Sam]

woah! snakes & ladders by candle light!!!!

[monsterUE09]

Love the lightpaintin shots. its as good a place as any for some snakes and ladders!!!!

[DBS]

Urban Exploring and Connect 4. What a combination.

[Walrus75]

Interesting looking tunnels and what a shaft (ooerr, missus) but not too sure about the rumours of barrage balloons, they were pretty big things y'know: http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s03559.jpg

[Syme]

Brilliant find. I lived in Shef. for a year and missed that one. Too busy focussing on the courthouse and post office and all the other going-going-gone topside stuff. Amazing what is just below ones feet. Thats why I love exploring! Nice one.

[Bunkertastic]

Fantastic pictures!!! Why would you want to tether barrage balloons in a shaft? They were just under 20m long which would be a bit snug even in that shaft. The slabs with the rings look like stone drain covers, get a bar under one end! Happy hunting.

[DBS]

This is just what local people have said. It was supposedly the storage area, but I'm not entirely convinced. It does definitely look like other war time tunnels though, and they would probably have been tethered in the fields above. It's been modified a bit due to development, it was originally open ended.

[synchronoscope]

mmmm, looks like Victorian construction to me. Is it an old underground water reservoir?:confused

There is a big water valve sticking up in the little arched tunnel, presumably an inlet pipe.
The big vertical shaft is probably where the old pumps were to lift to the surface.Was/is there still a building above ground over the shaft? it was probably the pumping station. ;)

[lodestar]

Was/is there still a building above ground over the shaft? it was probably the pumping station. ;)

There's no building directly above the shaft, that's sunlight coming through the top. Not sure whether there was a building there in the past though, probably worth finding out, might look into it. One of the mini tunnels leading away from the shaft is full of water.

[mda06jp]

Looks the part, I'm gonna have to go hunting now...

[DBS]

The pumping station thing makes sense...to a point.

The tunnel actually joins onto a different segment (of different, and older construction) which probably would be a pumping station due to it's location. The Tunnel has blast doors and electricity supply though, and I think it was built later to link into it.
It's quite odd really, no one seems to know for certain, but barrage balloons was the idea put forward by some of Sheffields OAP's :)

Also, pictures in the Sheffield Archives (http://www.picturesheffield.com/cgi-bin/picturesheffield.pl?_cgifunction=form&_layout=picturesheffield&keyval=sheff.refno=s03554)show that they had balloons tethered in the area. It was original open ended, and led onto a street, which has been completely demolished now. It probably had vehicles stored in it too, judging by the archive photos.

I reckon the tunnel and the 'shaft' are two different entities.

[muttonshutter]

Sheffields OAP's


:crazy

[DBS]

People who remember the area during the war.....

[Walrus75]

mmmm, looks like Victorian construction to me. Is it an old underground water reservoir?:confused

There is a big water valve sticking up in the little arched tunnel, presumably an inlet pipe.
The big vertical shaft is probably where the old pumps were to lift to the surface.Was/is there still a building above ground over the shaft? it was probably the pumping station. ;)

Phew, after a very interesting 3 hour study of old maps (online), old pictures (online) and various mapping facilities (Flash Earth, Windows Live Local [or Bing Maps as it's now called http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCC&cp=swxhm5gw80xx&style=b&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&scene=7715249&encType=1 ], Google Earth, etc) I can quite happily now say that I know the ups and downs of "Crookesmoor Recreation Ground" and it's surrounding area very well... and I've never even been to Sheffield (well, drove though it in 1983!) :)

I'd say your tunnels and shaft are probably all associated with the various dams and pools (7 in all) that used to be in the area back in the mid-1800s (and probably earlier). They started at the the top of the hill where the underground reservoir is now: it was a large damned pool that went by the name of Pisgah Dam http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.3821&lon=-1.502838&z=18.3&r=0&src=msl (coincidentally quite a few of the streets just a hundred yards or so to the west are named after towns in my area, Elgin Street, Forres Road, Nairn Street).
There were a further 5 pools and dams leading down to a large pool and dam which is now the small lake in Crookes Valley Park; it used to be called the "Old Great Dam" http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.38337&lon=-1.492686&z=18.3&r=0&src=msl. There's a good chance that the draining of the 5 other pools plus the water supply for the pool in the Park were or are served by your great shaft.

The other pools/dams were at these locations:
Ralphs Dam - http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.381271&lon=-1.498793&z=18&r=0&src=msl
Murphys (maybe!) Dam - http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.382103&lon=-1.497513&z=18&r=0&src=msl
Butchers Dam - http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.383259&lon=-1.495075&z=18&r=0&src=msl
Godfreys Dam - http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.381203&lon=-1.495221&z=18&r=0&src=msl
and finally New Dam - http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.38229&lon=-1.493834&z=18&r=0&src=msl

All of the above info I found at www.Old-Maps.co.uk. I searched for Sheffield and then zoomed in on the relevent area :thumb

I haven't managed to spot the top or cover of that large shaft tho :rolleyes:


I also worked out that the picture I posted earlier in the thread, of the barrage balloon, was taken from just about this spot here - http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.384418&lon=-1.489315&z=18.4&r=22&src=msa looking up toward the old Workhouse, to the left of the balloon, on the hill here http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.386659&lon=-1.490575&z=18.4&r=22&src=msa.
This puts the balloon location slap bang in the middle of this, now, wooded area here - http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.385037&lon=-1.489211&z=18.4&r=22&src=msa
This picture (from http://www.picturesheffield.com) backs that up:
http://www.picturesheffield.com/jpgh/s03557.jpg

A bit of a long post there, hope it interests someone, looking into it certainly captured my interests. :crazy ;)

[DBS]

If you wanted to know where it was you could have just asked! Like I say, it's got blast doors and war time electricity supply...I'm 95% sure the tunnel is not to do with the lake. =

Although for the record, your position:
I also worked out that the picture I posted earlier in the thread, of the barrage balloon, was taken from just about this spot here - http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.38...4&r=22&src=msa looking up toward the old Workhouse, to the left of the balloon, on the hill here http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.38...4&r=22&src=msa.
This puts the balloon location slap bang in the middle of this, now, wooded area here - http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=53.38...4&r=22&src=msa
This picture (from http://www.picturesheffield.com) backs that up:

Is remarkably accurate.

[Walrus75]

If you wanted to know where it was you could have just asked! ...
:D
I'm miles away so the chances of visiting are about a million to one, it just captured my interest with your description of barrage balloons and piccies of the tunnels (but you could PM me a Flash Earth link of the top of the big shaft please, taa :thumb )
Hope my description of the pools and dams didn't bore anyone stupid... it was very late at night and I'd had a few beers ;) I've found that knowing detailed history of an area can add a lot to what you find and even give you ideas about where to look for things (no intention of teaching granny to suck eggs BTW ;) )

I can't get over how different that whole area looks now compared to the piccies from the archive, especially down by the flats and past the church. :eek:

[Bamboozlated]

A good friend of mine originally went in this tunnel back in 1989, and the old rectangle manhole cover is still at the bottom of the tunnel. It was extremely heavy and it took 4 people to lift it with crobars!

If you happen to be one of these of people and can remember been showed by someone ginger who was popular with this kind of these activities roundabout this time, he also regularly did a tour guide round the old haunted Royal Infirmary hospital, and Hallamshire roof nearby, then please get in touch.

[Angel]

It has a very lovely shape to it that tunnel

[Rob_lee]

Wow matey... that is awesome. Love the light painting. Top marks.

[iceman]

can anyone tell me where the tunnel is?

[ugly77]

myself iceman an another mate spent 3 hours in sheffield thursday night looking for the tunnel even got police lookin at 3 idiots in headtorches scrutinising every square inch of the area round mushroom lane :banghead they were really helpful when we explained our intensions but we drew a blank big time can anyone help with a pointer in general direction?:confused we really want to have a look so anyhelp is greatly appreciated! be lucky folks

[iceman]

As my friend ugly77 said we have spent hours looking for these tunnels and anyone we have asked in the area seems to have no knowledge of them!...we have had a lot of fun looking for them but really cant seem to find them so if anyone has any info as to their location could you please email me at iceman774@hotmail.com

Many thanks in advance and heres a few pics of us looking for the tunnels

http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu115/icemanxx774/Looking%20for%20the%20Charlton%20tunnels/ST834093.jpg

http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu115/icemanxx774/Looking%20for%20the%20Charlton%20tunnels/ST834095.jpg

http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu115/icemanxx774/Looking%20for%20the%20Charlton%20tunnels/ST834096.jpg

http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu115/icemanxx774/Looking%20for%20the%20Charlton%20tunnels/ST834097.jpg

http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu115/icemanxx774/Looking%20for%20the%20Charlton%20tunnels/ST834098.jpg

http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu115/icemanxx774/Looking%20for%20the%20Charlton%20tunnels/ST834101.jpg

http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu115/icemanxx774/Looking%20for%20the%20Charlton%20tunnels/ST834104.jpg

[ugly77]

wow ice you have managed a post without reference to a certain womans magasine thet me an bigD allegedly discuss lmao. Good pics considering the terrain. My leg is dead as from that rock i fell off in last tunnel not fun at work tonight but worth it for what we saw

[lodestar]

Appears as though you've looked far and wide for the tunnels, lol. I'll get in touch. What tunnels are they that you're in?

Also, looking back at this, it's been a few months and this is still by far my favourite place I've been.

[ugly77]

finally been in woop woop was a lot smaller than i thought it was from the pics! R lass wimped out of the climb she is a girly girl ha ha ha
Really wow place thoroughly enjoyed it after all the hard work

[Grobag]

:mad:The tunnel has been opend by the Sheffield Parks Dept.looks like
it's going to be sealed:bangheadmust have found out about the lodgers:popcorndown there. At least I got down there 17-10-09.Realy great stuff.
It was used as a shelter and storage W.W.2. There was a building over
the main shaft and was used to control water flow from the dam.there are more tunnels in the area so keep looking.HAPPY HUNTING:p

[WB]

I've been on a recce and found the entrance for this place, its quite nicely hidden. Not been down it yet thought, need to get the lads together for a trip down this one I think. ;)

[lillyland]

Its not well hidden anymore, they've lopped the bushes down. (well, the entrance i know of anyhoo..) We used to think it was a bear pit when we were the wee young pikeys drinking cider and playing nervous on the grates at the top :D haha.

[WB]

Hi Lilly,

That 'main' entrance has always been secured as far as I know, on the other side of the road there is an alternative one thats far easier and actually quite well hidden (no need for hi-viz jackets) has anyone else been down this lately?

[lillyland]

Ooh, really? I might have to go and have myself a look.. although there are 4 possible roads it could be across.. haha.
I remember at one point the smaller grate to the side of the main bars was unlocked, but this was a long time ago, and none of us had the guts to try it!

[mattyprice4004]

Looks like I need a daytrip to Sheffield! :D

[cpcnick]

what a nice find you have there m8 love the picks only one question comes to mind !!!
do you wanna be red or yellow ?.....

[Grobag]

HI. I any one is thinking of going to have a look at this great site you should get a move on.I know a guy on the parks dept.THIS entrance
is about to be sealed before Crimbo :wanker.
Have a look around the whole area on both sides of the road and top side of the dam as there were more dams and tunnels years ago.:thumb

[DBS]

Well I have access to the key for the other entrance near the bowling green, but the manhole near the ponderosa is far better...not sure how they'll seal that other than capping it off with concrete, to be honest, it's a nightmare to open up as it is.

I don't live in Sheffield any more anyway, so won't be going down any time soon. It's a good one, but not really worth travelling a distance for or anything.

[Angel]

Can't think why a 4 guys in full cammo gear would get stopped by the police - blending in with the cityscape.

[Shadow]

Bawhaha, duuudes, seriously? full camo? Thats a bit OTT isnt it? Try just jeans and a hoody, you look a million times less dodgy. In fact get a high vis vest and do it in broad daylight and no-one will question you...

[tectonic]

Charlton Tunnel update: went down to check the tunnel entrance this morning and it has now been welded shut!:banghead

[lodestar]

Charlton Tunnel update: went down to check the tunnel entrance this morning and it has now been welded shut!:banghead

The main entrance or the secret entrance?

[Grobag]

It's the man hole entrance thats sealed..

[WB]

It's the man hole entrance thats sealed..

Its not sealed anymore, been down it tonight.

The welds on the cover were all cracked when I checked it this morning so me & cousin went back and found entry was not a problem, will post pics shortly...

[WB]

will post pics shortly...

Aaaaand...

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=49209

[WB]

Went back for a second visit last night with some proper equipment and a few more bodies, was well worth it for these pics alone...

Teh entrance tube....
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i244/Andypandy_bucket/Charlton2/DSCF4097.jpg

Chillin in the tunnel...
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i244/Andypandy_bucket/Charlton2/DSC01417.jpg

Setting up a shot..
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i244/Andypandy_bucket/Charlton2/DSC01423.jpg

Candle light is awesome...
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i244/Andypandy_bucket/Charlton2/DSC01426.jpg

Myself posing...
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i244/Andypandy_bucket/Charlton2/DSCF4112.jpg

Recce for the next explore. ;)
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i244/Andypandy_bucket/Charlton2/DSCF4130.jpg

Thanks for looking!

[WB]

Went for a re-visit to this place to bust kitty's underground cherry, it was pissing it down outside but surprisingly dry down there. Rain was coming in through the grille at the far end though...

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i244/Andypandy_bucket/Charlton2/IMG_0920.jpg

[iceman]

Hi guys and girls, just to let everyone now....we go in the cammo gear cos thats wot we prefer as we like to do a lot of our urb-ex's at night its also hard wearing and cheap.....everybody has their own style and this is ours! it makes it more fun and we have a laugh at the pics as much as everyone else does so ya see it works in so many ways lol.......as for getting stopped by the police?????? we actually stopped them and asked for directions and to be honest they didn't even bat an eyelid which we found more strange than a load of guys dressed in cammo gear running through the woods at 4am lol

[Kitty]

re-visit to this place to bust kitty's underground cherry[/IMG]

Sounds so wrong. Almost as bad as the 'springy mattress' story :thumb

[WB]

lol, bad kitty! *spanky spanks!*

Next visit to Wharncliffe requires springy mattress action shots! :thumb

[dirk69digler]

Hi Lodestar, could you send me the location of the entrance to this? me and a mate are on about checking it out.

Thanks.

[styru]

could you send me the location of the entrance to this?

Fries and a coke with that order sir?




It so does not work that way mate. People work long and hard to research locations.

[WB]

Agreed, it took me a couple of nights poking around in the woods to find this one....

dirk69diggler, get yourself PM ability on here by doing some reports and i'll show ya where it is...

[dirk69digler]

Alright guys, no worries, sorry, im new to all this.

[steveiebee]

I was busy looking round the George Barnsley & Sons - Cornish Works this weekend but sent my brother to Crookes to try and find both entrances, instead of searching high and low with all my camera gear.

He was as useful as a chocolate fire guard and kept ringing me hour after hour!! He even said he was near the tennis courts looking for it, and i know he's a million miles away i just laughed and said 'keep looking'... he never found it. Meanwhile i had a lovely time taking pictures. Thanks Bro!

[WB]

You were not far off there stevie!

I'm going down here tonight to test out some new lighting gear i've just got.

dirk & stevie, if you want to come along drop me a mail on wbue28 <at> gmail <dot> com

Cheers.

WB

[steveiebee]

Ahh really?! I would have loved to, but i'm off to Wales this after's and won't be back until Thursday... i'd certainly be interested another time when you're going down! I'll email you my details.

[WB]

Well thats my lesson well and truly learned. Turned up here and the coppers were poking around the entrance cover!

I'd hope it was a coincidence and that they were looking for local tea-leaves but I'm NEVER posting on here again when I plan to go somewhere, even ifs its totally NOT a sensitive location like Charlton tunnel is.

PS, I heard the coppers muttering 'This really needs sorting out' so it may end up being sealed (again) which would suck. :(

[ah147]

Was down today. A few small changes down there, you can tell its becoming more publicised and more well used since the original report. Didn't think the cover was too hard to find, only slightly off the main path.

It's not sealed shut yet.

For those of you that turn up and don't have anything to lift the cover with (as I did), theres a shiny bit of metal hidden within 3m of the cover that will do it.

[newtxplore]

Yeah too right ah147 you know who i am right :D it was really cool defo worth visiting in the dark :s xx

[freefall]

I went down there last week for a play around. Keep expecting to bump into other people whenever I'm there.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4955338998_e2022820e7_z.jpg

The echo down there is really strange. I've never been anywhere quite like it.

Also, I'm interested to find out if anyone knows anything about other tunnels under the crookes/walkley area? A friend seems to think there may be something under the Springvale pub area as in heavy rain he's heard water "thundering" underneath the road. I think someone who works in the waterways backed up the claim a bit but I can't remember what he said about it.

[lodestar]

Not checked this in a long time... awesome thread! Good to see people blowing the lid.

[Nick-9732]

Checked it out last week, as far as i'm aware the entrance has now been welded shut :/
however, i had a browse around nearby areas and found some other manholes which seem to be identical. I may have to revisit as soon as i'm free.

[WB]

Checked it out last week, as far as i'm aware the entrance has now been welded shut :/


We were down there last week and it wasn't sealed at all. That of course depends on which entrance you are looking at. ;)

[Meersbrook]

To not formally name the place, is that where SYPTE want to build a park & ride due to the proximity of a particular mode of public transport?

[Nick-9732]

Ahhh right haha. I was only down breifly so i just checked out the only entrance i knew, other than the actual shaft.
Ill go back up sometime maybe not on my own this time and check out the alternative entrances :)
it's a really good spot, i just hope the location doesn't get around too much.

[WB]

Unfortunately i've just heard that this place has been sealed again. They've done a proper job this time tho. :(

[DubbedNavigator]

Unfortunately i've just heard that this place has been sealed again. They've done a proper job this time tho. :(

Shit...

[WB]

Shit...

My thoughts exactly... :banghead

The cover is welded on, 8 welds each 2 inches long. :wanker

[sevenhillsproductions]

Wasnt sealed when I went down a couple weeks ago, must have been pretty recent. Anyone checked it out?

[WB]

Wasnt sealed when I went down a couple weeks ago, must have been pretty recent. Anyone checked it out?

Very recent, my cousin went down on Thursday night and the welds were fresh!

[sevenhillsproductions]

Wow, thats a shame... glad i got to see it then! Still, where theres a will theres a [STUPID FOOKING COMMENT]

[WB]

No-one on here would advocate that kind of business, and its probably not wise to post about it. The whole idea of Urban Exploration is not to disturb anything.

[Ojay]

where theres a will theres a........

You radio rental mate :crazy

That kind of shit isn't welcome here :banghead

[Gone]

Wow, thats a shame... glad i got to see it then! Still, where theres a will theres a [STUPID FOOKING COMMENT]

Hammer?

Saw?

Bomb?

Fat Person?

[KooK]

http://www.nutraplanet.com/photos/9993/100_-whey-gold-5lb_large.jpg

[sevenhillsproductions]

Joke guys... where the fuck would you plug it in?

[styru]

Jake guys... where the fuck would you plug it in?

er, why ask us - you're the one advocating breaking and entering - I presume you're planning to use a petrol one? :rolleyes:

[sevenhillsproductions]

Im not planning on using any form of grinding equipment... it was just a joke. Sorry if i caused offence...