Standedge Tunnels - June 2010

[dtcapener]

There are currently four tunnels that go under the Moors between Diggle(Oldham) and Marsden(Kirklees)

The diagram below, shows how the tunnels are set out.

Courtesy of Wikipedia.

http://www.dannycapener.com/standedge/diagram.jpg

As you can see the blue tunnel is the canal tunnel. The middle dark red is the active double width railway tunnel, and the two right light red tunnels are the old railway tunnels.

For some background information on the tunnels, just have a look on wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standedge_Tunnels) :D


http://www.dannycapener.com/standedge/front.jpg


When we first got there at about 3pm, we looked down the left railway tunnel and saw two flashing orange lights, and after debating what they were, we agreed they must be car hazzard lights.

I put my 300mm Telephoto lens on just to see if I could see down the tunnel and I think from this picture that is clearly a car with the hazzard and brake lights on!

http://www.dannycapener.com/standedge/lights.jpg


We decided not to start walking down just yet and we went back an hour later, and saw two Network Rail vans at the end of the dirt track leading up two the tunnel. 10 minutes later and they had gone :D

So we set off! :D

Just looking back at the gate! A HDR Shot

http://www.dannycapener.com/standedge/gateHDR.jpg


We entered from the Diggle portal and walked to the half way point through the left tunnel and the back through the other. In the middle the two tunnels open up together, they now use it as a turning around point for when cars are in.

It's very interesting at first, and there are things to see, but it can get boring. Being brutely honest, its just a long dark, wet, muddy tunnel.

When you are walking through every so often there are little connecting passages between the two old railways tunnels, and then there are bigger passages that link together the canal tunnel and the active railway tunnel.

You are able to walk into the canal tunnel and the active railway tunnel.

The first connecting passage to the active tunnel, goes into the canal tunnel and theres a wooden bridge that goes over, up to the active tunnel.


http://www.dannycapener.com/standedge/canal.jpg



I took this one quick and moved back!

http://www.dannycapener.com/standedge/tracks.jpg

Whenever a train went through there was a huge draft going through the tunnel, at one point we were stood in one of the passage ways to the active tunnel and we heard the train coming and immediately turned off our torches! The draft was so strong it nearly knocked me over!

I found a little cave which was only tall enough to crouch in, and I went down to the canal tunnel!


http://www.dannycapener.com/standedge/cave.jpg


http://www.dannycapener.com/standedge/water.jpg



A small connecting tunnel

http://www.dannycapener.com/standedge/connect.jpg



Looking into the darkness

http://www.dannycapener.com/standedge/dark.jpg


http://www.dannycapener.com/standedge/headroom.jpg



At the half way point....Time to turn around!

http://www.dannycapener.com/standedge/half.jpg



We turned off our torches at the half way point, and this was all we could see! It was extremly dark!

http://www.dannycapener.com/standedge/dot.jpg



The long walk back!

http://www.dannycapener.com/standedge/walk.jpg



We made a friend on our travels :p

http://www.dannycapener.com/standedge/friend.jpg



The end is near!

http://www.dannycapener.com/standedge/end.jpg



Thank you for looking. Comments appreciated.

[The Lone Ranger]

I had a wander in last week for the first time (only about a mile), and agree it does get a bit repetitive :-)

But I have seen some stunning images from the tunnels so will be paying it another visit myself with a few more torches, plus I have not found the skeleton.

What I did enjoyed about the tunnels was the cool wind comming out the portholes causing a mist to form on the puddles on the access path, also the build up of pressure/wind before a train passed on the live line and the following silence except for he constant drip, drip, drip!

[dtcapener]

Yeh, I had a tripod with me, but I got so lazy and I couldnt be bothered to get try and get some really good pictures!

The skelton is on the right tunnel, on the right wall as if your walking towards Marsden, but on the Diggle half, if you get me ;)

And yeh, we all stood there at the half way point listening to the eary sound of drip drip drip!

When we were walking back, we kept walking through patches of mist/fog and one minute you could see the end, the next all you could see was grey!

[Ojay]

Is the scaffold still on the third airshaft?

[dtcapener]

Is the scaffold still on the third airshaft?

I actually don't know. We saw an air shaft off to the side, but there was a hell of a lot of water pouring down, so we didnt vencher underneith it.

I may be back in here soon, so i'll try and see.

[bungle666]

hmmmm if theres a scaffold i need a trip back!!

oh and you aint done it proper till you been to the end!! :P

B..

[dtcapener]

Yeh, I know I only see half of it!

I will go back soon :D

[SparkUK]

Is the canal navigable at the moment?

[The Lone Ranger]

It's navigable, on 3 day days of the week I think. Otherwise it has gates accross.

That's for the narrow boats anyway as they get towed through by a narrow boat with an electric motor/engine. I'm sure if you have other modes of transport it would be possible anytime if you didn't mind a short dip at the start!

[bungle666]

Is the canal navigable at the moment?


yes spark, its passable!! if your thinking of a boat trip i could be interested!!

B..

[dtcapener]

Blow up dingy job!?

[SparkUK]

yes spark, its passable!! if your thinking of a boat trip i could be interested!!

B..


What boats do we have then sick note?

[Ojay]

I actually don't know. We saw an air shaft off to the side, but there was a hell of a lot of water pouring down, so we didnt vencher underneith it.

I may be back in here soon, so i'll try and see.

Thats the one, me and stepping lightly climbed about half way up as you do :D

[Ojay]

hmmmm if theres a scaffold i need a trip back!!

oh and you aint done it proper till you been to the end!! :P

B..

Ive been to the end and back!

[dtcapener]

If anyone will be going all the way through soon PM, if you don't mind a tag along :D

[Ojay]

no worries, man

[bungle666]

What boats do we have then sick note?

i dont have any, but im sure one could be obtained for the trip!!

B..