HISTORY
The need to move limestone from the Cauldon Low Quarries to the Cauldon Canal at Froghall led to the development of a railway in 1778. This was followed by improved routes in 1783 and 1802 and finally in 1847 by a cable and gravity operated line designed by the Canal Company's engineer, James Trubshaw. The 1847 line was built to a gauge of 3ft 6in. and used a three rail system where the central one was common to both ascending and descending trains. At passing loops the central rail split into two rails. There were four sections, the top one being from the quarries through to the tunnel end. Trains comprised between five and nine wagons each carrying 6 tons of limestone. The line continued to serve the quarries until it was officially closed in March 1920, since when the route has quietly passed back to nature. The tunnel is 330 yards long and the first brick was laid by Trubshaw himself on 17th April 1844 and the line was completed by July 1847 by the North Staffordshire Railway Company. Credit: www.derelictplaces.co.uk
THE EXPLORE
This was Plan B after 2 fails on another tunnel due to much activity in a field I needed to cross. As the west portal of Trubshaws is notoriously boggy I attempted to access it at the eastern end, but this was a jungle of fallen trees and vegetation down a steep slippery embankment; it was so dense the portal or track couldn’t be seen through it and as I had no rope I gave up and trotted off to the boggy end. Boggy is an understatement but if you want to photograph this end of the tunnel it can’t be avoided, its waist deep in parts so chesties are a must. As I’ve only recently lost my exploring virginity and have done very little long exposure photography, there was a lot of trial and error going on, so a second visit was needed to get the pics I wanted......Here they are.......
1. The west portal
2. Hardly a refuge so close to the portal, I guess this was a platelayers gaff or maybe a points control room, as the tunnel widened out here presumably for the 3 rails to become 4. Apart from deep silt theres a load of hidden rubble and branches here so great care is needed to avoid an early bath or broken ankle
3. No I didn’t just happen to have candles in my bag, this was on the second visit. Had to shift a load of branches to get in here.
4. I guess these alcoves were intended for lamps so it would have been rude not to use them. Widest angle on my lens is 24mm but a wider angle would be ideal in this 3’ x 4’ room
5. About 15 yards in, looking out of the west portal
6. There was a fine mist here which was impossible to avoid in the torch beam
7. Furry stuff
8. A closer look revealed this stuff isn’t furry at all but a strange kind of crystallised formation. Seasoned explorers may well be familiar with it but I’ve never set eyes on anything like this before. A google search suggests its some kind of crystallised calcite, but if theres any clever 28-ers who can tell me more I’d love to know.
9. Hardly any water ingress here but looks like theres been some brickwork repairs.
10. One of only 2 refuges in this tunnel
11. Looking towards the east portal
12. Reinforcement. Strange how the walls are vertical at this point, yet they look original
13. No camera tilt here. Amazing that this should form in this comb effect and at this curious angle.
14. Over 100 years worth of drips
15. Skanky beauty
16. …..and more of it
17. Ochre leaching through the brickwork, puddling on the tunnel floor
18. The tunnel more than doubles in width here
19. Looking out of the east portal
20. The East portal. Sorry for the crap quality here, after spending over 2 hours in a very damp atmosphere it was impossible to clear the condensation from my lens when I got out in the open. I had nothing dry to wipe it with, even my t-shirt was damp. I’ve included it anyway to complete the set
Thanks for looking
MoonDog
The need to move limestone from the Cauldon Low Quarries to the Cauldon Canal at Froghall led to the development of a railway in 1778. This was followed by improved routes in 1783 and 1802 and finally in 1847 by a cable and gravity operated line designed by the Canal Company's engineer, James Trubshaw. The 1847 line was built to a gauge of 3ft 6in. and used a three rail system where the central one was common to both ascending and descending trains. At passing loops the central rail split into two rails. There were four sections, the top one being from the quarries through to the tunnel end. Trains comprised between five and nine wagons each carrying 6 tons of limestone. The line continued to serve the quarries until it was officially closed in March 1920, since when the route has quietly passed back to nature. The tunnel is 330 yards long and the first brick was laid by Trubshaw himself on 17th April 1844 and the line was completed by July 1847 by the North Staffordshire Railway Company. Credit: www.derelictplaces.co.uk
THE EXPLORE
This was Plan B after 2 fails on another tunnel due to much activity in a field I needed to cross. As the west portal of Trubshaws is notoriously boggy I attempted to access it at the eastern end, but this was a jungle of fallen trees and vegetation down a steep slippery embankment; it was so dense the portal or track couldn’t be seen through it and as I had no rope I gave up and trotted off to the boggy end. Boggy is an understatement but if you want to photograph this end of the tunnel it can’t be avoided, its waist deep in parts so chesties are a must. As I’ve only recently lost my exploring virginity and have done very little long exposure photography, there was a lot of trial and error going on, so a second visit was needed to get the pics I wanted......Here they are.......
1. The west portal
2. Hardly a refuge so close to the portal, I guess this was a platelayers gaff or maybe a points control room, as the tunnel widened out here presumably for the 3 rails to become 4. Apart from deep silt theres a load of hidden rubble and branches here so great care is needed to avoid an early bath or broken ankle
3. No I didn’t just happen to have candles in my bag, this was on the second visit. Had to shift a load of branches to get in here.
4. I guess these alcoves were intended for lamps so it would have been rude not to use them. Widest angle on my lens is 24mm but a wider angle would be ideal in this 3’ x 4’ room
5. About 15 yards in, looking out of the west portal
6. There was a fine mist here which was impossible to avoid in the torch beam
7. Furry stuff
8. A closer look revealed this stuff isn’t furry at all but a strange kind of crystallised formation. Seasoned explorers may well be familiar with it but I’ve never set eyes on anything like this before. A google search suggests its some kind of crystallised calcite, but if theres any clever 28-ers who can tell me more I’d love to know.
9. Hardly any water ingress here but looks like theres been some brickwork repairs.
10. One of only 2 refuges in this tunnel
11. Looking towards the east portal
12. Reinforcement. Strange how the walls are vertical at this point, yet they look original
13. No camera tilt here. Amazing that this should form in this comb effect and at this curious angle.
14. Over 100 years worth of drips
15. Skanky beauty
16. …..and more of it
17. Ochre leaching through the brickwork, puddling on the tunnel floor
18. The tunnel more than doubles in width here
19. Looking out of the east portal
20. The East portal. Sorry for the crap quality here, after spending over 2 hours in a very damp atmosphere it was impossible to clear the condensation from my lens when I got out in the open. I had nothing dry to wipe it with, even my t-shirt was damp. I’ve included it anyway to complete the set
Thanks for looking
MoonDog