# Great Oxendon - closed - Tunnels (The Rat Holes), Northants, Oct14



## The Wombat (Oct 20, 2014)

*The southbound bore is open to the public as a cycle path, and I have visited many times over the years. But it is the closed northbound bore that has always held my interest. Firstly, due to the curve, you cannot see through it, unlike its counterpart. Secondly, it has a few items cluttering the tunnel, and thirdly, there are no photos on the internet of the inside of the tunnel.

I first visited the twin tunnels in 1994, so was very lucky to finally see inside the closed tunnel. It was rewardingly very different from the public tunnel. Its curve leaving it pitch black in the centre, leaking water, bulging sides threatening collapse, unusual ceiling recesses, colours, and gated ends are all interesting features.
An enjoyable explore with JuJu, KM Punk, & Stranton.*

_The Northampton to Market Harborough line opened in 1859 and had tunnels at Great Oxendon and nearby Kelmarsh. The original tunnel was single-track (422M), and when the line was doubled a second single-track tunnel was built. The second tunnel had an airshaft, and is now a cycle path all the way to Northampton. The line closed in 1981._

















*The Wombat & Stranton*
















*this is my favourite shot*





*And here is the open to the public tunnel* 
Photos taken earlier this year



















​Thanks for looking


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## UrbanX (Oct 20, 2014)

Lovely stuff! Amazing photographs too, thanks for sharing


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## steve2109 (Oct 20, 2014)

Great Stuff Buddy


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## mockingbird (Oct 20, 2014)

Love this good stuff mr wombat


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## brickworx (Oct 20, 2014)

Cool! Like that.


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## Mikeymutt (Oct 20, 2014)

That's really good thank you.


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## HughieD (Oct 20, 2014)

Ha ha....absolute class that!


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## flyboys90 (Oct 20, 2014)

Awesome structure! Superb images and thanks for showing.


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## Infraredd (Oct 22, 2014)

Excellent pictures.....How on earth did you get in there? It's always been padlocked when I go


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## The Wombat (Oct 23, 2014)

Many thanks everyone 
appreciate it



Infraredd said:


> Excellent pictures.....How on earth did you get in there? It's always been padlocked when I go




cheers mate
great to get this one done
Access; Not saying in public mate


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## LittleOz (Oct 25, 2014)

Superb shots Mr Wombat, nicely done.


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## decker (Oct 25, 2014)

Eerie, like it


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## The Wombat (Nov 4, 2014)

Thanks LiitleOz and Decker


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