# Subtteranea Standedge



## phill.d (Jul 7, 2009)

Easy like a Sunday morning!

We had a nice trip out to see the great engineering wonder at Standedge. 
Three railway tunnels, and a canal tunnel travel deep under the Yorkshire pennines.






What better way to spend a lazy Sunday morning?
Soon we would leave the sunny world behind and go explore the dark confines of those tunnels.




We had a bit of time to watch the narrow boats at Marsden and look in the vistors centre.
This little boat runs a shuttle service between Marsden railway station and the tunnel entrance.
Then we headed over the tops of the Pennines in search of the tunnel portals in Lancashire.
We spotted several air shafts and spoil heaps from the tunnel along the way.
There was some breath taking views and scenery to be had from up there.




The Marsden portal of the canal tunnel.

The Standedge Tunnel is the longest, deepest, and highest canal tunnel in Britain.
It is 3.1 miles long, 640 ft underground, and 640 ft above sea level.
The tunnel was beset by many problems and took around 16 years to build.

Work on the construction of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal began in 1794, it was enventually complete in 1811.
The direct route chosen involved a daring plan for a tunnel more than 3 miles long under the Pennines at Standedge.
The construction of the tunnel had many problems, many of these being due to poor organisation. The excavation of the tunnel began at both ends, but after a while it was realised that the Diggle end was being constructed several feet higher than the Marsden end.
In correcting this, previous work was undermined, causing several collapses. There was also a persistent problem of large quantities of water seeping into the workings, and in one year only 150 yards of tunnel was excavated.




The canal tunnel is only wide enough for one narrow boat.
No tow path was constructed to save costs. 
All boats passing through the tunnel had to be 'legged' through.

'Legging' was where one or more boatmen lay on the boat and pushed against the roof or walls of the tunnel with their legs.
They physically walked the boat through the tunnel.
The last commercial boat to use the tunnel passed through in 1921, and the canal was officially closed in 1944.
The tunnel soon fell into disrepair. 
One boat managed to struggle from one end of the canal to the other in 1948, but this soon became impracticable as the canal was blocked at several locations on both sides of the Pennines.




A train has just emerged from the Standedge tunnel at the Marsden end.
You can see the canal just before it enters the tunnel from this shot.
The canal tunnel runs underneath the rail tunnels.









Now were on the wrong side of T'hill in Lancashire looking at the Diggle portals of Standedge railway tunnels.

Four tunnels run deep under the Pennine hills.
It is possible to walk between the four tunnels by numerous inter connecting passages.
I was very surprised to find out there were stairs leading lower down to the canal tunnel below.
There is a real labyrinth of tunnels under those hills.
Construction shafts, adits, connecting tunnels and drainage systems run in all directions.




The two disused Standedge tunnel portals at the Diggle end.

The tunnel on the left is known as 'The centre' tunnel, it was the first tunnel constructed in 1848.
The tunnel next to it is known as 'The South tunnel' it was constructed in 1871.
The live railway tunnel was the last to be built in 1894.
The live tunnel is out of shot to the left.




This is the view of the last tunnel to be built.
It's the 1894 double bore tunnel.
Trains will not emerge into daylight for another three miles at Marsden, Yorkshire.
This is a bit of a poor shot i'm afriad, i had to dangle the camera over a high wall and hope for the best.




The Standedge tunnel is the third longest railway tunnel in England at 3 miles and 60 yards long.
The canal tunnel is the longest and deepest in England.
The tunnel starts at Diggle in Oldham Lancashire, it then emerges at Marsden in Yorkshire.




The amazing and complex tunnel layout of the 4 Standedge tunnels.
You can see how the canal tunnel runs below, and crosses under the three railway tunnels.
You can see how the 1894 tunnel crosses the lower canal tunnel twice.
They would not have wanted to build the railway tunnel only a few feet above the canal tunnel.




One of the many water courses that run under the Pennine hills.
You can see these water courses, running in all directions once inside the tunnel system.




A very strange experience awaits!

Little did we know about the strong gusts of wind inside this tunnel.
The vortex type air pressure.
We weren't expecting the strange blinking light that seemed to follow us.
I've never seen the glow of daylight from a tunnel entrance, switch on and off like it did in Standedge.
But that's another story! 




The last look at the outside world. 
Now lets go explore this magical man made grotto.




Standedge tunnel was going to be a complete pain for detail tunnel shots.
It was very warm outside, the damp conditions inside the tunnel were ideal for the dreaded tunnel mist.

A thick mist soon enveloped the tunnel within 200 yards.
Long distance tunnel shots were not going to happen, never mind, the side passages and adits were far more interesting to photograph.




This shot is the first inter connecting passage between the tunnels.
We traversed for 2 miles in the tunnel. We counted 15 of these interconnecting passages.
In all there will be around 30.




Home is where the hearth is!

You had to keep your wits about you in the Standedge tunnels.
There were so many alcoves, adits, and passages between the tunnels, it was easy to miss things.
We found a track workers bothy about half way inside the Central tunnel.
Once inside the small hideaway, we found this old fire place and range.
I've heard about these fire places in long tunnels before, but this is the first time i've ever seen one.
Here track gangs working in the tunnel, would have been able to cook there bacon and eggs and have a brew.




Then suddenly it started!

The thick mist inside the tunnel had created a very still and lifeless atmosphere.
Then a great rush of wind started to blow from nowhere.
The air pressure started to feel a little strange too, it seemed as if we were been sucked into a vortex.
Deep rumbling noises getting louder began.
We were stood in the closed South tunnel at this point. Inter connecting passges run between all four tunnels.
An oncoming train was under the hills.
I was amazed at the air pressure effect it created inside the tunnels. 
You could feel the strong wind a good minute before the train roared past in the live tunnel.
A 'lively' experience for sure!




Whoosh clickety click!
Now you see it-Now you don't!

Apparently this is known as the 'Piston effect'
The piston effect means the uniform airflows are caused by the motion of trains in a tunnel. There are two processes the moving train give the momentum to the air in the tunnel, one is friction and the other is the collision.
Air in a tunnel is confined by the tunnel walls, hence the movement of air is restricted. In the open air a vehicle travels along, air is being pushed and can move in any directions except into the ground. 
Air cannot escape inside a tunnel. The air is forced along the tunnel instead.
Suction is created to allow the air to flow along the tunnel.




This was an open air shaft section inbetween two tunnels.
Large props had been constructed to hold up an area between the two disused tunnels.
There was a loud sound of gushing water emitting from deeper within.
Water cascaded over these props continually.
A stairway leading deeper underground to the canal tunnel was in this side passage.




The many side passages came in all different shapes and sizes.
They ranged from full size tunnels, to these smaller, and much bleaker looking drainage pits.
The pits were quite deep in places, even more worrying is the fact that they lead deeper underground.
I doubt if anyone could document where all these passages go these days.




It was difficuilt to get the camera low enough on the tripod to photograph inside these small pits.
This is the best effort i could manage with a light painted shot.
You can see a small tunnel at the end of the pit leading deeper underground. 




It is possible, if your stupid enough, to plunge into the bowels of the earth and never be seen again at the end of these grim tunnels.
A 'plug hole' into the canal tunnel below awaits the unwary.
At times the sound of rushing of water was really quite loud.
I've explored many railway tunnels in the past, but i've never seen anything like the Standedge tunnels before.
There truly an amazing man made engineering feat.




DON'T even think about it!
At this point it's best not to think your 640 feet below ground here!

This side passage leads between the two disused tunnels.
I was amazed to find the canal tunnel was directly under these heavy planks.




You could see right into the canal tunnel by peering through the arch.
It was too low down to get a good shot sadly.




There's always something sinister about Rubber gloves i think :icon_evil




Standedge Stan looks happy enough anyway. I'm not sure how long he's been down here for!




Many side passages revealed bare rock excavations.
There were many passages and adits that had been started and abandoned.




At this point we had travelled just under 2 miles deep under the Pennine hills.
This was the last interconnecting passage we saw before we headed back.
I think there will be around 30 of these numbered side passages in total.

The 157 marker on the wall is known as a 'chain marker'
All lengths on British rail are counted in miles and chains.
There are 66 feet in every chain.

157 chains = 10 362 feet
10 362 feet = 1.9625 miles




An amazing 'Cathedral' type arch can be found half way in the tunnel at 160 chains (2 miles)
Sadly the thick mist in the tunnel, and low battery power, stopped me from getting a good shot of the intricate brick detail.
I had to use camera flash for this one.

*******************************






I've recently been back up to the tunnels to finish the story.
There's canal and more railway tunnel pics and history on my full story here 
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=265602590&blogId=499903956
It really was an epic explore!


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## LiamCH (Jul 7, 2009)

That was a truly fantastic report. I really got engrossed in the story there. I know it's a word that's thrown around a lot, but this truly is epic. That must be one of the best tunnels in the UK.


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## phill.d (Jul 7, 2009)

LiamCH said:


> That was a truly fantastic report. I really got engrossed in the story there. I know it's a word that's thrown around a lot, but this truly is epic. That must be one of the best tunnels in the UK.


For sure Liam.
It is a beast of a tunnel.
You have everything in there. You can get drain, culvert, mine, cave and railway tunnel shots.

Five explores for the price of one!

Cheers


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## smiffy (Jul 7, 2009)

Thats sure is one helluva good tunnel report good on yer !


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## fezzyben (Jul 7, 2009)

That was a great report thanks for sharing. FB


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## Badoosh (Jul 7, 2009)

The bogs dollox, simple as that! Great pics, fascinating, intriguing & dedication to document a well hidden site that would only dare to be attempted by the few who dare, cracking work indeed. One question...how long were you down there for?


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## Mole Man (Jul 7, 2009)

That’s an excellent explore, I do like this sort of thing. 
Very good report and thanks for posting.


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## phill.d (Jul 7, 2009)

Thanks everyone 

We were down there at least three hours Badoosh.
We did two miles there and two miles back.
With exploring all the passages and shots. Time just flies. I need to go back really.

It was bloody weird down there though. We could never quite see the far end properly.
There was a feint pin prick of light. It wasn't just me either, my mate saw it happen as well. It started to dance about. Like flit from one side to another, then it seemed to follow us a bit as well.
Then as we were walking back, the big dot of light at the other end keeped 'turning on and off'
It was bloody weird anyway lol.


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## cactusmelba (Jul 7, 2009)

HAahaa, I've already read ALL of that on your Flickr pics, but I couldn't resist reading it ALL again!!

BOOK!


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## Kaputnik (Jul 7, 2009)

Great write up of an awesome explore, Phill! thanks for showing us


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## thatlizkid (Jul 7, 2009)

amazing write up! really good pics and the info was really interesting


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## ThenewMendoza (Jul 7, 2009)

Great report, Phill. I have a pic similar to yours, albeit slightly closer. At one point when we were down there a Network Rail van drove through using the tunnel as a shortcut.






M


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## phill.d (Jul 7, 2009)

ThenewMendoza said:


> Great report, Phill. I have a pic similar to yours, albeit slightly closer. At one point when we were down there a Network Rail van drove through using the tunnel as a shortcut.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Ha ha!
Yes i was a little apprenshive about posting 'closer' shots lol 
It had to be done.
I was also wary of the canal tunnel and motion sensors.
A bloody voice came over a tannoy and a light came on as i think our foot encroached a 'hot spot' at one point lol.
It keeps you on your toes down there though!


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## Foxylady (Jul 7, 2009)

Wow, another one upping the ante! Superb stuff, Phill. Not only an edge of the seat report, but a really scary one too! 
Excellent work per usual.


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## ThenewMendoza (Jul 7, 2009)

I was apprehensive enough not to post a report in public, lol. The only motion sensors we encountered turned the lights on, which was very nice of them.

M


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## phill.d (Jul 7, 2009)

ThenewMendoza said:


> I was apprehensive enough not to post a report in public, lol. The only motion sensors we encountered turned the lights on, which was very nice of them.
> 
> M



Same here.
I did a Google search first to check.
It's been done before on UE, some wetter than others 
So why not lol.


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## Darkness (Jul 7, 2009)

Truely awesome dude! stunning pics and great detail. Thanks for this fantastic report! Intregued by the motion sensors and the voice, do tell more!


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## phill.d (Jul 7, 2009)

Darkness said:


> Truely awesome dude! stunning pics and great detail. Thanks for this fantastic report! Intregued by the motion sensors and the voice, do tell more!


Well from what i can gather is....
There is sections in the canal tunnel were you can escape to the rail tunnels incase of emergency.
Motion sensors are strategically placed as they don't really want folk wondering about i guess.
As to what happens next i'm not sure.
Lights came on for us and a mans voice on a tannoy. It made us bloody jump anyway!
We ran away to the furthest tunnel lol


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## Darkness (Jul 7, 2009)

phill.d said:


> Lights came on for us and a mans voice on a tannoy. It made us bloody jump anyway!
> We ran away to the furthest tunnel lol



Hehe, that's brilliant! I can just imagine a torch failing and being plunged into darkness, then out of nowhere a bright light and booming voice. I'd probably crap myself!!


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## phill.d (Jul 7, 2009)

Darkness said:


> Hehe, that's brilliant! I can just imagine a torch failing and being plunged into darkness, then out of nowhere a bright light and booming voice. I'd probably crap myself!!


There's so many passages running this way and that way.
It's amazing. After a while you get to suss out which one of these passages 'might make you jump' 
There always the most exciting looking too. It's just a case of..dare i tread further...ha ha!


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## Urban Mole (Jul 7, 2009)

Excellent report there Phill, loving the pictures etc, thanks for that.

What ever next eh...


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## littledasypus (Jul 7, 2009)

Absolutely beautiful.


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## cogito (Jul 8, 2009)

Best tunnel report ever? I think so!

Very unique place to say the least, looks like with the right tools (scuba gear anyone? haha) and big enough balls you could get lost down there exploring its bowels.


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## tbkscott (Jul 8, 2009)

wow great report and photo's, thanks for the effort and sharing with the rest of us. Good one mate.


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## peanuts (Jul 8, 2009)

just to add my two penarth to this report which is fantastic btw part of the reason for the vortexes of air is that part of the second singlebore tunnels was during the late 60 early 70s sealed up for experimentation on the effects of two trains passing in along tunnel .this was to do with the channel tunnel that was abandoned in 1974 .some of the vents and cross passages were sealed to aid this .also standage was the only long tunnel to have watertroughs inside the tunnells to allow trains to take on water without stopping these were fed by the large watertower at the diggle end of the tunnel this was only possible as standage rail tunnels are dead level throughout something else that is unique to standage for a rail tunnel of any length .if you had carried on along the trackbed for aprox 1/2 a mile you would have come to the shorter butterhouse tunnel on the lifted micklehurst loop this has been sealed at one end with an earth enbankment .


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## james.s (Jul 8, 2009)

Truly amazing report! Very nicely documented


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## Runner (Jul 10, 2009)

Awesome report Phil,

It's the mutts nuts - reckon you could stay down there all week and still keep finding new stuff. 
Photography's great as usual and a mega write up - nice one!


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## BigLoada (Jul 13, 2009)

Outstanding Phill. Thats a proper job mate. You should present programs on the History channel and write books 

Love the description about the piston effect, must be awesome feeling that pressure!

Well done mate!


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## prendy79 (Jul 16, 2009)

10/10 mate, fantastic report and looks like a huge explore.Well done :notworthy:


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## wolfism (Jul 17, 2009)

Really impressive report - liking the detail shots of the tunnels, especially the stone vaulting in the tunnel roof.


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## Labb (Jul 17, 2009)

Some really stunning pictures. I would like to go there some times.


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## phill.d (Jul 17, 2009)

Thanks guys.
I'm doing a more detailed history on this place.
I've a load more pics and history for the set.
I'll add the link to the finished thing when it's all done (sometime next week)
There's the canal tunnel included too


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## phill.d (Jul 21, 2009)

I've recently been back up to the tunnels to finish the story.
There's canal and more railway tunnel pics and history on my full story here 
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=265602590&blogId=499903956
It really was an epic explore!


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