Harecastle tunnel - Kidsgrove, April 2013

[PaulPowers]

Another lunchtime explore, I was after the Black Panther drain but it's once again sealed so access to the will be with a boat for now

The tunnel itself was dry for the most part but got quite wet towards the middle due to poor drainage

The Main tunnel was built in the early 1800`s and has been disused since 1960 on account it was too small for modern rolling stock, the tunnel heads east for several hundred yards before turning right to head south towards Stoke on Trent. The tunnel itself is 2/3 mile long.

The Other two Harecastle tunnels are a couple of Canal tunnels on the Trent Mersey Canal the northern end starts in Kidsgrove alongside the Manchester to London railway line, the tunnels were built by James Brindley for Josiah Wedgewood. The First tunnel was abandoned to after being opened due to mining subsidence and a replacement built which is still in use. In the middle of the tunnels were connected to small off shoot tunnels which went into a local mine where tubs were floated down to to the canal.

There is also a network of drainage tunnels which can be viewed in Bathpool Park these eventually flow into the first abandoned Harecatle Canal Tunnel.

On a more sinister side Bathpool Park and the drainage tunnels are the scene of the Lesley Whittle murder committed by the Black Panther. Lesley Whittle was abducted from her home in Wolverhampton and she was tied up naked on a landing between ladders. A ransom was demanded and when her father came to pay it unfortunately he drove into the park on a foggy morning and didn't see anybody despite driving around and around. For some reason the Black Panther found out that he was about to be trapped by the Police and in a rage and most callously kicked Lesley Whittle (who was still tied up and had a noose around her neck) off the landing platform.

First set of scaffold

Chair in a tunnel, with scaffold

The second lot of scaffold

More Scaffold

 

[UrbanX]

So what's the deal with the scaff then? Just maintainabce / repair?
Ace photos as usual sir!

 

[UEP-Wales]

Great stuff as per dude!

 

[PaulPowers]

So what's the deal with the scaff then? Just maintainabce / repair?
Ace photos as usual sir!

The inner lining of the tunnel is crumbling and the scaff is a crash zone

 

[RichardH]

I've been through the canal tunnel twice in either direction (on a narrowboat). It is fascinating to see how the different sections of the tunnel join together - and exciting for the person steering the boat, who has to contend with sudden changes in the tunnel profile, unexpected jets of water, unidentified gooey stuff and killer mutant spiders of doom (I don't know what they eat down there when they can't get boaters).