North Portal - Woodley Tunnel - Peak Forest Canal - Woodley, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 25.588 W 002° 05.882
30U E 559932 N 5920092
Woodley tunnel on the Peak Forest Canal was built between 1794 and 1801 and is 176 yards long.
Waymark Code: WMMVJH
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 11/09/2014
Views: 2
The Peak Forest Canal
It is a narrow canal constructed between 1794 and 1805 and is fourteen miles long. It connects Buxworth with Dukinfield where it joins the Ashton Canal. The main purpose of the canal was to transport limestone from quarries above Buxworth.
The canal has sixteen locks near the town of Marple that raise the canal a height of 210 feet in a distance of 1 mile.
The advent of the railways and later modern roads led to the decline of the canal and it fell into disuse between 1920 and 1960. An upsurge in leisure boat use led to the canal being restored and reopened in 1974.
Woodley Tunnel
The tunnel was designed and built by canal engineers Benjamin Outram and Thomas Brown. It is 176 yards and has a tow path with a hand rail along its complete length.
It has an almost round headed arch - slight skew. Next to this portal is a set of cobbled steps giving access up to Hyde Road. This means the tunnel can either be seen by walking along the towpath or walking down the steps from Hyde Road.
At some point Hyde Road was widened and the entrance to the tunnel has been concrete lined. The tow path has also had the original cobbles replaced with concrete.
This portal became an English Heritage Grade II listed building on 10th February 1995.
link
The tunnel is used by boats travelling in either direction but there is no room to pass inside the tunnel. The tunnel is short enough that it can be walked without a torch, but the floor, which can get muddy and wet, is not visible. It is better to take a torch to aid visibility.
There are two Canal and River Trust information signs for boaters visible as the boats approach the portal entrance.
Woodley Tunnel
North Portal
Tunnel Length: 153m
Method of working: Two way traffic
Maximum craft size:
2.5m Beam
2.4m Maximum headroom
Approximate travel time
through the time: 1 min 30 secs
BW emergency contact:
T 0303 040 4040
Grid Ref 393586 392190
Canal & River Trust
Caution low headroom
Cyclists please dismount
Ensure tunnel is clear before proceeding
remain inside the the boat profile
Extinguish all naked lights except pilot lights
Do not smoke
Do not use cooking appliances
Switch on your headlight.
Turn off your engine if you have to stop for any reason
Canal & River Trust