# Catesby Tunnel, Northamptonshire - February 2011



## sYnc_below (Feb 8, 2011)

Abandoned railway tunnels can be a bit dull after you've done a few, as a rule they are dark, straight and mostly featureless. I've had my fill I suppose and they don't really 'blow up my skirt' anymore, however Catesby presented itself as an opportunity and it was rude to say no...

Catesby Tunnel is a little more interesting than your average tunnel, mainly 'cos its a big boy. I believe it's somewhere around the fifth longest, behind stuff like Rhondda, both Woodhead's, and Standedge. 

Interesting features that also set this tunnel aside from many are the culvert that runs the entire length of the tunnel (under the tunnel floor), accessed by catchpits (yes I stupidly crawled in there with no waders, up to my waist in freezing water to get the shot below), the three large Rest Cabins built into the up-side wall (one found to contain a sadly ransacked GeoCache) and the five air-shafts that these days spectacularly pour water down into the already flooded tunnel (the north end was knee height on this visit).

Not many photo's as I managed to flood my 40D and it packed up for a few hours....



Some history, copyright © Graeme Bickerdike/Forgotten Relics 



> The 2,997-yard structure was cut by T Oliver & Son of Horsham as part of the Great Central's 'London Extension' construction contract No.4. It passes through the upper beds of the lower Lias and the lower beds of the middle Lias. 27 feet wide and 25 feet 6 inches high, Catesby is straight throughout and on a rising gradient of 1:176 to the south, with the summit of this section reached as daylight resumes.
> 
> Its creation demanded round 290,000 cubic yards of mining. Work to sink the first shaft began on 18th February 1895 and the last length was keyed in on 22nd May 1897 - a remarkably quick average rate of 110 yards per month. Progress was greatly accelerated by the use of Ruston steam navvies (cranes).
> 
> ...



*Calcite 'flow'*






*Culvert/Catchpits, lit only by daylight from Air Shaft directly above*





*Big Boy*





*Flooded Culvert*





*North Portal view*





*More calcite...*





*Retreats*





*Roof Drains*





*In your culverts...cold, wet ass *





*Air Shaft*


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## rectory-rat (Feb 8, 2011)

Amazing how arty a bit of calcite can look in the right photo!
Thanks for sharing...

-RR


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## Black Shuck (Feb 8, 2011)

Simply Brilliant.


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## night crawler (Feb 8, 2011)

Love the colours.


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## losttom (Feb 8, 2011)

Great shots- its my favourite tunnel


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## godzilla73 (Feb 8, 2011)

Terrific stuff. I enjoyed this very much!
GDZ


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## sYnc_below (Feb 9, 2011)

Black Shuck said:


> Simply Brilliant.



Thanks....check your messages mate


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## Winch It In (Feb 9, 2011)

Pure.... First Class..... Hal 
Wish I went with you now....


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## LostBoy (Feb 9, 2011)

Great shots !


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## gingrove (Feb 10, 2011)

Love the third shot!


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## Em_Ux (Feb 10, 2011)

Some interesting shots.

Thanks for sharing


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## sidsabbath (Feb 11, 2011)

Fantastic! Love it


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## Molinnis (Feb 13, 2011)

I did that geocache on new years day back in 2006. Awesome experience. Thanks for the photos reminding me of how it looks.


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