Thursday 15th January 7:00pm we all met on the car park at Woodcocks Well School car park, I soon began to feel under-dressed as the other 10 people donned complete all in one skin tight water proofs, and there was I jacket jeans and waders. I was reliably informed though that waders should be enough.
Off we set under cover of darkness, we didn't wish to alarm the residents, and more importantly we didn't want any minors seeing what we up to. Children have a peculiar habit of disappearing down holes given half the chance.
The tunnel had been opened up only a few weeks prior as Len Kirkham and Ralph had been asked to make a video, Len however had done a survey on the tunnel some 10 years previous.
We removed the stones that covered the tunnel entrance, or exit as the case would have been and climbed down into the darkness. I carried what was a pretty impressive spotlight/torch borrowed from my brother; the rest had miners helmets that lit the place up very well indeed.
The orange silt filled water only came up to my knees, which was quite a relief. We took a few photos and then started the steady trek through the tunnel, there were plenty of rocks under foot and the tunnel floor was very uneven so care was needed. I was surprised at the height of the tunnel it was at least 7ft high, it certainly didn’t look that high on the old photograph I have.
One of the many
straw stalactites left by years of dripping water. You can see an old
tide mark.
The tunnel
itself is as straight as a dye and has 2 very slight inclines leading
to the centre from both ends. What surprised me more was that 1/3 of the
way in the tunnel we came across a circular extension. At first you could
be forgiven for thinking that they had started to build an airshaft leading
up, but this was very unlikely. This round part in the tunnel doubled
the width of the tunnel, and was a perfect circle. The most likely explanation
was that the horses were turned round at this point as the rest of the
journey would have been down bank; and a man could have pushed the coal
filled carts down to the break winding drum easily thus freeing the horses
to go and fetch the next load. Len also informed me that the local coal
miners at the time bred their own horses, Clydesdales being ideal for
the job. They were stabled at Towerhill part way along the track in what
was believed to be the engine house.
We
continued to the end of the tunnel, this time going on the downwards slope
to sealed end, just up from the Ash Inn; to my obvious disappointment
the water started to get deeper. In fact I remarked on it's temperature
at it seeped over the top of the waders. I was glad to turn round and
start walking back.
The
roof is a little unstable in a few places, probably where the roads pass
over the top, the wall are covered in coal dust and hanging from the ceilings
are straw stalactites that have been made up from years of dripping water.
The tunnel has been nearly full to the top with water as you can see a
very clear water line mark. There are the odd wooden sleepers that have
been left scattered, apparently they were placed at an angle to each other
to help keep them stable and the tracks parallel with the heavy trucks
pushing down. As well as the usual brickwork, there are are a few places
where the gritsone has been left, these makes small cavern like structures,
10ft high in places.
THE TUNNEL HAS KNOW BEEN RE-SEALED.
Half way through there was a turning point
Some parts were not bricked at all
Orange Water, Coal Dust lines walls and a sleeper by a water drain
Poor
supervision led to a few errors in construction