Withcall Tunnel. Report 10/08/2008 - ARCHIVED

[spawney]

I had a trip out to visit the old rail tunnel at Withcall with a couple of friends who were out on their 1st explore. The tunnel was opened in 1876 and closed in 1956 and is 971 Yards long. During winter it's an important site for bats With five different species choosing to hibernate in the tunnel over winter.

http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_1048.JPG
Eastern portal.

http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_0933.JPG
http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_0947.JPG
Looking through tunnel.

http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_0937.JPG
Bench.

http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_1034.JPG
http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_0980.JPG
http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_0982.JPG
Signalling pulleys.

http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_0958.JPG
http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_0970.JPG
http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_0971.JPG
http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_1030.JPG
Stalactites.

http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_0988.JPG
http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_0993.JPG
http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_0996.JPG
http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_0989.JPG
http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_1001.JPG
Calcite & Iron oxide staining. The western end had lots of springs flowing into the tunnel dumping the dissolved minerals making the stains on the tunnel wall. The sound of the water dripping and splashing in the tunnel was really loud and echoed like mad. 25 second sound clip. (http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/tunnel%20water.mp3)

http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_1027.JPG
Ballast stone covered in calcite flowstone.

http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_1002.JPG
http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_1011.JPG
http://www.margarson.ukfsn.org/Tunnel/100_1015.JPG
Unlucky sheep.

I'll have to have another visit to this tunnel sometime soon, there's so much down there we didn't get chance to look at and photograph.