# Barren Clough Tunnel, Derbyshire, June 2019



## HughieD

1. The History
The Peak Forest Canal Company built the Peak Forest Tramway between 1794 and 1796, they cut into a bed of gritstone by the hamlet of Lower Crist. As the stone had good non-slip properties, they decided to open a quarry there. The gritstone bed extended south of the main line of the tramway at Lower Crist and a branch line was made into it. Another deposit adjoining the nearby hamlet of Barren Clough was also discovered. They purchased the land but it too another 56 years before Barren Clough Quarry was opened in 1850 and Lower Crist quarry closed. Before Barren Clough Quarry could be opened, however, the road between Barren Clough and the hamlet of Eccles had to be diverted. 

Additionally, a single-track tramway branch into Barren Clough Quarry was constructed. It was located 80 yards to the east of the terminus of the Peak Forest Canal. At 145 yards from the main line it entered the tunnel before arriving on the quarry. The tunnel was 158 yards long and was driven under the hillside. The spoil from this and the overburden from the quarry site was deposited on the hillside to the west of the line of the tunnel and also to the south of the quarry adjoining the hamlet of Barren Clough. Although the tunnel was relatively short, a vertical shaft was first sunk at a distance of 76 yards from the north portal (just under halfway) to enable it to be excavated from four faces at once rather than at each end. When the tunnel was completed this shaft became an air-shaft, although probably unnecessary for such a short tunnel. A refuge was provided in the tunnel for workmen to stand in it whenever a gang of wagons passed by. Despite of this, a workman was killed when a gang of wagons passing through the tunnel struck him down. A cross was carved in the wall where the fatality occurred.

Enlarged OS map of the area:


Barren Clough 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The quarry was used to produce stone for bridges, wharfs, walls and buildings that were needed alongside the canal and tramway. The gritstone also became in demand for paving flagstones in the rapidly expanding industrial towns of the North West, especially in Manchester. Stone from the quarry was taken by tramway to Bugsworth Basin, where it was loaded into boats. Barren Clough quarry produced stone up until its closure in 1928, with the last load of gritstone leaving the quarry via the Peak Forest Tramway four years earlier in 1924.

Two pictures circa 1930 after the tramway had been decommissioned:


Barren Clough 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Barren Clough 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr

In the 1980s when the Chapel-en-le-Frith and Whaley Bridge bypass was constructed, the route of the new road nestled between the Peak Forest Tramway and the north portal of Barren Clough Tunnel. Spoil from the bypass was used to fill and landscape both quarries, leaving just a small rock face at Crist Quarry visible along with the Barren Clough Tunnel on the south side.

*2. The Explore*
Like my tunnels and done a few over the last few years. All I can say of this one is that it is the cutest tunnel I’ve done, and it also wins the award for the hardest one to find. The southern exit has been infilled and the quarry as a whole landscaped. In terms of the north portal, it was a case of knowing roughly where it was, however, finding it was a totally different matter. Having found the cutting, which is now heavily overgrown, I battled through the undergrowth and negotiated what is best described as a trampoline made up of wire fencing and I was in. Really enjoyed the atmosphere in this place. It was very remote but yet close to civilisation – a secret enclave under people’s noses that they had no knowledge of. Anyhow, enough of my waxing lyrical. Here’s the pix.

*3. The Pictures*

So, into the cutting we go:


img1636 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Is that something?


img1635 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Ah ha!


Barren Clough 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Yup – that’s what we’re after:


img1630 by HughieDW, on Flickr

On the inside looking out:


Barren Clough 08 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img1625 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Nature’s plant pots:


Barren Clough 07 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And we’re in – here’s looking back:


img1620 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img1618 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img1611 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And looking southwards:


img1609 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Pretty basic facilities toilet-wise:


Barren Clough 03 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And the seating is a bit dubious:


img1598 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Worker’s refuge:


Barren Clough 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Landfill at the airshaft:


img1590 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Barren Clough 05 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And the blocked-up airshaft itself:


img1595 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Pushing on:


img1591 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And then it all comes to a bit of an abrupt end:


img1603 by HughieDW, on Flickr


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## Roderick

Great work, I've looked for this in the past but didn't find it. Have you also been into the Stoddart tunnel further up the tramway at Chapel Milton?


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## Roderick

Further back still, in Chapel en le Frith Townend near where the Tramway crossed the Sheffield (Castleton) Road and under the main under the main road there were numerous sidings to foundries and maintenance shops etc. A substantial culvert was built for Black brook at I would guess the same time. The council recently insisted on destroying this claiming it was unsafe even though for years all the gritting lorries from the massive grit pile had been driving over it with no problems at all. The culvert ran diagonally under Sheffield road till it was under the old buildings on the other side where it turned and headed up parallel to the road under the council yard. I slipped into it near the council buildings and took these picture to prove there was little wrong with it before they demolished it. It is nice to save them here for posterity?
Entrance





Under the pavement to the road




Heading under the buildings





These arch stones are well over a foot long so the arch is still strong when people smash a hole through for a drain pipe





Round the corner heading under the buildings towards the council yard





As it reaches the yard is changes to effectively a channel with a lid and splits into two for some reason




The walls under the yard have been pointed here




There is an access from the yard








The lid has been replaced with shuttering ply here






You exit just outside the yard by the danger keep out sign.


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## Muddy Wader

Great update! I know the culvert and have pondered getting wet, for the sake of history. Thanks for keeping me dry. 
Do you know of the legendary tunnel from the church at the top of the hill? From what I've been told, It was an escape tunnel for catholic priests and it came out in a pub cellar. The house at the top of the cobbles was once a pub called the Bulls Head and still has a bulls head on the front of the building. I assume it would be this place that is referred to, as its directly outside the church gates. 
There's much more to do with Mary Queen of Scots and The Hanging Gate. Then there is the spring well that the Duke of Devonshire had delivered thinking he was paying for London water, do you know of these tales?


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## Roderick

Muddy Wader said:


> Great update! I know the culvert and have pondered getting wet, for the sake of history. Thanks for keeping me dry.
> Do you know of the legendary tunnel from the church at the top of the hill? From what I've been told, It was an escape tunnel for catholic priests and it came out in a pub cellar. The house at the top of the cobbles was once a pub called the Bulls Head and still has a bulls head on the front of the building. I assume it would be this place that is referred to, as its directly outside the church gates.
> There's much more to do with Mary Queen of Scots and The Hanging Gate. Then there is the spring well that the Duke of Devonshire had delivered thinking he was paying for London water, do you know of these tales?


The tunnel from the church is an interesting one. Some legends have it leading to a pub further away which makes sense because the Bulls head is only accross the road from the church so if you were trying to escape you might want to emerge a bit further away. Further up the road towads the market place is the site of the original lock-up where prisoners were held in cells underground until a visiting judge could hold a trial. Could this have been an extension of a pre-existing underground structure? When the building above was demolished and a pub built on the site, the rubble as is usual was dumped in the cellar but one of the cells was retained as the pub cellar. A much later landlord intriguede by the stone vaulted ceiling in his cellar started excavating to see what else he could find and exposed all the other holding cells and an area under the pubs back yard.. The pub closed down and was split into two buildings becoming a house and an estate agents. Confusingly the house cellar then included, the front part of the pub cellar. The cells were used for storage though not very dry. The estate agents closed down and it was turned into a micro pub themed on the cells, and called "The old cell". Stella, the land lady was very interested in the tunnel story and I poked about in the pub cellars looking for any evidence but the only bits of the walls where anything like that might have been had been dug up in the past by the services people (gas, electricity drains etc.) so if there had been any sort of tunnel they would have found it then. The other half of the old pub of course remained an intriguing possibility and when it came up for sale I took the opportunity to view and poke about in it's cellar too. There are the remains of steps but closer inspection showed they were just the old barrel access from the road.

If such a tunnel from the church does still exist I think it must run behind the old buildings on the church side of the road where there are some interesting old buildings visible through archways. If it crossed the road anywhere I'm sure it would have been noticed when the sewers were laid under the road.


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## Muddy Wader

Roderick said:


> Great work, I've looked for this in the past but didn't find it. Have you also been into the Stoddart tunnel further up the tramway at Chapel Milton?


I know Chapel Milton. Never heard of the Stoddart tunnel. Is it accessible? 
Do you know about the rock cave behind the ruins of The Drunken Monkey? There's some very weird sunken rectangular holes in the ground next to the river that have puzzled me. Lot of old mill remains all over the place.


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## Roderick

There is a great little book about the the Peak Forest Tramway by David Ripley which details the features along it's route. The tunnel took it under the road near where the bypass now goes over the road. The Buxworth end of it which became part of the Ferodo test track was blocked up by the bypass. The other entrance is still there, you go through a collapsed bit of wall opposite the main Ferodo car park entrance then down into the tramway cutting past the care home. There are bars on the tunnel entrance with a gate and a camera facing out though it looks old and disused. That said last time I tried to dig under the gate (soft ground) I found the camera had been moved after my last visit (to check out the lock) to point directly at where I would be entering . With a good torch you can see where there has been a roof collapse about where there is a substation and car park for the building next to it but it looks like you can get past that. I expect if I asked around I could fix up a formal visit eventually but that wouldn't be as much fun! 

There is a grotto supposed to have belonged to Bowden Hall behind the ruin which people think is the old Drunken Monkey, is that the arch you mean? I've not seen those pits by the river but dyers used pits / tanks like that - there are some good big ones near Broad Bottom. This area was full of textile related industry, in Chapel there were workshops making springs and cut nails for chairs etc and even a stuffing mill which broke down old cloth which was good for nothing else and made it into stuffing /wadding for furniture. Where exactly can i find those holes, I would like to look at them this weekend if possible.


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## Darklldo

The dry stone walls and arched roof are amazing aren't they, especially when you consider the stones a foot or so long. What a long hard day's work it would be, but could last for centuries. 
Looking up the air shaft is a fantastic photo. Like looking at an old record. Again the stonework is amazing.
Thank you  A pleasant journey indeed.


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## Muddy Wader

Roderick said:


> There is a great little book about the the Peak Forest Tramway by David Ripley which details the features along it's route. The tunnel took it under the road near where the bypass now goes over the road. The Buxworth end of it which became part of the Ferodo test track was blocked up by the bypass. The other entrance is still there, you go through a collapsed bit of wall opposite the main Ferodo car park entrance then down into the tramway cutting past the care home. There are bars on the tunnel entrance with a gate and a camera facing out though it looks old and disused. That said last time I tried to dig under the gate (soft ground) I found the camera had been moved after my last visit (to check out the lock) to point directly at where I would be entering . With a good torch you can see where there has been a roof collapse about where there is a substation and car park for the building next to it but it looks like you can get past that. I expect if I asked around I could fix up a formal visit eventually but that wouldn't be as much fun!
> 
> There is a grotto supposed to have belonged to Bowden Hall behind the ruin which people think is the old Drunken Monkey, is that the arch you mean? I've not seen those pits by the river but dyers used pits / tanks like that - there are some good big ones near Broad Bottom. This area was full of textile related industry, in Chapel there were workshops making springs and cut nails for chairs etc and even a stuffing mill which broke down old cloth which was good for nothing else and made it into stuffing /wadding for furniture. Where exactly can i find those holes, I would like to look at them this weekend if possible.


The holes in the ground I mentioned are in the area between the "man-made" (?) boulder cave and the river. Be careful! They're invisible in the weeds until you drop into one a d twist an ankle. As I discovered them. I almost certainly agree with your explanation of what they are or were Makes sense. 
Once you find one, the rest will be easy to find. I think it was summer I was there, so the weeds might be gone at this time of the year. Good luck.


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## Muddy Wader

Muddy Wader said:


> The holes in the ground I mentioned are in the area between the "man-made" (?) boulder cave and the river. Be careful! They're invisible in the weeds until you drop into one a d twist an ankle. As I discovered them. I almost certainly agree with your explanation of what they are or were Makes sense.
> Once you find one, the rest will be easy to find. I think it was summer I was there, so the weeds might be gone at this time of the year. Good luck.


The pits are roughly 4ft long by around 2ft wide if my memory serves me right. I seem to remember there seemed to be a lot, possibly 20, though that's more of a rough rough estimate.


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## Roderick

Muddy Wader said:


> The holes in the ground I mentioned are in the area between the "man-made" (?) boulder cave and the river. Be careful! They're invisible in the weeds until you drop into one a d twist an ankle. As I discovered them. I almost certainly agree with your explanation of what they are or were Makes sense.
> Once you find one, the rest will be easy to find. I think it was summer I was there, so the weeds might be gone at this time of the year. Good luck.


I went over there this morning for another poke about but couldn't find the troughs, it was all leveled with mud and dead leaves (and some spectacular giant hog weed remains or perhaps I'm still looking in the wrong place? That weir was obviously built to produce a flat raised area of water there which again suggests a tannery or Dye works, perhaps later it was repurposed as a water garden with grotto - popular in Victorian times (there is something very similar behind Stoke hall near the old bath house). The ruin doesn't look particularly pub like so again perhaps it was something more industrial before it became a pub? I know the guy who owned some of that land before the highways took it for the bypass, he's in his 80s but still bright as a button so I've sent him an email about to see what he knows.


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## Roderick

The plot thickens; 
The old chap who used to own some of the land said 
"The lane is known locally as The drum and monkey after the pub which still
stands at the Chimney end of the road. The stone troughs were taken to
where is now the other side of the bypass from me and were all fed with
piped spring water from Bowden head. They were stolen during the road
building before I could rescue them!
You are right about the water garden near the folly and weir. These
belonged to Stoddart Hall, now The Lodge nursing home"
Looking at the 1870s OS map you can see the water feature formed by the weir


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## Muddy Wader

HughieD said:


> 1. The History
> The Peak Forest Canal Company built the Peak Forest Tramway between 1794 and 1796, they cut into a bed of gritstone by the hamlet of Lower Crist. As the stone had good non-slip properties, they decided to open a quarry there. The gritstone bed extended south of the main line of the tramway at Lower Crist and a branch line was made into it. Another deposit adjoining the nearby hamlet of Barren Clough was also discovered. They purchased the land but it too another 56 years before Barren Clough Quarry was opened in 1850 and Lower Crist quarry closed. Before Barren Clough Quarry could be opened, however, the road between Barren Clough and the hamlet of Eccles had to be diverted.
> 
> Additionally, a single-track tramway branch into Barren Clough Quarry was constructed. It was located 80 yards to the east of the terminus of the Peak Forest Canal. At 145 yards from the main line it entered the tunnel before arriving on the quarry. The tunnel was 158 yards long and was driven under the hillside. The spoil from this and the overburden from the quarry site was deposited on the hillside to the west of the line of the tunnel and also to the south of the quarry adjoining the hamlet of Barren Clough. Although the tunnel was relatively short, a vertical shaft was first sunk at a distance of 76 yards from the north portal (just under halfway) to enable it to be excavated from four faces at once rather than at each end. When the tunnel was completed this shaft became an air-shaft, although probably unnecessary for such a short tunnel. A refuge was provided in the tunnel for workmen to stand in it whenever a gang of wagons passed by. Despite of this, a workman was killed when a gang of wagons passing through the tunnel struck him down. A cross was carved in the wall where the fatality occurred.
> 
> Enlarged OS map of the area:
> 
> View attachment 254091
> Barren Clough 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> The quarry was used to produce stone for bridges, wharfs, walls and buildings that were needed alongside the canal and tramway. The gritstone also became in demand for paving flagstones in the rapidly expanding industrial towns of the North West, especially in Manchester. Stone from the quarry was taken by tramway to Bugsworth Basin, where it was loaded into boats. Barren Clough quarry produced stone up until its closure in 1928, with the last load of gritstone leaving the quarry via the Peak Forest Tramway four years earlier in 1924.
> 
> Two pictures circa 1930 after the tramway had been decommissioned:
> 
> View attachment 254092
> Barren Clough 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> View attachment 254093
> Barren Clough 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> In the 1980s when the Chapel-en-le-Frith and Whaley Bridge bypass was constructed, the route of the new road nestled between the Peak Forest Tramway and the north portal of Barren Clough Tunnel. Spoil from the bypass was used to fill and landscape both quarries, leaving just a small rock face at Crist Quarry visible along with the Barren Clough Tunnel on the south side.
> 
> *2. The Explore*
> Like my tunnels and done a few over the last few years. All I can say of this one is that it is the cutest tunnel I’ve done, and it also wins the award for the hardest one to find. The southern exit has been infilled and the quarry as a whole landscaped. In terms of the north portal, it was a case of knowing roughly where it was, however, finding it was a totally different matter. Having found the cutting, which is now heavily overgrown, I battled through the undergrowth and negotiated what is best described as a trampoline made up of wire fencing and I was in. Really enjoyed the atmosphere in this place. It was very remote but yet close to civilisation – a secret enclave under people’s noses that they had no knowledge of. Anyhow, enough of my waxing lyrical. Here’s the pix.
> 
> *3. The Pictures*
> 
> So, into the cutting we go:
> 
> View attachment 254094
> img1636 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> Is that something?
> 
> View attachment 254095
> img1635 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> Ah ha!
> 
> View attachment 254096
> Barren Clough 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> Yup – that’s what we’re after:
> 
> View attachment 254097
> img1630 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> On the inside looking out:
> 
> View attachment 254098
> Barren Clough 08 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> View attachment 254099
> img1625 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> Nature’s plant pots:
> 
> View attachment 254100
> Barren Clough 07 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> And we’re in – here’s looking back:
> 
> View attachment 254101
> img1620 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> View attachment 254102
> img1618 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> View attachment 254103
> img1611 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> And looking southwards:
> 
> View attachment 254104
> img1609 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> Pretty basic facilities toilet-wise:
> 
> View attachment 254105
> Barren Clough 03 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> And the seating is a bit dubious:
> 
> View attachment 254106
> img1598 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> Worker’s refuge:
> 
> View attachment 254107
> Barren Clough 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> Landfill at the airshaft:
> 
> View attachment 254108
> img1590 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> View attachment 254109
> Barren Clough 05 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> And the blocked-up airshaft itself:
> 
> View attachment 254110
> img1595 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> Pushing on:
> 
> View attachment 254111
> img1591 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> And then it all comes to a bit of an abrupt end:
> 
> View attachment 254112
> img1603 by HughieDW, on Flickr


Love it. 


HughieD said:


> 1. The History
> The Peak Forest Canal Company built the Peak Forest Tramway between 1794 and 1796, they cut into a bed of gritstone by the hamlet of Lower Crist. As the stone had good non-slip properties, they decided to open a quarry there. The gritstone bed extended south of the main line of the tramway at Lower Crist and a branch line was made into it. Another deposit adjoining the nearby hamlet of Barren Clough was also discovered. They purchased the land but it too another 56 years before Barren Clough Quarry was opened in 1850 and Lower Crist quarry closed. Before Barren Clough Quarry could be opened, however, the road between Barren Clough and the hamlet of Eccles had to be diverted.
> 
> Additionally, a single-track tramway branch into Barren Clough Quarry was constructed. It was located 80 yards to the east of the terminus of the Peak Forest Canal. At 145 yards from the main line it entered the tunnel before arriving on the quarry. The tunnel was 158 yards long and was driven under the hillside. The spoil from this and the overburden from the quarry site was deposited on the hillside to the west of the line of the tunnel and also to the south of the quarry adjoining the hamlet of Barren Clough. Although the tunnel was relatively short, a vertical shaft was first sunk at a distance of 76 yards from the north portal (just under halfway) to enable it to be excavated from four faces at once rather than at each end. When the tunnel was completed this shaft became an air-shaft, although probably unnecessary for such a short tunnel. A refuge was provided in the tunnel for workmen to stand in it whenever a gang of wagons passed by. Despite of this, a workman was killed when a gang of wagons passing through the tunnel struck him down. A cross was carved in the wall where the fatality occurred.
> 
> Enlarged OS map of the area:
> 
> View attachment 254091
> Barren Clough 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> The quarry was used to produce stone for bridges, wharfs, walls and buildings that were needed alongside the canal and tramway. The gritstone also became in demand for paving flagstones in the rapidly expanding industrial towns of the North West, especially in Manchester. Stone from the quarry was taken by tramway to Bugsworth Basin, where it was loaded into boats. Barren Clough quarry produced stone up until its closure in 1928, with the last load of gritstone leaving the quarry via the Peak Forest Tramway four years earlier in 1924.
> 
> Two pictures circa 1930 after the tramway had been decommissioned:
> 
> View attachment 254092
> Barren Clough 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> View attachment 254093
> Barren Clough 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> In the 1980s when the Chapel-en-le-Frith and Whaley Bridge bypass was constructed, the route of the new road nestled between the Peak Forest Tramway and the north portal of Barren Clough Tunnel. Spoil from the bypass was used to fill and landscape both quarries, leaving just a small rock face at Crist Quarry visible along with the Barren Clough Tunnel on the south side.
> 
> *2. The Explore*
> Like my tunnels and done a few over the last few years. All I can say of this one is that it is the cutest tunnel I’ve done, and it also wins the award for the hardest one to find. The southern exit has been infilled and the quarry as a whole landscaped. In terms of the north portal, it was a case of knowing roughly where it was, however, finding it was a totally different matter. Having found the cutting, which is now heavily overgrown, I battled through the undergrowth and negotiated what is best described as a trampoline made up of wire fencing and I was in. Really enjoyed the atmosphere in this place. It was very remote but yet close to civilisation – a secret enclave under people’s noses that they had no knowledge of. Anyhow, enough of my waxing lyrical. Here’s the pix.
> 
> *3. The Pictures*
> 
> So, into the cutting we go:
> 
> View attachment 254094
> img1636 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> Is that something?
> 
> View attachment 254095
> img1635 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> Ah ha!
> 
> View attachment 254096
> Barren Clough 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> Yup – that’s what we’re after:
> 
> View attachment 254097
> img1630 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> On the inside looking out:
> 
> View attachment 254098
> Barren Clough 08 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> View attachment 254099
> img1625 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> Nature’s plant pots:
> 
> View attachment 254100
> Barren Clough 07 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> And we’re in – here’s looking back:
> 
> View attachment 254101
> img1620 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> View attachment 254102
> img1618 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> View attachment 254103
> img1611 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> And looking southwards:
> 
> View attachment 254104
> img1609 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> Pretty basic facilities toilet-wise:
> 
> View attachment 254105
> Barren Clough 03 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> And the seating is a bit dubious:
> 
> View attachment 254106
> img1598 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> Worker’s refuge:
> 
> View attachment 254107
> Barren Clough 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> Landfill at the airshaft:
> 
> View attachment 254108
> img1590 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> View attachment 254109
> Barren Clough 05 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> And the blocked-up airshaft itself:
> 
> View attachment 254110
> img1595 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> Pushing on:
> 
> View attachment 254111
> img1591 by HughieDW, on Flickr
> 
> And then it all comes to a bit of an abrupt end:
> 
> View attachment 254112
> img1603 by HughieDW, on Flic


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## Natters5

Stodart Tunnel is reputed to be the oldest railway tunnel in the world and really those of us in Chapel should make more of it and open it up to the public. There are plans afoot to rebuild the Peak Forest Tramway as a hiking path but the current covid thing has put that on hold.

Another place to look up is at the Dove Holes end of the PFT, there was a massive petrol farm part over the road from the station, and now a housing estate but the major element was down the Peak Forest Road on the right as you leave Dove Holes. It was built in 1938 for storing fuel for the RAF but taken over by the Government Pipeline and Storage System and extended in 1942 before eventually closing down in the late 1980's when the pipeline was rerouted from Bowden Lane (ALDI) up the valley and down to Castleton. The Dove Holes tank farm held 80,000 tons of petrol plus 5000 tons of heavy oil by the station. The tanks are still in the quarry but being buried by spoil from the Tarmac operation so wont be visible for much longer, maybe already gone as it is a year since I visited. The thing to look out for is the water pumping station which was the WW2 road tanker filling point the fuel farm was in the quarry behind it not visible from the road other than the old WW2 crank top fencing in places.


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## Roderick

Fascinating, which of the several quarries around Dove holes is that lot located in? In the section of land between Dale Road and Longridge Lane there are some interesting remains. sadly they don't seem to show up very well on Google maps sat view though that probably explains some of the tanks and dips on the west side of Dale rd. Good stuff about the pipe line here UK Secret Bases.


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