Harecastle Tunnel Waiting times

[RAB]

Hi all, Possibly heading south in a few weeks time and was wondering what the typical operating windows are for the tunnel I.e if there is a queue how many boats do they typically let through at a time, before switching directions? And how long is the wait before your direction becomes green again? (apologise but tried the search feature). Appreciate there is currently a booking system which may or may not still be in place, with limited days of travel. If it is still booking only, are there any recommendations for when to book I.e 24 hrs, 48 hrs, week etc?
As always many thanks for all useful replies!!
 

[Tracy D'arth]

To get the definitive correct answer I would advise asking C&RT as there has been conflicting information of late.

TD'

[ditchcrawler]

Worst case, The boats ahead of you are ten minutes into the tunnel and there are half a dozen boats waiting to come the other way in which case it will be getting towards 2 hours, but that is very unlikely the way things are at the moment.

[Rob-M]

The current CRT published details for booking

 

Passage through the tunnel is available via a booking system only. Your boat must have a working front light and horn or you will not be allowed to enter the tunnel. Unfortunately, we are not able to safely lend these items out at the moment.

Bookings will only be available during the following days and time:

Monday - 9 am till 1 pm

Wednesday - 9 am till 1 pm

Friday - 9 am till 1 pm

Saturday - 9 am till 1 pm

[PaulJ]

I went through a couple of weeks ago heading South. 

There was at least 6 of us going through with the times we were given for passage between 8 and 12. Mine was 10. In the end the 4 of us waiting at the tunnel all went through at 8 am-the other 2 were moored further back before the lock so wouldnt have known we had all gone.The reason CRT spread the bookings is so there isnt big ques moored up overnight.

Im going back heading North next Wednesday- I have already booked this as I really need to get through Bosely the next day- early bird gets the worm and all that..

 

Edited June 18, 2020 by PaulJ

[Cheshire cat]

In normal times it is up to 8 in a convoy. As Brian says, almost two hours if you arrive at the wrong moment. Enough time to nip to Tesco!

[howardang]

1 hour ago, RAB said:

Hi all, Possibly heading south in a few weeks time and was wondering what the typical operating windows are for the tunnel I.e if there is a queue how many boats do they typically let through at a time, before switching directions? And how long is the wait before your direction becomes green again? (apologise but tried the search feature). Appreciate there is currently a booking system which may or may not still be in place, with limited days of travel. If it is still booking only, are there any recommendations for when to book I.e 24 hrs, 48 hrs, week etc?
As always many thanks for all useful replies!!
 

I assume you mean Harecastle Tunnel?

 

Howard

[Arthur Marshall]

I've rarely waited more than 40 minutes, and often gone straight through. It takes about that long to go through, so it depends on when the last tub went in. It's not timed entrance, so if there's nobody waiting at the other end they just bung you in. There are services at the north end which are almost inaccessible, and there's water at the south end, so you can always play with them if you have to wait.

[sharpness]

5 hours ago, PaulJ said:

 early bird gets the worm and all that..

 

but the second mouse gets the cheese!!

[Flyboy]

4 hours ago, Arthur Marshall said:

I've rarely waited more than 40 minutes, and often gone straight through. It takes about that long to go through, so it depends on when the last tub went in. It's not timed entrance, so if there's nobody waiting at the other end they just bung you in. There are services at the north end which are almost inaccessible, and there's water at the south end, so you can always play with them if you have to wait.

Where are the services at the north end ?   Or do you mean Red Bull services a mile away and two locks down?  We are talking about Harecastle I presume.

[TheBiscuits]

Just now, Flyboy said:

Where are the services at the north end ?   Or do you mean Red Bull services a mile away and two locks down?  We are talking about Harecastle I presume.

 

In the building right at the tunnel mouth at Harecastle.

 

I saw a bloke miss a transit because he went for a shower

 

I don't know what it's like in there but it can't be worse than the shower at Red Bull!

[john6767]

8 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

In the building right at the tunnel mouth at Harecastle.

 

I saw a bloke miss a transit because he went for a shower

 

I don't know what it's like in there but it can't be worse than the shower at Red Bull!

Didn’t know there were services there, is that the building on the towpath side where the keeper hangs out?  Are they open when the keeper is not there, eg could you get there before the tunnel opens in a morning, use the services, then move over to join the queue?

 

 

[PaulJ]

11 minutes ago, john6767 said:

Didn’t know there were services there, is that the building on the towpath side where the keeper hangs out?  Are they open when the keeper is not there, eg could you get there before the tunnel opens in a morning, use the services, then move over to join the queue?

 

 

Limited mooring on the opposite side (though to be fair Ive never tried mooring there) as Arthur says.

 

[Heartland]

I bet the waiting time is shorter than the Brindley Tunnel. It would be of interest if CRT enabled investigations there and of the  possibility also of the side tunnels, although Mr Elf Nsafetee would probably prevent it. 

[RAB]

Thanks all. Apologies, meant Harecastle Tunnel, as you all correctly assumed. Can I correct the title (tried!) or does a moderator need to do this?

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, RAB said:

Thanks all. Apologies, meant Harecastle Tunnel, as you all correctly assumed. Can I correct the title (tried!) or does a moderator need to do this?

No, you are beyond the editing time you can request a Mod to change it (if you feel it is necessary) by clicking "Report this post" (top right of the post, next to the post number)

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

30 minutes ago, john6767 said:

Didn’t know there were services there, is that the building on the towpath side where the keeper hangs out?  Are they open when the keeper is not there, eg could you get there before the tunnel opens in a morning, use the services, then move over to join the queue?

 

 

If I remember correctly, the answer’s yes to all of the above. 
I’m sure it was early morning when I once used them. 
 

[bizzard]

There was a boy in our class at school called Trevor Hardcastle.  Also there was a Mr Hardcastle who owned ''The Grand'' cinema in the old film ''The Smallest show on earth''.

[Flyboy]

9 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

In the building right at the tunnel mouth at Harecastle.

 

I saw a bloke miss a transit because he went for a shower

 

I don't know what it's like in there but it can't be worse than the shower at Red Bull!

I've always thought that the facilities in that building were for staff only.

[frangar]

2 minutes ago, Flyboy said:

I've always thought that the facilities in that building were for staff only.

Nope. Normal Sani station complete with showers etc. 

[Flyboy]

6 minutes ago, frangar said:

Nope. Normal Sani station complete with showers etc. 

Wow, it's only taken me 40years of going through Harecastle regularly to find this out. You learn something new every day. 

[frangar]

28 minutes ago, Flyboy said:

Wow, it's only taken me 40years of going through Harecastle regularly to find this out. You learn something new every day. 

Just be aware if you try for the mooring just in front of the rescue boat it’s really badly silted up....I found this out the hard way......

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, bizzard said:

There was a boy in our class at school called Trevor Hardcastle.  Also there was a Mr Hardcastle who owned ''The Grand'' cinema in the old film ''The Smallest show on earth''.

I worked for a David Hardcastle when I was a wee apprentice boy

[trane]

When you get to the tunnel make sure that you identify yourself to the tunnel keeper and attend any safety briefing. I turned up once and was at the back of a long queue.I was told I would have to wait for the next passage as they were letting 8 [I think] through at a time. I went to the safety briefing anyway and as the boats started to move I pulled forward intending to get water [I was heading north and there's a water point at the south entrance]. However, the tunnel keeper stopped the share boat ahead of me and wouldn't let them through as they hadn't been to the safety briefing and I was waved through in their place.

Lucky for me, not so much for the other boat.

[Flyboy]

5 hours ago, frangar said:

Just be aware if you try for the mooring just in front of the rescue boat it’s really badly silted up....I found this out the hard way......

I would never consider mooring in front of the rescue boat having seen several boats exit the tunnel too fast and not makiing it around the turn, crashing into the bank.