North West End - Braunston Tunnel - Grand Union Canal, Braunston, Northamptonshire, UK - Canal Tunnels on Waymarking.com

This is the north west entrance and from here the tunnel passes underneath the Drayton Reservoir. It is 1.87km long, 4.8m wide and 3.76m high; it was constructed by William Jessop and James Barnes in 1793, with the contractors of Charles Jones and John Biggs.

The tunnel is a Georgian design and is one of the many features on the famous Grand Union Canal. The course of the tunnel takes the canal underneath the village of Braunston which lies on high ground. The Grand Union Canal runs from the River Thames at Brentford to a junction at Braunston where it joins the Oxford Canal.

Braunston Tunnel is brick lined and has no tow path. There were errors made in its construction where the working shafts did not line up sufficiently; this has created a small S-bend in the middle of the tunnel. Upon construction there was a 300m long area of quicksand discovered, creating the need for additional shafts.

An interesting trial was performed in the Braunston Tunnel in 1870. This involved an endless, wire rope being driven by a steam engine to haul the boats through. It was not a success so in 1871 a steam tug was introduced to pull boats along with a charge from 1s 6d to 1s, depending on the weight of the boat. Today boats still encounter a problem with the kink in the middle.

Is the Tunnel in Use?: In Use Which End is this Entrance?: North West Date Constructed: 01/01/1793 Length of Tunnel: 1.87km Construction Material: Brick lined Associated Website: [Web Link]

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