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A trip through Harecastle Tunnel?


Rhu

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Hello Everyone

I’m Rebecca and I’m an artist interested in canal life including everything from ecology and canal plant & animals species, to canal heritage and engineering. 
 

One thing I’d love to do is go through the Harecastle tunnel to record the sound and document the experience. I wondered if anyone going through at some point doesn’t mind me joining them? I can offer a photo of you and your boat and cake as a thank you! I’m open going through as many times as I can get :)

 

Also, if you have any stories or thoughts about the canal between Kidsgrove and Stoke get in touch. I grew up in the area and have some of my own, but it’s good to hear other people’s histories connected to the canal, either passing through or from living in the area.

 

Looking forward to learning more about canal life on this site! Hope I posted in the right place.

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7 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I would simply turn up there and ask boaters waiting to go through, many will be happy to have you aboard.

I think my approach would be to speak to the tunnel keeper and get them on side, I think you would have more success if the tunnel keeper says to a boater would you mind giving this person a ride and the reasons for it. I am not sure how I would respond to a stranger walking up to me and just asking for a ride.

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1 hour ago, Rhu said:

 

Hello Everyone

I’m Rebecca and I’m an artist interested in canal life including everything from ecology and canal plant & animals species, to canal heritage and engineering. 
 

One thing I’d love to do is go through the Harecastle tunnel to record the sound and document the experience. I wondered if anyone going through at some point doesn’t mind me joining them? I can offer a photo of you and your boat and cake as a thank you! I’m open going through as many times as I can get :)

 

Also, if you have any stories or thoughts about the canal between Kidsgrove and Stoke get in touch. I grew up in the area and have some of my own, but it’s good to hear other people’s histories connected to the canal, either passing through or from living in the area.

 

Looking forward to learning more about canal life on this site! Hope I posted in the right place.

See already 2 responses  :)

don't worry if the thread wanders off topic, they all do, hopefully someone will be along soon with a suggestion/offer

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21 minutes ago, system 4-50 said:

Hi Rebecca.  Is there any chance of persuading you to give up being an artist in favour of actually doing stuff?  Engineering can be fun!  There are too many artists in this world, about a dozen is all we need.

Harsh!

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1 hour ago, system 4-50 said:

Hi Rebecca.  Is there any chance of persuading you to give up being an artist in favour of actually doing stuff?  Engineering can be fun!  There are too many artists in this world, about a dozen is all we need.

Hahaha. :) That is a bit embarrassing (not for me) Merely a question about a trip on a boat, not career advice. 


Rather than ribbing me, you could ask questions. But thank you for giving me the message to remind me I should be a little guarded about who I speak to 😂

1 hour ago, nicknorman said:

Harsh!

& ditchcrawler, I’m used to it! 

Had similar experiences on other leisure/hobby forums like ham radio etc, but I try not to tar all people with the same brush.

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Just now, Rhu said:

Hahaha. :) That is a bit embarrassing (not for me) Merely a question about a trip on a boat, not career advice. 


Rather than ribbing me, you could ask questions. But thank you for giving me the message to remind me I should be a little guarded about who I speak to 😂

Don't be put off, there's plenty of good people here and a massive wealth of knowledge, there is also a lot of ribbing and mickey taking that can easily be seen as snark to newbys.

 

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3 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

I think my approach would be to speak to the tunnel keeper and get them on side, I think you would have more success if the tunnel keeper says to a boater would you mind giving this person a ride and the reasons for it. I am not sure how I would respond to a stranger walking up to me and just asking for a ride.

Thank you. I have been commissioned by the CRT and a local organisation to research and make work on a specific stretch of the T&M canal, as part of a wider town project. 
It’s been a bit tricky as I’m not always in the area each day/week, but that is a good point for me to explore and daft of me for not thinking about that!
 

1 minute ago, tree monkey said:

Don't be put off, there's plenty of good people here and a massive wealth of knowledge, there is also a lot of ribbing and mickey taking that can easily be seen as snark to newbys.

 

I can take a lot of ribbing but after a few experiences I just want to eyeroll. Thanks for the heads up. I’m looking forward to meeting anyone tripping around there between now and April! :) 

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3 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

I think my approach would be to speak to the tunnel keeper and get them on side, I think you would have more success if the tunnel keeper says to a boater would you mind giving this person a ride and the reasons for it. I am not sure how I would respond to a stranger walking up to me and just asking for a ride.

Thats definitely the best option,

 

Im sure you know headroom can be challenging in Harecastle so mind your head, the roof dips down low. Im sure it will provide you with  much inspiration especially if you sit at the front, eerily quiet often then  

 

 

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Worth finding out from your CRT contact  what the Harecastle operating hours are.  I think it might be an organised free for all am and  bookings only pm, at present.  After half term until the early Spring holiday the hours usually reduce even further and in deep winter the tunnel is booked passages only, on certain days only.

 

There also may be CRT maintenance inspections.  If so if would be  well worth trying to get in on one of these. 

 

Finally, the book 'Harecastle's Canal and Railway Tunnels' will give you really good background and lots of things to look out for in your tunnel passages.

 

N

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Wish you the best with it. 
I like the idea of recording sounds. You must take a trip in from the Stoke end because you’ll hear the doors slamming and the fans working. 

If you get friendly with the tunnel keepers they might have access above the tunnel end where you may be able to record the fans. 🤷‍♀️
 

Boat engines have their own distinctive sounds. Lots of possibilities for art work. But as suggested elsewhere; first step is introduce yourself to the tunnel keepers, they’re very friendly and will enjoy helping. 
And don’t forget the walk over the top where they walked the horses.

Enjoy. 👍

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15 hours ago, Rhu said:

Thank you. I have been commissioned by the CRT and a local organisation to research and make work on a specific stretch of the T&M canal, as part of a wider town project. 
It’s been a bit tricky as I’m not always in the area each day/week, but that is a good point for me to explore and daft of me for not thinking about that!
 

I can take a lot of ribbing but after a few experiences I just want to eyeroll. Thanks for the heads up. I’m looking forward to meeting anyone tripping around there between now and April! :) 

I for one would love to hear a bit more about your project. The combination of history, sociology and arts, of all kinds, can bring out remarkable insights. As a student in 1960s, I was much moved by the work of the Victoria Theatre in Stoke in Trent under Peter Cheeseman, with their regular productions researched and written by the whole cast, about some aspect of the Potteries. The one I particularly remember is The Knotty and I came across a recording of it on line a few months ago and it brought back to me those dim and distant times, both when it was written and the times that it was about.

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17 hours ago, system 4-50 said:

Hi Rebecca.  Is there any chance of persuading you to give up being an artist in favour of actually doing stuff?  Engineering can be fun!  There are too many artists in this world, about a dozen is all we need.

 

""We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race, and the human race is filled with passion. Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for."

 

-Robin Williams, Dead Poet's Society.

 

Substitute poetry for any other art form.

 

eventsnorthstaffs@canalrivertrust.org.uk this is the email address for things to do with the tunnel.  They may be able to put you into direct contact with the tunnel keepers.

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3 hours ago, Boatingbiker said:

Don't forget to look out for the 'Boggit' painted in a recess about 500m from the North entrance

23065a.jpg

I have never managed to get a good photo of that, never time the pressing of the shutter right, not that cameras have shutters now

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We're not heading that way any time soon as we ended up going round the Staffs & Worcs. instead. A few ideas though:

 

If you're capturing the place, it may be worth being ready to record the Tunnel Keeper's briefing as well as the trip through.

Four Counties Fuels go through on a schedule so that may make it easier to 'book a passage' as it were. Not run across them myself directly so not sure what engines they run but it should be a good sound! They can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/fourcountiesfuels/

Are you aware of the story of the Kidsgrove Boggart?

Are you aware of the disused railway tunnel above that you can walk through (wear wellies)?

 

Alec

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3 hours ago, agg221 said:

We're not heading that way any time soon as we ended up going round the Staffs & Worcs. instead. A few ideas though:

 

If you're capturing the place, it may be worth being ready to record the Tunnel Keeper's briefing as well as the trip through.

Four Counties Fuels go through on a schedule so that may make it easier to 'book a passage' as it were. Not run across them myself directly so not sure what engines they run but it should be a good sound! They can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/fourcountiesfuels/

Are you aware of the story of the Kidsgrove Boggart?

Are you aware of the disused railway tunnel above that you can walk through (wear wellies)?

 

Alec

You may recognise one of them as its half the fox team 

 

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On 27/10/2021 at 16:11, system 4-50 said:

Hi Rebecca.  Is there any chance of persuading you to give up being an artist in favour of actually doing stuff?  Engineering can be fun!  There are too many artists in this world, about a dozen is all we need.

Gawd, I never thought of that while playing music professionally for the last fifty years. I can only apologise.

I'll tell my wife to pass the message on to her orchestrs as obviously most of them can be retrained.

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3 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Gawd, I never thought of that while playing music professionally for the last fifty years. I can only apologise.

I'll tell my wife to pass the message on to her orchestrs as obviously most of them can be retrained.

Working in live events/music etc myself I don’t have an issue with the performance or arty bits…I do however have an issue if CRT is funding any of it…money that could be better spent on maintenance or indeed longer opening hours for Harecastle. This sort of spending is fine when there is a surplus but not when lock gates are falling apart. 

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10 minutes ago, frangar said:

Working in live events/music etc myself I don’t have an issue with the performance or arty bits…I do however have an issue if CRT is funding any of it…money that could be better spent on maintenance or indeed longer opening hours for Harecastle. This sort of spending is fine when there is a surplus but not when lock gates are falling apart. 

Do remember the CRT are desperately trying to be all things to all people, they otherwise won't/might not get any more public money.

 

2027 is the date if IIRC.   Having a canal with working gates is little use if there is no money for staff to operate say the Harecastle or any other of the maintennance problems which occur in the following decade or so.

 

Your post reads as if you want the canals to have a short life and not be available much after say 2030.

 

Being a pragmatic and glass half full sort of person I can see why it is being done.

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41 minutes ago, Jerra said:

Do remember the CRT are desperately trying to be all things to all people, they otherwise won't/might not get any more public money.

 

2027 is the date if IIRC.   Having a canal with working gates is little use if there is no money for staff to operate say the Harecastle or any other of the maintennance problems which occur in the following decade or so.

 

Your post reads as if you want the canals to have a short life and not be available much after say 2030.

 

Being a pragmatic and glass half full sort of person I can see why it is being done.

Who exactly is going to be the audience? I realise this doesn’t benefit boaters in any way so crt are likely to throw a load of cash at it…..with no certainty it will attract any more support than they already have….boaters could be their best brand ambassadors…this sort of thing means that isn’t the case. 

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