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View Full Version : Conisbrough-Edlington Tunnel, South Yorkshire, Dec 2009



Moodster020
06-12-2009, 08:39 PM
This is rather a unique kind of tunnel, 1290yards long & small in diameter -less than 5ft tall x 3ft wide & parts you have to sliver through snake-like. Driven through limestone, it also has a number of airshafts (I counted 4).
It's quite well ventilated considering the above & that both ends are almost buried, but all the shafts are open & a fresh breeze was flowing through.
Very little details of it are about on the net, but from what i gather, it was built in the Victorian era by the mining conglomerates to channel drinking water to Conisbrough .


Video of the explore here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHcFVq-7CR8
Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12470438@N07/sets/72157622822365765/

Pics-

Here's a map of the area. Those bushes dotted along the line are the airshafts, the south-west end is about 15 yards from Conisbrough Viaduct:

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj33/moodster020/conisbroughtunnel4.jpg

Inside: the darkness awaits...

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj33/moodster020/S1052695.jpg

Bit further on & the arched roof gives way to a flat roof, mixture of bare rock & metal plating:

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj33/moodster020/S1052697.jpg

Shotgun Shootout:

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj33/moodster020/S1052698.jpg

1st eastern shaft, this shot was a bit difficult, as there was a rainstorm pouring through, inevitable wet lens:

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj33/moodster020/S1052701.jpg

One of the slivery through bits:

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj33/moodster020/S1052704.jpg

In the middle, bricks give way to bare rock, the pipe runs all the way through this tunnel, makes for a bit easier walking going along it:

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj33/moodster020/S1052706.jpg

Another airshaft, there was a couple of young toads down here, of all places!:

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj33/moodster020/S1052707.jpg


I had an Epic Camera Fail halfway through, the mud accumulated from slivering through parts of the narrowed tunnel had got into it & terminated the power-up mechanism, but the rest of the tunnel is on teh video.
Looks like a new camera is needed, good job i was thinking of upgrading anyhow!

boxfrenzy
06-12-2009, 08:49 PM
A really interesting report mate, looks a proper adventure too. I do like the airshaft shots. Any idea why a waterpipe would need airshafts? Perhaps they were construction shafts? Any views of them from ground level? I like this a lot :thumb

superkev
07-12-2009, 12:21 AM
Any idea why a waterpipe would need airshafts?
I was wondering that!

Nice shots all the same! :thumb I love squeezing into tunnels and passageways!

I wonder if it was originally a culvert that later had a pipeline placed in it????

Moodster020
09-12-2009, 09:18 PM
Any idea why a waterpipe would need airshafts? Perhaps they were construction shafts? Any views of them from ground level? I like this a lot :thumb

Before the advent of modern machinery, shafts were dug to line up the tunnel for construction, construction shafts as you say.

My camera fubar'ed during this trip, so no surface shots- i'll have a run up at some point & get some shots of the shafts on teh surface :thumb

jb28
10-12-2009, 10:18 AM
I love squeezing into tunnels and passageways!

Not for me. I'm not claustrophobic, but I really don't like the idea of wriggling through places. What if you can't get back?

It's an interesting tunnel. Quite happy *not* to have done this one with Moodster020 though. Good work mate!