# Withcall Tunnel & Bridge, Lincolnshire - June '09



## Badoosh (Jun 5, 2009)

This was a return visit to a place i've visited a few times in the past, the last being about 4 years back with my son who at that time was reluctant to go in, so we just walked the trackbed outside to watch the Kestrels. This time round it was his idea, i had plans to do another site but couldn't resist taking my boy up on his request, so off we went with along with theterrorwheel for a nice long walk on a gorgeous evening. Black Shuck has been waiting impatiently to walk this tunnel but had work commitments, gutted you couldn't make it but don't worry dude, time will soon pass for the next journey .

Withcall tunnel is situated on the old Louth to Bardney railway, tucked away under the beautiful landscape of the Lincolnshire Wolds. The line was opened for goods traffic in 1874 by an independant group of capitalists, but was later sold to Great Northern. It was closed to passengers in 1951, but continued to be used for freight until the late 1950's. The length of the tunnel is an impressive 971 yards & is now a SSSI for hibernating bats during the winter months. No bats were in the tunnel at the time of our visit.

A couple of hundred yards along the track from the East portal lies a bridge which was built by engineers to allow a farm track to run underneath. On the Eastern side lies a Kestrel nesting box, but none were home at the time unfortunately. On with the pics, & my compact is rubbish for capturing long shots in dark tunnels but TTW will post up his at some point. 



The bridge along from the Eastern tunnel portal















Walking down the trackbed to the East portal





East portal





Into the darkness





Sleeper





Signalling pulleys

















Not sure what this was but it looked like a tall (6') thin tombstone/gatepost





Brickwork





Stone marker 21, there are 40 in total





Huge amounts of calcification all over the place

















Nuts





Nearing the Western portal, the boy decides to do his glowing hands trick





Approaching the West portal





Looking out the West portal





Exterior shot of the West portal before making our return back through to the east were we left the motor


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## Black Shuck (Jun 5, 2009)

Oh Wow! you are one luicky so and so mate. I am loving that Calcification, it makes the place look a bit like something from the movie Evolution! The post looks as though its something to do with Signalling as are the Pulleys that the Signal Wire would have passed through. Was it a lot easier to access the Eastern end than the West then?


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## Lightbuoy (Jun 5, 2009)

Good report and photos -nicely written 

Finding that old cable pulley in-situ must be something of a rarity these days too.


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## Foxylady (Jun 6, 2009)

Excellent pics and write-up, Badoosh. Love the glowing hands trick! 
Nice work...looks like a really good explore.


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## Black Shuck (Jun 6, 2009)

Foxylady said:


> Excellent pics and write-up, Badoosh. Love the glowing hands trick!
> Nice work...looks like a really good explore.



Yes thats a fantastic tunnel, that one Foxy and the one we were going to take you through!


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## Labb (Jun 6, 2009)

Excellent pictures. Is the tunnel difficult to find ?


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## Black Shuck (Jun 6, 2009)

Labb said:


> Excellent pictures. Is the tunnel difficult to find ?



No its quite easy Labb.


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## Badoosh (Jun 6, 2009)

Black Shuck said:


> Oh Wow! you are one luicky so and so mate. I am loving that Calcification, it makes the place look a bit like something from the movie Evolution! The post looks as though its something to do with Signalling as are the Pulleys that the Signal Wire would have passed through. Was it a lot easier to access the Eastern end than the West then?



Your way was easier dude. 




Lightbuoy said:


> Good report and photos -nicely written
> 
> Finding that old cable pulley in-situ must be something of a rarity these days too.



Cheers LB, it sure was nice to see it in place, adds a nice touch to the place. When i first did the tunnel at night a few years back with a friend, we didn't notice it. Probably due to the fact our torch ran out half way & we had to make do with lighters.




Foxylady said:


> Excellent pics and write-up, Badoosh. Love the glowing hands trick!
> Nice work...looks like a really good explore.



Thanks Foxy. It's a great walk, we did east to west & back again. My lad enjoyed himself as did TTW, especially having fun with lightpainting. TTW should have some good pics.



Labb said:


> Excellent pictures. Is the tunnel difficult to find ?



Grab an OS map of the area & you're away. Shuck says it's easy but he's already been there


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## theterrorwheel (Jun 8, 2009)

great write up badoosh, was a good fun tunnel with good company shame blackshuck couldnt make it, anyway here is a few of mine.





























donatello having fun


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## Badoosh (Jun 8, 2009)

I particularly like pics 3 & 4, spot on TTW


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