The last time I was in Camden looking for this little treasure, we spent what seemed like hours scraping round Morrison's car park looking for man hole covers like a bunch of spastic chickens scratting for worms. In short: we failed pretty miserably to find the famous 'rat hole' tunnel, but I really wanted to have another go..
Back in London and thanks to a hefty tip-off from ratfink (much much appreciated mate!) we got to the right spot, although waiting for an opportunity to hop in was like pulling teeth.. Analepsis, figured it would actually make more sense if he went home and got some sleep rather then spend the rest of his evening crawling around in mud with the rats and so I was left to tackle this on my bill.
From http://forums.travel.com/uk-railway-forum/226163-camden-rat-hole.html
It was a while since I'd read the last rathole report, and so my memory was actually a little sketchy as to what it actually was... I started by heading up the first two tunnels, which are all flooded and full of mud and rats.
I began to make my way towards the live section, and it wasn't until I'd made it all the way down and back again that I clocked the mahoosive ladder leading down...
Nothing for it.
How on earth could I forget what was down here? CHOOBZ!
Train hideaway
A very long walk down the tunnel, passed the pumping gear and the remains of a few make shift homes, I got to the end by the live rail lines. The noises in here are fantastic, with the dripping water and thundering trains flying pasting on adjacent lines.
Walking all the way down the tunnel and back to my in point, I felt it was time to leave and hop on the last tube.
Exit.
Back in London and thanks to a hefty tip-off from ratfink (much much appreciated mate!) we got to the right spot, although waiting for an opportunity to hop in was like pulling teeth.. Analepsis, figured it would actually make more sense if he went home and got some sleep rather then spend the rest of his evening crawling around in mud with the rats and so I was left to tackle this on my bill.
From http://forums.travel.com/uk-railway-forum/226163-camden-rat-hole.html
the rat hole" runs from just south of Primrose Hill Tunnel where it used to connect to the up slow
Broad Street line which in turn connected to the up slow Euston line
just prior to the Central Tunnel Mouth. The North London line diverged
from the Euston line at this point line and crossed over the Euston
electric lines which are in tunnel at this point and the Rat hole
diverges to the east before swinging west a it then itself tunnelled
under the North London line just before Chalk Farm Station and emerged
having crossed under the west coast main line on the Euston access
route to Camden Locomotive Shed - now off peak sidings for Silverlink."
It was a while since I'd read the last rathole report, and so my memory was actually a little sketchy as to what it actually was... I started by heading up the first two tunnels, which are all flooded and full of mud and rats.
I began to make my way towards the live section, and it wasn't until I'd made it all the way down and back again that I clocked the mahoosive ladder leading down...
Nothing for it.
How on earth could I forget what was down here? CHOOBZ!
Train hideaway
A very long walk down the tunnel, passed the pumping gear and the remains of a few make shift homes, I got to the end by the live rail lines. The noises in here are fantastic, with the dripping water and thundering trains flying pasting on adjacent lines.
Exit.
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