Queensbury Tunnel- Clayton- Bradford- 05/07/08-REPORT - ARCHIVED

[Mexico75]

Visited here today with pdtnc. Was mainly a learning experiance for me as I've never tried photographing a tunnel before, although with more than a bit of help I managed to get some half decent shots. We got about halfway in, but from then on it's completely flooded and you can hear what sounds like Niagra Falls off in the darkness
Anyway a bit of history,
When it was built in 1878 it was the longest tunnel on the Great Northern Railway system at 1 mile 741 yards, and held that distinction until 1910, it was also said to be one of the deepest in the country. The tunnel closed in 1955. Following closure it was used by both Cambridge and Leeds Universities for experiments.


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Danquinn/Urbex/DSC_0041.jpg
pdtnc doing a bit of light painting.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Danquinn/Urbex/DSC_0054-1.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Danquinn/Urbex/DSC_0063.jpg
Reminants of signaling gear
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Danquinn/Urbex/DSC_0079.jpg
Shaft 4, this is one of the deepest in the country at well over 300ft.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Danquinn/Urbex/DSC_0084.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Danquinn/Urbex/DSC_0089-1.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Danquinn/Urbex/DSC_0094.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Danquinn/Urbex/DSC_0108-1.jpg
Spooky.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Danquinn/Urbex/DSC_0119.jpg
Very well informed chav,
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Danquinn/Urbex/DSC_0123.jpg
These brackets held a large gong which was the down train home signal, whatever that is?
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Danquinn/Urbex/DSC_0131.jpg

Hope you like the pics and thanks to pdntc for showing me round:thumb

Scroll down for pdtnc's far superior take on the tunnel :D

[pdtnc]

Ok then here's my shots from our Queensbury Tunnel Explore.
I'd previously been in the Clayton Tunnel with Tinypixi, but not being keen on the whole dark and damp tunnel thing, Mexico75 said he's like to come along :)
I'd kinda set off prepared, 30min high-intensity glow-sticks + 4 torches! (Note to self, still need more torches! Like a big cheap flood from Woolworths!)
Mexico's added a little interesting history so I'll just add a couple of further reading links:
http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/stations/queensbury.html
http://www.queensburyrailway.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/2h.html
It was sort of interesting to meet a lady and her father on our way out of the tunnel, the old bloke babbled on about his video camera on his bike and how he could download his cycle route onto his computer and his daughter told us how when she was a child she used to play in the Clayton tunnel. The were there because the old guy wanted to see the Tunnel as it was now, he'd been on t'old t'internet and found some history on t'old 'Googlé (pronounced with an accented E' :D

The Entrance portal, the other end of the tunnel being flooded:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3010/2639831323_33c393f694.jpg
Light painting and messing at the first ventilation shaft / rubble near the portal:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3078/2640659170_d99f2f68f1.jpg
Serious light painting of the calcified (hope thats the right term for stalactite type stuff) wall which was covered in troglodyte snot Fenix TK10 shon really close and dragging it through the water in the gutter as I made the exposure:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3071/2640658982_3df84abcf7.jpg
Mexico75 setting up shot and 2 pairs of my feet, light trails from my headlamp and light painting movements:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3023/2640658696_0f56b513d6.jpg
More light painting fun, this time got in really close with the torch to pick out the corners of the refuge, then I tried writing 'pdtnc' :D:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3058/2639830269_806044fed2.jpg
Nice wall grunge:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3009/2640658182_9ed635cf77.jpg
Dumped and rusted drums, light trails n' all:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3145/2640658000_968853b67b.jpg
Close in on the tracks with the torch:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3276/2640657682_fd2272b610.jpg
Shooting the shot:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3005/2640657382_f6c55c80b0.jpg
Fallen lining:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3075/2639828799_14f87149a7.jpg
Old steel drum:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3166/2639828627_4455ba313d.jpg
Mexico75 doing a spot of light painting:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3191/2639828501_c80f2d55ed.jpg
Trying the dramatic back lighting of this pile of vent-shaft rubble, it took a bit of RAW tweaking to get this to come out on the computer, 3 torches set to rear of mound:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3001/2640656560_c4e5ba822b.jpg
The same scene lighted properly:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3147/2640656418_4340ebc418.jpg
The obligatory 'two ravers with glow sticks' shot:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3160/2638705531_080e33b6c1.jpg

Full-er shoot here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pdtnc/tags/queensbury/

A fun day out :) Cheers.