Side Openings From Blisworth Tunnel

[Lady Muck]

Are they entrances to hell?

 

My link

[RLWP]

Netherton Tunnel Refuges,

 

I recall being told that these refuges were for boat horses to pass. Whilst horses could use either side, they could also use the same side in either direction. This seems to be a reasonable reason for their existence. With the introduction of mechanical propulsion, the use of horses did reduce through this tunnel, yet railway boats in particular were still horse drawn. The pictures of Tom King seem to indicate that railway boat horse used both sides in either direction. Tom Foxon notes that the tow rope was shortened for haulage through the tunnel. I cannot remember the number of refuges and I did try once to count them whilst on Hecla. It would be interesting to see if any have been bricked up.

 

Ray Shill

 

Thanks Ray. That makes sense, they are quite large arches

 

I usually take a torch with me when going through Netherton to spot the excavation tunnel shaft markers, the telegraph wire brackets, those odd drainpipes through the roof and so on

 

Richard

[chykensa]

Are they entrances to hell?

 

My link

Now that's one interesting website . . .

 

ETA - apostrophe - well, you asked!

Edited September 10, 2012 by chykensa

[mykaskin]

Picture:

 

[alan_fincher]

I didn't realise you were capable of going that slowly, Mike!

 

Yep, that's the "illuminated" one I have seen.

 

Looks to be of the order of 3 feet high then, base on a quick brick count ?

 

Clearly this has to connect to a shaft to the surface that is offset from the centre of the tunnel by the length of the tunnel we are looking at here.

[ditchcrawler]

Picture:

 

You won't beilieve how many times I have tried to take a photo like that. I have even considered crawling down it, but would need someone on the boat I could trust to pick me up again.

[bizzard]

You won't beilieve how many times I have tried to take a photo like that. I have even considered crawling down it, but would need someone on the boat I could trust to pick me up again.

I wouldn't if i were you, that one looks like it was a latrine. Or a mixture of s--- and rust from the vents ironwork and flue.

Edited September 10, 2012 by bizzard

[Derek R.]

Natural Iron Oxide deposits from the water. Wouldn't be surprised if it was better than some tap water. I'd want to test it first though! Should be able to walk along crouched in the 'illuminated' adit.

[RLWP]

Natural Iron Oxide deposits from the water. Wouldn't be surprised if it was better than some tap water. I'd want to test it first though! Should be able to walk along crouched in the 'illuminated' adit.

 

There are side openings in Shrewley tunnel, on the NE wall towards the Rowington end. I've tried shining a torch into one, it seems to go in, then turns right and may go upwards. Very mysterious

 

Richard

[bizzard]

As long as they had plenty of food with them all the children in Enid Blyton's adventure books would think nothing of investigating them.

Edited September 10, 2012 by bizzard

[matty40s]

You won't beilieve how many times I have tried to take a photo like that. I have even considered crawling down it, but would need someone on the boat I could trust to pick me up again.

 

I don't know how many times I spotted something out of the corner of my eye going through Braunston tunnel before I finally managed to capture this one....

[alan_fincher]

Picture:

 

I tried to look further at these side shafts yesterday.

 

What I am now clear on, is that as you travel South, shortly after you leave the modern relined section, Mike's picture represents (at least!) the second side tunnel going off to the left hand side.

 

Before you get to that one is a larger opening, which goes back no more than 5 or 6 feet, but then immediately joins what appears to be a further tunnel running South in more or less the same direction as the tunnel itself.

 

So obviously the right angle involved, means unlike the one Mike has pictured, you can only see a small part of it. This opening is bigger than the one Mike has pictured.

 

I stopped, and this opening was very clear, but, being on "Sickle", the tunnel was actually filled with the cloud of exhaust smoke I created, (particularly trying to reverse back up!), so when I attempted flash photography, all I really photographed was exhaust smoke, even though it wasn't that obvious until the flash reflected off it! Will have to attempt some pictures from "Chalice" not "Sickle" I think! "Sickle" is not a good boat to photograph tunnel wall details from!

 

So at least two side tunnels, with the one Mike has pictured clearly connected to the surface, as you can see daylight shining down into it.

[Heartland]

After speaking to David Blagrove at the CRT meeting at the Bond in Birmingham, the origins of the side openings at Blisworth Tunnel appear to be explained. When contractors started to make this tunnel, it was done, as with others, sinking shafts and then building tunnel segments each way from the base. The problems with the Blisworth Tunnel is that the geological factors were not properly identified and it seems there was an underground lake encountered. After building a section of the tunnel, the work was stopped and later a new and parallel route, was chosen. The main issue was towards the Stoke Bruerne end. Construction continued using the existing shafts with side tunnels to the new line of construction. David was of the opinion that a team of 5 Cornish miners was selected for this difficult task.

 

Ray Shill

[fuzzyduck]

Maybe you've finally found the strategic steam reserve

[Theo]

Are they entrances to hell?

 

My link

 

Great link..

 

Just goes to show that the number of ways in which humans can display wackiness is without limit.

 

N