Harecastles canal and railway tunnels lightmoor press books. It runs just under 20 miles 32 km from lock 1e at the rear of the university of huddersfield campus, near aspley basin in huddersfield, to the junction with the ashton canal at whitelands basin in ashtonunderlyne. Searching the internet for a complete history of canal tunnels seems almost impossible so to find this book was a joy. The standedge tunnel is the longest, deepest and highest canal tunnel in britain. The tunnel has displaced portals from the canal tunnel and is three miles and 57 yards long. Standedge canal tunnel through the pennines between lancashire and yorkshire is the highest, longest, and deepest canal tunnel in britain. A unique spot in the heart of the pennine countryside, standedge tunnel is the longest canal tunnel in britain and makes a perfect family day out. Standedge tunnels spooky secrets and gruesome tales could.
The first navigable canal tunnel was the malpas tunnel, built in 1679 to. Much of the tunnel is brick lined, but the photograph above shows that parts of the tunnel are unlined with the surface being the hewn rock face, which would have made difficult work for the leggers. The longest, highest, deepest canal tunnel in the uk as we explore britain by narrowboat. The canal tunnel at standedge was initially constructed under the engineers benjamin outram and nicholas brown and completed over a 16 year period from 1793 to 1811. There are three other tunnels in the same spot which are used by trains and a new book called the standedge tunnels has been written by trevor ellis who is an expert on the tunnels and has been a member of huddersfield canal society since 1976. Three railway tunnels were opened, the first in 1848, and in 1871 and 1894, but only the 1894 tunnel. You can go into the tunnel on the canal taxi for about 500 metres and see the interior for yourself, not for the claustrophobic.
Of the railway tunnels, only the tunnel built in 1894 is currently used for rail traffic. Before boundary changes in 1974, both ends of the tunnels were in the west riding of yorkshire. The standedge tunnel is comsidered to be one of the seven wonders of waterways built for its time period. I recently enjoyed a walk over the moors diggle to marsden and back via the old canal horse tracks, turnpikes, and roman road. Standedge tunnel western entrance is a place on the waterways on the huddersfield narrow canal between diggle 1 furlong to the southwest and tunnel end. As one of the seven wonders of the waterways, visitors can explore deep into this marvellous yorkshire attraction on one of the family friendly guided boat trips, stop for a bite to eat in watersedge cafe, and let kids. If you would like further information, to hire the shuttle for other events or to volunteer to help crew our boat, please call us on 01457 871800 or you may like. Visitors have a chance to experience this canal within a family friendly atmosphere.
Tunnel canal length designer coordinates notes image ashford tunnel. The huddersfield narrow canal is an inland waterway in northern england. Today we take narrowboat silver fox deep under the pennines through standedge tunnel. The longest, highest, deepest canal tunnel in the uk situated on the huddersfield narrow canal, it links marsden in west yorkshire with diggle in greater manchester, lancashire. At over 5km long and some 197m above sea level, it is the longest and highest canal tunnel in britain. Standedge tunnel history huddersfield narrow canal. Trevor said that when he joined the society there were still fresh memories of the trips which had been organised into standedge tunnel in the 1960s and before and a. One single canal is the oldest, and it is located on the huddersfield narrow canal. Canal tunnel news newspapers books scholar jstor september 2009 learn how and when to remove this template. We got married at standedge tunnel on 24th august and we could not have picked a more perfect place to get married. As one of the seven wonders of the waterways visitors can explore deep into the tunnel on one of the. You should phone at least 24 hours in advance to confirm that you are on your way to the tunnel. Heritage list entry summary for entrance portal to standedge canal tunnel.
Boaters wishing to use the tunnel are asked to book a passage at least 3 days in advance by phoning 01782 785703 or 01484 844298. A great day out for all the family, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Standedge tunnel is britains longest, deepest, highest canal tunnel. The standedge tunnels are four parallel tunnels through the pennine hills at the standedge crossing between marsden in west yorkshire and diggle in greater manchester in northern england. Forester spends the first two chapters of the book on the canalboat journey, roughly a third of the first chapter is devoted to the tunnel. We also have a very wide selection of secondhand books. The single canal tunnel on the huddersfield narrow canal is the oldest, having been opened in 1811, and is still in use. The canal tunnel on the huddersfield narrow canal was authorised by an act of parliament on 4 april 1794. The companys parliamentary act was given royal assent on 21 july 1845. It crosses the pennines by means of 74 locks and the standedge tunnel. Team leader richard shaw and tunnel surveyor john muir start the inspection. The channel tunnel is a huge construction project, employing over 14, 000 people.
In todays vlog we head through the standedge tunnel from diggle to marsdon. Run by canal enthusiasts, we stock the largest range of canal and waterway books, maps, guides and dvds anywhere in britain typically around 500 titles. The canal was due to open five years after work on it had begun. The venue is beautiful, sitting in the valley on the side of the canal. Standedge tunnel and visitor centre about facebook. It is part of routine maintenance work by the canal and river trust on the tunnel, which runs threeandaquarter miles. Entrance portal to standedge canal tunnel, kirklees. Meanwhile, the kids will be kept occupied in the indoor soft play area and outdoor adventure play area. The standedge tunnel on the huddersfield narrow canal commands the top spot in terms of canal tunnels by just about every measure. The period of canal mania, between the 1790s and 1810s, was the point in british history where canals were being dug and built at a phenomenal rate, often starting work before the technical ability to finish them was even developed. Britains longest and deepest canal tunnel standedge on the huddersfield narrow canal is being inspected by engineers. Englands standedge tunnel is famous for its engineering prowess, as well as its historical significance.
Canal and river trusts annual survey of the standedge tunnel. Its on everyones bucket list to explore deep beneath the beautiful pennine countryside and the best way to understand why we love our canals and tunnels so much is to take to the water on one of our boat trips. The standedge tunnels, the river medlock and the next. Visit a unique spot in the heart of the pennine countryside. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our. Standedge tunnel, or stanedge was completed in 1811, thirteen years after the rest of the huddersfield narrow canal had been opened for business.
Huddersfield and manchester railway huddersfield exposed. The standedge tunnels are four parallel tunnels beneath the pennines in northern england. Three are railway tunnels and the other is a canal tunnel. The building of a canal tunnel is crucial to help a. It was opened in 1811, and it is still in use to this day. As i sat watching my partner and wizzy peer into the dark tunnel, a memory popped into my mind, i was sure i had read somewhere that the standedge tunnels are allegedly haunted, yes i had read it in a book called haunted huddersfield by kai roberts. Explore the standedge tunnel the longest and deepest in. Waters road, marsden, huddersfield hd7 6nq, england. At 5,698 yards long, it burrows under the pennine ridge for well over three miles and is a full mile longer than its nearest rival. Canal and river trusts annual survey of the standedge tunnel, starting at tunnel end, marsden. Guests at the special event will be treated to a brief talk on the history of standedge tunnel. Check our boating through standedge page for details on how to book your passage through the tunnel. Standedge tunnel history, huddersfield narrow canal, england. Three are railway tunnels and the other a canal tunnel, located at the standedge pronounced stannige crossing point between marsden and diggle, across the boundary between the west yorkshire and greater manchester conurbations.
A backup van will be stationed near the middle of the tunnel in order to be able to respond if an emergency arises. As well as ensuring that the canal would not then compete financially with the new railway, having ownership of the narrow canal would also help simplify the task of building a new singletrack railway tunnel to run parallel to the existing canal tunnel under standedge. It is also the deepest, running a maximum of 185m below the surface. The direct route chosen involved a daring plan for a tunnel more than 3 miles long under the pennines at standedge longer than any other canal tunnel.
Learn the stories of the folk that built and navigated this tremendous tunnel. The sapperton canal tunnel is a tunnel on the thames and severn canal near cirencester in. It is the longest, deepest and highest canal tunnel in britain, being over 3 miles long, 638. Provides a definitive account of the building of the channel tunnel that links. Railway tunnel portals mvl341, west end of standedge. Discover the history of standedge in the visitor centre which is free to enter. By car satnav hd7 6dh takes you to the free parking at marsden station hd7 6dh, from there take the 15 minute pushchair friendly walk along the towpath to join us.
The sapperton canal tunnel is a tunnel on the thames and severn canal near cirencester in gloucestershire, england. In this video we talk about the standedge railway tunnels and the canal tunnel. Standedge tunnel was canal s major work, bored through a ridge of solid rock in the pennines, between diggle and marsden to the northeast. A vacation is the one thing that a person looks forward to when they work long hours. The oldest canal tunnel in the world is the malpas tunnel also in france, built in. It is 16,499 feet 3m 220yds, 5,029 m long, 636 feet 194 m underground at its deepest point, and 643 feet 196 m above sea level. Other notable examples of canal tunnels include the proposed stad ship tunnel in norway, a proposed tunnel for sea going vessels, standedge tunnel, the longest, deepest and highest in the united kingdom and harecastle tunnel, another noteworthy tunnel in the uk. Three distinct railway tunnels were opened in the years of 1848, 1871. Standedge tunnel was the biggest example of this and almost led to the end of the whole canal industry. Closed in 1943, the canal tunnel was reopened in may 2001. Situated on the huddersfield narrow canal, standedge tunnel links marsden in west yorkshire with diggle in.
Until this is in place, the boat will pause at each adit crosspassage through to the old railway tunnel so that the bw pilot can call the base via the phone system, so that the tunnel controller knows where each boat is. At 600 feet above sea level the huddersfield narrow canal is the highest canal in the country and the tunnel, at 3 14 miles, is the longest. It is 16,499 feet long, 636 feet underground at the deepest point, and 643 feet above sea level. More importantly, it is the longest canal tunnel in britain and makes a perfect family day out in y. The political, economic and engineering history of an heroic. When the tunnel was originally opened in 1811 the cost of construction had been.
The tunnel was opened on 20 april 1789, after five years of construction. The oldest canal tunnel in the world is the malpas tunnel also in france, built in 1679. With a length of 3,817 yards 3,490 m, it was the longest canal tunnel, and the longest tunnel of any kind, in england from 1789 to 1811. Then you may want to head to west yorkshire this halloween where the uks longest canal tunnel.
The canal tunnel is selfevidently constructed dead level and the railway tunnel was too although at a slightly higher elevation. Before boundary changes in 1974, both ends of the tunnel. The standedge tunnel visitor centre is situated at the marsden end. Fantastic photos deep within standedge tunnel yorkshirelive. By boat theres moorings at both the marsden end at the visitor centre lock 42 and the diggle end. Trudging across marsden moor in the pouring rain and a gale, the sky lit by fires and the earth shaking with explosions, the men who ran pack horses must have been amazed by the construction of standedge tunnel. Work on the construction of the huddersfield narrow canal began in 1794. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. List of canal tunnels in the united kingdom wikipedia. It became the only part of the railway that was level enough to hold water troughs for replenishing the steam trains. Four different parallel tunnels are located underneath standedge between marsden and diggle. This book traces the history of the two canal and three railway tunnels once owned by the north staffordshire railway nsr that have been driven through. Four parallel tunnels run under standedge between diggle and marsden.
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