Report - Leek Railway Tunnel - August 2021.

[Tunnel Gricer]

Leek Tunnel - 420yds August 2021.

Opened in 1849 as part of the North Staffordshire Railway’s Manchester to Stoke route carrying mostly coal / goods traffic linked to the local potteries. Closed to all traffic in 1964. Very little if any information or history on this tunnel and was only discovered by accident while in search of another abandoned railway tunnel... the southern portal is long buried with the “Manifold Way” pathway running within a few hundred yards before heading towards the nearby town, the northern portal stands hidden in a local scrap / storage yard which is nearly impossible to access. The tunnels portal is bricked up with just a small mesh section for ventilation and access, the nearby track bed buried with several feet of infill, inside the tunnel the construction varies between brick and natural stone walls look to be a red sand stone type material, there’s several refuges along the tunnels length with two being more like small rooms, Unsure why they are unless it was used as a Permanent way hut? At the southern end it appears there was once a wall which has since been knocked down possibly when infilled? Climbing to the top of the infill the end of the tunnel portal’s stone crown is visible. A nice find this one having searched the internet I can see no other information or pictures so looks to have remained hidden for quite some time, I enjoyed it so much I went back a few weeks after my first visit to better some images and take a working torch! Hopefully of interest to all...

Thanks All.

Thanks for looking, Next one coming soon....

 

[urbanchemist]

So you've actually done something original? That's more like it.

 

[AlexUrbex1]

I live right near here and didn't know this existed

 

[Tunnel Gricer]

So you've actually done something original? That's more like it.

I don’t follow? Not sure wether that’s a dig or praise o_O:

 

[Tunnel Gricer]

I live right near here and didn't know this existed

I didn’t until we stumbled upon it by accident a right nightmare to get too! Especially if heights and steep drops are an issue…

 

[urbanchemist]

I don’t follow? Not sure wether that’s a dig or praise o_O:

Mainly the latter - there can't be many undocumented rail tunnels left to find.

But any idiot can run around taking more pictures of known ones - I do it myself sometimes.

 

[Tunnel Gricer]

Mainly the latter - there can't be many undocumented rail tunnels left to find.

But any idiot can run around taking more pictures of known ones - I do it myself sometimes.

Well this is it we simply don’t know in reality as most lists provided are incorrect with errors and such like it’s just a case of doing the leg work and researching old maps and documents. I don’t tend to post many tunnels that have been recently posted as I don’t see the point but if there’s a sufficient amount of time passed I don’t see an issue, it can be regarded as more of an update than anything else

 

[m4dd13z666]

We pull up.. Doug - this ain't where we should be.. Well it's a tunnel may aswell look now .
If I remember rightly you had a working torch on the first visit that you decided to leave at the gate o_O
Smashing piks again tho Mr duggie and decent write up from no info

 

[urbanchemist]

Well this is it we simply don’t know in reality as most lists provided are incorrect with errors and such like it’s just a case of doing the leg work and researching old maps and documents. I don’t tend to post many tunnels that have been recently posted as I don’t see the point but if there’s a sufficient amount of time passed I don’t see an issue, it can be regarded as more of an update than anything else

Sure, 'updates' are mostly what this forum is about.

But, as any fule kno, the good stuff is the new stuff, and old maps are definitely the way to go.

 

[jST]

This is cool man

 

[Tunnel Gricer]

Sure, 'updates' are mostly what this forum is about.

But, as any fule kno, the good stuff is the new stuff, and old maps are definitely the way to go.

New stuff is hard to come by… But we’ll find em in time just stick with it

 

[Tunnel Gricer]

This is cool man

Thanks

 

[Tunnel Gricer]

We pull up.. Doug - this ain't where we should be.. Well it's a tunnel may aswell look now .
If I remember rightly you had a working torch on the first visit that you decided to leave at the gate o_O
Smashing piks again tho Mr duggie and decent write up from no info

It wasn’t easy but we managed it and then went back for 2nd helpings

 

[raisinwing]

Nice!

 

[dave]

Well updates or not your tunnel reports are always worth looking at your lighting and photography skills are as good as it gets, keep em coming and urbanchemist is right mind i still love all your tunnel work.