Welbeck Tunnels, Notts, September 2016

[BikinGlynn]

Yep that is interesting & different. Whats the field shot, is that where the tunnels surfaced?

 

[Old Welbexian]

The tunnels have clearly deteriorated since I was at school there. A couple of area to add. There is a fascinating old icehouse on the grounds which is probably accessible. Even more interestingly there are tunnels under some of the tunnels. I accessed these in 1993 and you enter via a manhole type cover in what's called plant corridor in this thread. Big enough to crawl through although there is water in them, more like drains I guess

 

[Sandancer]

I think this is a great article, but I'm not sure I agree with your inferred criticism of the current owner. £330 million is a lot of money, but it's probably mostly in land and in trust. The tunnels are amazing, but serve no useful purpose and were already well on their way to ruin when he inherited. Plus, it's probably at least partially up to the trustees what the money is spent on. It would be nice to restore a small part, however, just to show what it was like.

 

[HughieD]

I think this is a great article, but I'm not sure I agree with your inferred criticism of the current owner. £330 million is a lot of money, but it's probably mostly in land and in trust. The tunnels are amazing, but serve no useful purpose and were already well on their way to ruin when he inherited. Plus, it's probably at least partially up to the trustees what the money is spent on. It would be nice to restore a small part, however, just to show what it was like.

OK, I take on board what you are saying. Equally though, presiding over the slow decay of something that is as unique as the tunnels and almost living in denial of their existence is hardly being sympathetic to something that can be considered to be a national treasure.

 

[HughieD]

Additionally, you could apply the "no useful purpose" argument to alot of historic sites. But you are kind of missing the point. History is a useful purpose in its own right....

 

[Sarah Waldock]

absolutely fascinating. There are rumours of tunnels built similarly under Bath for the convenient and secret convenience of gentlemen going to .... wretched hives of scum and villainy[or maybe just their clubs if the two were not synonymous] but other than there being a partial tunnel under the camera shop near the cathedral I haven't been able to find out more. Anyone here know? I'm too infirm to do much exploring these days so I have to rely on reports of others, but demme! tunnels like this so are going to feature in one of my future novels.

 

[Hayman]

Additionally, you could apply the "no useful purpose" argument to alot of historic sites. But you are kind of missing the point. History is a useful purpose in its own right....

Indeed - what "useful purpose" does Stonehenge fulfil? Yet tens of millions of pounds are spent not just on it over time, but on stopping nearby road users from catching a glimpse of it.

 

[night crawler]

Indeed - what "useful purpose" does Stonehenge fulfil? Yet tens of millions of pounds are spent not just on it over time, but on stopping nearby road users from catching a glimpse of it.

If your driving you should be watching the road not looking at Stonehenge, not that you can see much with the amount of traffic that uses it now.

 

[Hayman]

If your driving you should be watching the road not looking at Stonehenge, not that you can see much with the amount of traffic that uses it now.

I live in Bournemouth - mea culpa - and have driven past Stonehenge dozens of times on my way to Box in Wiltshire, in my investigations concerning the alignment of the sun with the railway tunnel on certain days twice a year. The only time I have ever been held up is when following a tractor. The road is straight and fairly level. A glance to the side is no more dangerous than taking one's eyes off the road to read the vehicle's speedometer, or to look in the rear view mirror.

 

[night crawler]

I live in Bournemouth - mea culpa - and have driven past Stonehenge dozens of times on my way to Box in Wiltshire, in my investigations concerning the alignment of the sun with the railway tunnel on certain days twice a year. The only time I have ever been held up is when following a tractor. The road is straight and fairly level. A glance to the side is no more dangerous than taking one's eyes off the road to read the vehicle's speedometer, or to look in the rear view mirror.

Dan U thought you lived up north but then you could be forgiven living there and having to put up with my As***le BIL who lives there . Mind you no one like following tractors

 

[Hayman]

Dan U thought you lived up north but then you could be forgiven living there and having to put up with my As***le BIL who lives there . Mind you no one like following tractors

Since I drove commercially for much of my working life - both in the UK and abroad, and at the wheel of cars, vans, lorries, Land Rovers and tractors (!), including towing a work caravan with a Land Rover - long ago I learned WE are all part of the 'traffic'. I don't mind following any vehicle that is being driven at its sensible road speed. Tractors are usually driven by the people who grow the food I eat. For a few years I drove 7.5 ton horse boxes, where I had to slow down when taking corners and move off and slow down gently when the box was laden. No doubt that was not to the liking of - nor understood by - some other drivers. But they and I were both part of the traffic. Having been a transport enthusiast all my life, if I'm behind a slow moving vehicle I may well find something to interest me in it.