Talk:Harecastle Tunnel

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Unclear, ungrammatical sentence[edit]

Someone who understands what the writer was attempting to say please revise this sentence: " At the time of its construction it was one of the two longest canal tunnels in Britain, together with Norwood tunnel its twin Brindley bore on the Chesterfield Canal." And then remove this request perhaps. Thanks. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.96.210.230 (talk) 17:35, 4 October 2015 (UTC)[reply]

The Ghost of Harecastle Tunnel[edit]

The following unattributed entry was placed in the "External Links" part of the page. It claims to caste doubt on the ghost story and therefore I have copied it here for discussion. The language used is not mine. Martin Cordon 16:57, 21 October 2006 (UTC)[reply]

"Absolute rubbish: The ghost, known locally as the Kidsgrove Boggart, is supposed to be tht of a decapitated young woman, whose body was thrown into an access tunnel connecting the two tunnels; in fact no such murder ever took place, and the story is based on the Christina Collins Murder in Rugely.

Kit Crewbucket is probably a third hand derivation, and in any case her home is the Crick tunnel, which is elsewhere."

hahahahaha some one has been duped. In local slang Kidsgrove is called Kitcrew and the ghost called the Buggart. so the name Kit Crewbucket in local slang sounds suspiciously like The Kitcrew Buggart.The story however is true to the local tale of a lady travelling to her husband,from Liverpool, on a clay barge to London and to secure her jewellery she ate them. when the barge operators found out they cut off her head to get the jewels and threw her in the 'cut'

unsigned contribution by Kidsgrove-snotter (20:43, 16 January 2007)

Categories[edit]

The category "Canals in England" has been removed from this article on the grounds of redundancy. The counter argument is that an article needs to be advertised in as many relevant categories as possible so that the maximum number of interested parties can find it. Instead of continuing to revert other editor's changes over and again I have opened this issue for discussion here. Martin Cordon 16:07, 15 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

This issue is already being discussed on my talk page. Andy Mabbett 16:51, 15 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Mining Levels and neighbouring tunnels[edit]

No mention of the mining activity of Harecastle Mine? I have seen a description of coal tubs being floated down smaller tunnels from the mine to the canal tunnel where they were picked up by Narrow Boats (see Worsley Navigable Levels for something similar). Does this explain the red ore colour of canal water at both ends of the tunnel?

Also the drainage shafts and tunnels in Bathpool Park are connected to Canal tunnels, maybe there should also be a link listed to Lesley whittle murder which took place just feet away.

Another thing is the abandonned Harecastle railway tunnel which runs directly over the top and when it was in use the boaters could hear the noise/vibrations from the rains above. --Pandaplodder 14:21, 4 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I have added some information about the mine tunnels, although I have a suspicion that the author of my reference, although a recognised expert may have mistaken headings constructed to facilitate the building of the Telford Tunnel, headings built to use the Brindley tunnel to export rubble, for the mine tunnels. Martin Cordon 01:37, 10 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Two tunnels; return[edit]

It's not clear from this article: are the two tunnels parallel, or in series? If the tunnel is one-way, how do boats return?

The two tunnels run parallel, though for a long time the Brindley tunnel has been navigable. There are several ring routes possible that take in the tunnel, but if it equally/more common to go back and forth. The (Telford) tunnel is open from 8am to 6pm during the season. A 'batch' of boats is sent through Northbound, once they have cleared then a 'batch' is sent through Southbound. Doors are shut behind the last of the batch and the fans started. It actually quite an unnerving experience if you have even a hint of claustrophobia. Catwhoorg 13:24, 6 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Expand[edit]

The telford tunnel could usefully be expanded to add info on;

keeperless one way am/pm operation
closure due to continuing subsidence
removal of the towpath —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mayalld (talk • contribs) 14:39, 14 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Sydney Mason[edit]

My great grandfather (Sydney Mason) was the tunnel keeper in the late 1890's/early 1900's and told a story of how he and a police officer fished a woman out of the tunnel, she had committed suicide. When they pulled her out of the water the police officer was ill and ran off with the lamp, my great grandfather carried her out of the tunnel over his shoulder. I don’t know if it’s true but if anyone has any information on Sydney Mason when he was the tunnel keeper I would be very interested. Cliff Mason.

Managing batches[edit]

How was the one-way traffic managed in the 18th and 19th centuries? I imagine there was a tunnel keeper at each end, but how did they communicate so they knew how many barges were going through and when they'd all exited? Isidore (talk) 12:08, 19 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]