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  1. #1
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    Arrow Sandsend & Kettleness disused railway tunnels, May 2009

    Visited along with jb28


    Think alot of people are familiar with this one, but it was my first visit of this ol' tunnel.

    Bit of background information for those not aware of it:

    On 7th July 1873 an Act was passed authorising an amended route with the WRMRU now branching from the Whitby – Grosmont line just outside Whitby Town station. The link to the proposed Scarborough line at Larpool Wood was dropped. By 1874 the construction of the railway had stopped and the contractor had gone into liquidation. Two of the
    contractors locomotives which had been taken over by the WRMUR were sold. On 1st July 1875 the North Eastern Railway took a perpetual lease over the WRMUR and employed another contractor, John Waddell of Edinburgh, to complete the line with a completion date of 13th July 1881. The WRMUR Act ratified the arrangement on 19th July 1875 and the NER agreed to complete the line in a substantial and satisfactory manner.

    The new contractor found the previous work to be unsatisfactory and in the short period whilst work was suspended part of the cliff route north of Sandsend had collapsed into the sea. The new contractors drove the railway through the headlands rather than go round them. Two tunnels were constructed, Sandsend tunnel (1652 yards) and Kettleness tunnel (308 yards);
    between them a short stretch of the original course along the cliff edge remains.
    We took the route from the south at Sandsend, and made our way up.This popped into view after 15mins:



    Inside, a mile's journey into the darkness awaits...



    The first airshaft



    The sidetunnel runs at this point were the vertical shaft is too


    Looking back from the sidetunnel



    2nd airshaft



    2nd sideshaft. The fragrance of oily old timber was around here




    Looking back to the south at the curve in the tunnel



    Mineral deposits




    Northernmost shaft rubble



    Kettleness tunnel south



    Inside Kettleness



    The side shaft in Kettleness is Navigable, prompted by a fresh breeze, i hobbled through it...

    hastily built brick arch of the refuge


    after the first hump



    and the second



    is the exit, emerges onto the failed 1870's railway trackbed along the cliffedge, a seagull breeding colony now resides here




    More at flickr:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/1247043...7619202478486/

    & at Youtube:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RVxf...e=channel_page

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Sandsend & Kettleness disused railway tunnels, May 2009

    Wow this looks ace!!
    HEFFALUMP!


    Quote Originally Posted by TrouserCowboy
    can anyone help me get my 'bell end' out?

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Sandsend & Kettleness disused railway tunnels, May 2009

    That's a great report, and really nicely lit tunnels too. I like this

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Sandsend & Kettleness disused railway tunnels, May 2009

    Your pics turned out nice I'll get mine up too as soon as I can.

  5. #5
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    Smile Re: Sandsend & Kettleness disused railway tunnels, May 2009

    Nice report & good to see some pics of/into the side shafts.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Sandsend & Kettleness disused railway tunnels, May 2009

    Cool stuff, fantastic place.

  7. #7
    derelictus Guest

    Default Re: Sandsend & Kettleness disused railway tunnels, May 2009

    Great report and a video... love those side shafts... they look really scary

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Sandsend & Kettleness disused railway tunnels, May 2009

    Top work, love the Indiana Jones style mine shafty type bits.
    Under the radar, over the top

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    Default Re: Sandsend & Kettleness disused railway tunnels, May 2009

    In what's probably the longest gap between people posting photos of the same explore, I've finally got my act together enough to upload my pics.

    Not helped, of course, by the fact that all my computery stuff was seized for months by the plod thanks to my batshiat insane ex-employer telling them all sorts of porkies (all sorted now, but the gloves are definitely off - I'm not putting up with that sort of nonsense).

    Anyways - here's a selection of my pics from Sandsend and Kettleness. The side tunnel was a real treat, and Moodster020's pics depict it far better than mine.



    As you approach the tunnel entrance, you get a fantastic view of Sandsend Bay



    The tunnel is protected by an easily climbed wall, but the area can be busy and sometimes it's necessary to wait until nobody is passing to gain access



    Sandsend Tunnel South portal is rather wet at first, but soon dries out



    There are several air shafts along the tunnels, all of which are capped off. Water pours in making photography difficult



    There are two side tunnels in Sandsend tunnel, presumably used to transport spoil out to the cliffs and into the sea



    The rest of Sandsend tunnel is dry and easy to traverse



    There's a portal there somewhere!



    Kettleness tunnel curves significantly from the outset, but is shorter than the South tunnel



    Kettleness tunnel has a passable side tunnel, which leads out to a ledge overlooking the sea



    Following the side tunnel from Kettleness tunnel leads you out to a ledge overlooking the sea. It was clear that we were very much off the beaten track here, and wildlife was in abundance, including wild deer on the headland below


  10. #10
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    Default Re: Sandsend & Kettleness disused railway tunnels, May 2009

    I like seeing them again as well. Pleasing shots the lot of 'em.

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