# The Prospect tunnel, Harrogate, April '09



## boxfrenzy (Apr 29, 2009)

The Harrogate to Wetherby line was the first to be shut in 1964 under Doctor Beeching's proposed cuts. Midway, is the Prospect tunnel. Here readers, is the southern portal.






The line had been running down over a number of years prior to this, a far cry from when it opened in 1848.
The tunnel cuts through a very straight 825 yards underneath Follifoot ridge. 





The tunnel, although dead straight is surprisingly photogenic. 





It's a good one for some light painting. Step one, line up the camera on yer tripod by using the flash. These always look rubbish.






Step two, turn on the big torch. They always look a lot better with a long exposure using a big torch.





Merge of the two done by someone called Chris at work because I don't know how do do stuff on Photoshop.










I guess the farmer who's land it is one has been through with his Land Rover recently to clear out the drain. Water drips from the roof in parts, and regularly the tunnel floods.





The bore is 81' below the surface and has a total of 3 air shafts. They were boarded over and covered in cement in 1981.





Reflections





The cutting at the other end of the tunnel.





A view of the Prospect tunnel looking from the northern portal. The white dot is the other end, over half a mile away.


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## Black Shuck (Apr 29, 2009)

Wow wow wow! I am seriously loving that Box! You know how much I love Tunnels especially the Railway kind and that is an absolute bloody Corker! I have always wondered how to light a Tunnel the way you do because you can get such brill results like you have. I have a Fuji S1000fd and am not sure how to change the exposure speed for a tunnel. Also would a Candlepower Torch be o.k for lightpainting? The Prospect Tunnel looks in especially good nick considering its age and is the same length as the Leviathan I walked in Bedfordshire!!. Great to see it Box and happy Tunnel Bashing mate!


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## boxfrenzy (Apr 29, 2009)

Cheers Black Shuck.

With your camera, check out page 59 of your instruction bookletl about Manual Settings. I think these were about 25/30 seconds on F9. A tripod is clearly essential for these sort of expsure times!
Lost the instructions? Fear not...

http://www.fujifilm.com/products/di...000fd/pdf/index/finepix_s1000fd_manual_01.pdf


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## UrbanX (Apr 29, 2009)

Corr, that's lovely mate. I would love to drive through it too though! Great job with the light painting and comparrison.


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## Black Shuck (Apr 29, 2009)

boxfrenzy said:


> Cheers Black Shuck.
> 
> With your camera, check out page 59 of your instruction bookletl about Manual Settings. I think these were about 25/30 seconds on F9. A tripod is clearly essential for these sort of expsure times!
> Lost the instructions? Fear not...
> ...


 I take it you have actually got a Fuji then Box!? I am no Photographer by any means and am still finding my way through the Camera!


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## boxfrenzy (Apr 29, 2009)

No mate, I have a Nikon D40. I just found that stuff on the internet for you. It's definitely worth doing some long exposure stuff in these tunnels, particularly if they are damp. They seem to have more colours with the calcites and the iron ore leeching through. Get practising in yer lounge with some long exposures! I got a big 5MCP torch from Homebase for about £10 last year. They only last about 30 mins, so you can't use it to light the way, just save it for "painting" with.


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## BigLoada (Apr 29, 2009)

Lovely tunnel and photos Mr Frenzy Especially like the deep mud in there and the reflections in te water.


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## Black Shuck (Apr 29, 2009)

boxfrenzy said:


> No mate, I have a Nikon D40. I just found that stuff on the internet for you. It's definitely worth doing some long exposure stuff in these tunnels, particularly if they are damp. They seem to have more colours with the calcites and the iron ore leeching through. Get practising in yer lounge with some long exposures! I got a big 5MCP torch from Homebase for about £10 last year. They only last about 30 mins, so you can't use it to light the way, just save it for "painting" with.


Yes mine is Pretty shite when underground. What do you use to light the way then?


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## boxfrenzy (Apr 29, 2009)

Cheers for the comments guys. 
Black Shuck - the big torch was from Homebase I think, the other one is just a Tesco LED special. Normally good but useless in a tunnel for lighting up anything.


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## Black Shuck (Apr 29, 2009)

Ah I thought so! I have seen a Torch in Tescos that looks a bit like a Mag Lite and is about 18 quid or so! Think I will treat myself.


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## Seahorse (Apr 29, 2009)

boxfrenzy said:


> They only last about 30 mins, so you can't use it to light the way, just save it for "painting" with.



I can vouch for that. Spent a happy hour light painting a while back after waiting for the sun to go down, and forgot that I had to walk back through a swamp in the dark, with fast flowing river beside me. I make sure to take 2 now. 

I do love your results though. I need to practise a lot more.


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## Landsker (Apr 29, 2009)

I have the 18 quid torch from tescos and its brilliant!


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## Black Shuck (Apr 29, 2009)

walsh said:


> I have the 18 quid torch from tescos and its brilliant!



Hiya Walshy! I take it you have the one I saw in Tescos. Do you think it looks like a Maglite?


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## Runner (Apr 30, 2009)

Hi Black Shuck.

I've got one of the tescos jobs - a LED maglite copy. Think it was about 17/18 quid but I sneaked it in under the radar!
Anyhow, the LED version is better than a bulb (maglite) cos you get longer for your batteries and more importantly you don't get that "burnt out" effect on your pics that the bulb can cause.
As Boxfrenzy say they're pretty good, but not for tunnels, this was done with 2 tesco torches, maybe gives you an idea of how good they are:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/highy/3471968704/

Sorry for hijacking your thread Boxfrenzy, some great shots there; nice job - I need to get myself to that tunnel!


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