dagrizz Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 The fencing across the south portal of Catesby tunnel has been broken away for some time so fellow RMWebber Nobby (John) and myself decided to walk into the tunnel today. The tunnel is 3000 yards long (1.7 miles), dead straight and on a rising gradient from north to south. Location is just north of Charwelton in Northants. The South Portal; Being built to continental loading gauge, these tunnel portals are on a grand scale and really impressive when seen close up. It is sad to see them being overgrown by trees. The trackbed is in good condition at the southern end, the light at the end of the tunnel is the northern portal. Every 100 yards or so, there is a drainage pit to avoid; This is John beneath one of the air shafts About halfway along, we came to a refuge in the side of the tunnel. John found these remains of a previous inhabitant in the refuge, not sure I'd want to take refuge with scorpions! Apologies for the poor focus. About 1.3 miles into the tunnel, the trackbed became increasingly flooded and we decided to turn back. A visit to the northern portal confirmed that this end of the tunnel was very wet. Looking into the tunnel, it was flooded as far as you could see, so I'm glad we did not try to get all the way through. Graham Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Looks like someone's tried to get into the north portal anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
multiprinter Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Good job no-one came to repair the broken gate while you were in there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagrizz Posted September 20, 2011 Author Share Posted September 20, 2011 Good job no-one came to repair the broken gate while you were in there. We mused on this possibility as we were making our way back to the southern portal................ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 It is very possible that NR are still responsible for maintainance of this structure (as they are on many disused / lifted lines). It would be worth reporting the damaged gate and flooding to them via the national helpline just in case Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium phil-b259 Posted September 20, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 20, 2011 It is very possible that NR are still responsible for maintainance of this structure (as they are on many disused / lifted lines). It would be worth reporting the damaged gate and flooding to them via the national helpline just in case Not so. Any disused structures and trackbeds (as oposed to those merely 'mothballed') were retained by a government organisation called the BRD Residurary formed to deal with legacy issues relating to the Brisish Railways borad. Railtrack (and subsiquently Network Rail) were therefore spared from the liability of old assests making it an easier thing to privitise. Its worth nothing though that many people don't realise this and I recall reading an entry in the control log a couple of years ago regarding a complaint from a resident about a rodent infestation eminating from a railway embankment miles from an open line that had in fact not been used by trains sinse 1964! This was only discovered when NR dispatched contractors who understandably had trouble finding the 'railway' concerned and were not able to do anything when they did as the land was nothing to do with NR at all. Now although the BRB Residurary was one of the 'quangos' the Government proposed to bin back in the early summer, that cannot be done untill the government can find someone else to take care of the redundent assests under the BRBRs control be that another Government department, Sustrans, private developer, local council, etc. Untill that happens any problems with disused railways and their structures should be reported to http://www.brbr.co.uk/structures Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 And indeed a quick search shows that BRBR owns the land over the tunnel, which presumably means they own the tunnel itself. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted October 5, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 5, 2011 Thanks for the photos, though, a fascinating tour of the sad remains of a once great line. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 Not so. Any disused structures and trackbeds (as oposed to those merely 'mothballed') were retained by a government organisation called the BRD Residurary formed to deal with legacy issues relating to the Brisish Railways borad. Railtrack (and subsiquently Network Rail) were therefore spared from the liability of old assests making it an easier thing to privitise. Its worth nothing though that many people don't realise this and I recall reading an entry in the control log a couple of years ago regarding a complaint from a resident about a rodent infestation eminating from a railway embankment miles from an open line that had in fact not been used by trains sinse 1964! This was only discovered when NR dispatched contractors who understandably had trouble finding the 'railway' concerned and were not able to do anything when they did as the land was nothing to do with NR at all. Now although the BRB Residurary was one of the 'quangos' the Government proposed to bin back in the early summer, that cannot be done untill the government can find someone else to take care of the redundent assests under the BRBRs control be that another Government department, Sustrans, private developer, local council, etc. Untill that happens any problems with disused railways and their structures should be reported to http://www.brbr.co.uk/structures Thanks Phil - I think that's what I meant - despite working for NR I've never really understood the arrangements. Given the b259 reference, are you the Phil that used to work out of Paddock Wood in the mid-late 90's with Bill and Dave the structures examiner ?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Taylor Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 we had a look at this a year or so ago and further north there is also the remains of a hydraulic pump house, and despite the amount of surface water standing on the formation the track drains were still flowing so possibly a spring in the tunnel that is just not hitting the drains squarely and overflowing? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted March 8, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 8, 2012 Last time I saw that tunnel was from a train passing through, behind a Darnall allocated (I think) EE Type 3. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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