You KNOW this woman REALLY loves her husband, following him through the muck and brush to view industrial wastelands. A lovely couple! I never miss.

@TheOriginal_BigMac

3 жыл бұрын

He's got her passport

@ShaunieDale

2 жыл бұрын

Plot twist, it’s Rebecca that really loves the exploring and Paul is dragged along under sufferance 😍.

@playwithmeinsecondlife6129

2 жыл бұрын

@@ShaunieDale You KNOW this man REALLY loves his wife, following him through the muck and brush to view industrial wastelands. A lovely couple! I never miss.

@ShaunieDale

2 жыл бұрын

@@playwithmeinsecondlife6129 clever reversal!

Back on my old stomping grounds for this video! Walked all three tunnels in the late 70s, all of which were accessible back then - though, at that time, the northern end of Chipping Norton was completely bricked up, with just a crack in the brickwork allowing a view of the tree-lined cutting beyond. We did back-track and made it to the northern end by means of a decent map and a bit of luck, but my tunnel diary records that "the journey is not one I would recommend anyone try twice". It was also pretty wet even back then; the diary also somewhat poetically records that, from the outside of the northern portal, "one could hear the timeless dripping of water echoing in the subterranean darkness". Teenage Eng Lit students eh?

I grew up in adderbury,remember seeing trains on this stretch,they used the line up to adderbury as a siding,we used to play in the station,and in later years I walked the Hooky tunnel,makes me feel old when I can remember all the bridges and structures in place, memories,thanks for your time and interest in our little piece of history.

Paul & Rebecca I was fortunate enough to secure a mint copy of J.H.Russell’s - The Banbury & Cheltenham Railway 1887-1962 and thus have all of the station layout plans. This is a great work and well worth seeking out!

Looking at the way the Hook Norton tunnel has been closed off with lots of holes in the upper parts in both portals I'm guessing that it's a bat roost, which may be why both ends are nature reserves

Had the honour of walking through the Chipping Norton tunnel about 30 years ago

I like the moving arrow showing where you are - nice bit of graphics

Even know you didn't get into the Tunnels, it still a lovely Tunnel video, the culvert was a lovely find and also the Class 67 Locomotives on the test train, 67023 and 67027 (only two painted in Colas Railfreight livery lol) was a beautiful capture as well.

I walked the Sandywell Tunnel last in probably 2010 from the eastern end. I was staying on the land fishing the Lake above. As a Land Rover owner I was astounded to see the the tunnel full of this type of vehicle. The farmer couldn't tell me much about this but did tell of a local legend of a spur tunnel off the main one's western end. (going northish) During the initial construction the tunnel collapsed burying a cart, a pit pony and 5 men. Their ghosts are said to haunt the area. The spur was therafter abandoned and never completed. He also told me that the line was used to take soldiers from The Midlands down to Southampton to embark on ships to The Western Front. Whether true or not it certainly spiced up the night fishing sessions thinking about ghosts under my feet.

Did no one else see the cars in sandywell tunnel? Look again!

@thewhiteroom23

3 жыл бұрын

Yes looked like the back end of something with a numberplate top right.

@scooterific4005

3 жыл бұрын

Looked like a moris marina and other cars aswell

@DelicaDude2012

3 жыл бұрын

Yep....why would that be?

@ryanknowles2152

3 жыл бұрын

I saw them too had to rewind just to make sure I'm guessing it's to do with the private estate at the other end they said you could not access possibly they have stored cars in there as a underground car park

Brilliant video, Guys. Unfortunately that section of the line is deteriorating and would benefit from some tree clearance to let more sunlight through. The big land slip nearest the tunnel occurred in 1958 and ultimately brought about the closure of the section of line between Chipping and Hook Norton. The tunnel was still accessible in the 1970’s, but now only bats get to venture inside. Despite their decline those revetment walls are a work of art and a tribute to all those involved in the building of this railway. By the way, if you live in Swerford, it’s the ‘Swerford Park’ tunnel🙂👍Memories also of the magnificent Dowdeswell Viaduct, just west of the Sandywell Park tunnel. That was blown to pieces in 1967 as part of an A40 road widening scheme.

Love the tunnels and the portals, even if you can't get in to them! That culvert was in perfect shape and so many bricks to build it too! Didn't even look like there where spiders!

Love this video. Been inside chipping norton tunnel and that culvert a few times. The chipping norton tunnel has now got a fence above it and a new gate...with no lock or signing. Would definitely recommend going down there now while you can.

Great vid guys as always thanks a lot. Very interesting. Your Nr1 Fans in Hamburg Germany

I'm surprised they didn't put an opening covered with a grate on the bottom of those brick walls closing off the tunnels to let water out. And that culvert! It was built with the same craftsmanship as the tunnels. But while the tunnel at Chipping Norton wasn't very ornate, the builders looked like they were busy making the station the most ornate in the world! The gingerbread on the eves looks fantastic! I can just imagine what it would have looked like in color, carefully painted and planted with flowers everywhere.

The backing music is so apt , a ghostly past etc , even the cheaper built tunnels are reasonably impressive.

Excellent, I'm amazed at the quality of the culverts brick work. Wow, yes no locks to pick....

Facinating railway. It's a massive tourist area. Remember visiting Bourton on Water a few years ago. It was a hot summer Thursday not in the school hols. The large carpark was just about full when we arrived. There was an hourly bus service I believe roughly on the route of the line. The buses we saw were full.

Great find guys

Great work on the doobydoos.

The object and financial prospectus of: The Banbury and Cheltenham Direct railway. Connect London the Midlands, the southwest and the Eastern Railway companies and construct a short direct route between the South Wales Coalfield. It was expected to ship 10,000 tons daily! The transhipment of iron ore being the priority. The GWR agreed to work the line and finance the costs. Passengers were not the priority here.

Another fine video from yourselves, with high production and editing standards, it's great to see you both getting out again. Did you see the remains of the viaducts at Hook Norton?

@pwhitewick

3 жыл бұрын

Hey David. Thank you. Yup check out our video from a couple of weeks ago.

Always entertaining. Thank you for sharing it with us.

8:53 Good to see, NetworkRail helping to match colors in your video (nice and lucky catch). BTW, those tags Paul&Rebecca at the map really helps understanding where you are.

Another fine culvert, I'm surprised at how the bottoms of the showcased culverts are doing so well after so many decades-

Awesome video again. Nice shot of Stella and Charlotte too, the Colas skip twins.

Great little explore, nice shot of the Network Rail track recording train. Those tunnels were definitely wild and forgotten.

@pwhitewick

3 жыл бұрын

A few more trains to follow in next weeks video, from that very spot.

Not far from Milton Keynes where I grew up. I used to zoom for miles around the counties on my BMX as a kid, often with the Redway as my starting point, which is partly an abandoned railway. What I did not know back then was the A5 or Watling Street near here was the front line between the viking ruled Danelaw and the Saxon kingdom of Mercia. We just got told about 1066ad etc. Netflix changed that for me. Now when I see videos of out in the woods et cetera I wonder if the vikings camped or fought there and all that. I wonder if any relics may be lurking in the mud. Perhaps even a hoarde of silver. When I was a kid all I did was look for trains when we went for a drive etc. Obsessed with them. Was hardly a line I did not know about. Castles too. All ranked lower than football though of course. MK red since 1979.

I was in Hook Norton Cutting long time ago make a lots of photos. Mistirous place. Fantastic video!

@pwhitewick

2 жыл бұрын

Very cool!

The Banbury & Cheltenham Railway as looked at by the locomotive department was divided into two routes. Blue: Banbury to Kingham maximum axle loading 17tons 12cwt on any one axle. Designated by the restraints of the Hook Norton Viaducts. Red: Kingham to Cheltenham, this allowed a maximum axle loading of 20 tons axle weight. Now you can see why the “Manors” where ideal for this route.

@johnleake5657

Жыл бұрын

Oh, did they use Manors? I know the 43xx was the mainstay of the earlier express passenger working, and, I think, Bulldogs before that, while 28xx were used for goods. Do you know which Manors worked the line?

As well as cattle creeps, there are also sheep creeps, these are a smaller version of the cattle creeps. For a farmer to get his flock to traverse the creep a sheep dog must be used as its almost impossible for a human to negotiate a sheep creep.

That was fabulous. What a shame all those ghastly gates. Loved that little blue tunnel it was gorgeous. Thanks for taking me along. Please stay safe and take care

The tunnels are a great find. Looking forward to more.

I Like the new (Paul and Rebecca) arrows on the map... Excekent

If you come north try checking out Trafford park railway lines and Manchester Ship canal for your homework

Thanks for the video love these tunnel pics it's like going into the underworld and then back out into this beautiful green paradise with both of you!!😎🚂🚃🚃🇬🇧

Brilliant vlog as usual. Tunnels amazing. Nature reserves beautiful. Very interesting how they built the tunnels with portals last. Love culverts.thank you so much.

hi paul and rebecca , i really enjoyed this one , you two always bring a smile to my face , thank you so much for the video's you make for us , well done :)

Great, you two. Thanks again.

Functional, and from what I can tell, well built tunnels. Looks like 8 brick rings, so no cost cutting there! Probably why the linings are still in good shape and true. Most approaches are clearly in damp areas, the cuttings acting as drainage ditches, some making the tunnels look more like canals! Three more tunnels that I previously knew nothing about even though they are only a stones throw from where I was brought up. Well done, thank you, another enjoyable video. Cheers 👍

What a disaster losing this line from Banbury and the connections surrounding Cheltenham (possibly the GWRs longest branch line?) or the Grand Plan Link Bristol to the Wash. This would have made a serious heritage line and a massive tourist attraction by way of tourism. Doomed to fail by its reliance on ironstone & mineral traffic.

Third tunnel is used as storage for old vehicles, notably several land rover defenders:)

@pwhitewick

3 жыл бұрын

Ah yes, someone mentioned that. So presumable owned by the estate?

@jamesnelson825

3 жыл бұрын

Yea, I believe so...The dowdeswell estate to the east. I live in cheltenham and have always wanted to see the tunnel in person but this video does a excellent job explaining the history/geography of the area in a fun and relaxed way imo. Love the content btw thanks:)

@thomstephens3584

3 жыл бұрын

I believe the whole tunnel is full of land rovers.

@jamesnelson825

3 жыл бұрын

That's what I believe to be the case but wasn't sure if they were all still sitting there. In any case they probably aren't going anywhere any time soon lol

Love your videos. Just brilliant.

The Culvert was a good find 👍

You definitely chose a nice day for this. Really enjoyed that location, in the valley type thing. Would make some awesome photos. Wish you could get in that tunnel. But not the end of the world, it didn't take away from the video at all. Some lovely lovely shots too. And nice to see the combine harvester out because summer is commminnggggg!!! Also..better get that cough checked out hahaha. Anyway, enough rambling...Great video Paul, really enjoyed the vibe.

Soooooo interesting. Thanks for the great content.

I have been right up to that tunnel in chippy too

Often played in this tunnel as a child...never saw a single bat..........but then they invented the bats and we were told to keep out....or we might disturb the bats....on second thoughts maybe they were immigrant bats who came in on dinghies. This would have been mid to late 60's.....also used to be able to sit on the edge and look out over the viaduct...but then came H&S. oh well. Chippy tunnel was fun as well but always needed wellies for that one. My mother told me that I had been over the viaduct several times on a train as a baby??? but definitely carried over....people used to walk over after the line was closed. There was a much quicker and easier way from the road to the southern Portal...any local could have showed it to you. The sound of water you can hear is small breaches in the brick wall and nice waterfalls ensue...the water was so sweet and pure (back then). Hooky tunnel also had one of these breaches.

If you have a look at my channel 'John M Warr' and watch a short film of stills called 'Closed Cotswold Railways' you will find images of the portals of Sandy Park Tunnel which I took in the late 1960s when I walked towards Cheltenham from Andoversford Junction station. Both ends of the tunnel were accessible but blocked by brickwork. I did travel the line from Andoversford in about 1954 or 1955 through the tunnel and across the Dowdswell viaduct, and my Mum used it daily to get to Cheltenham teacher training centre in the late 1920s. Long gone, but not forgotten!

I thought at least Chipping Norton tunnel was open at that time? Wellies needed though, I'm never at a tunnel without mine 🙄

Really interesting presentation today. I am wondering if you will be exploring another Roman road soon? Keep up the great work!!

Doobly-doo good ! Enjoyed watching.

Love the beauty and Culvert Crawling due to dry April Gutted all these private landowners covering up our History

@jwdavies777

3 жыл бұрын

I wonder if Paul made it all the way through the culvert?!

I love that delightful line - not to mention the tunnels. I have taken pictures of the first two. Didn't find Sandywell Park, though! Lovely video - thanks!

@pwhitewick

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

Thanks

My at the grand estate the have their end capped off a few yards in from their end and are using the space as a wine or cheese vault or something.

Thankyou for the video, I have always enjoyed the content, and can’t wait for another video, always great content, and as a long time subscriber, I genuinely recommend that people subscribe , as I have only ever seen great content and video, take care everyone and best of luck with your futures x

@pwhitewick

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Matt, much appreciated.

Another great video !

Paul and Rebecca, have you heard of Ravenscar ? - There is a very beautiful video on it on the Sky shots channel. Beautiful and has an abandoned railway to Whitby.

Yes, more than one vehicle in the Sandywell Tunnel! Crawling through the culvert was somehow terrifying...

It looks like a good candidate for a future canal, it honestly looks like it's in perfect condition for conversion. That's just one old mans opinion. :)

Sandwell tunnel used to be full of cars......I last looked some time in the 90's......I seem to remember that some of them were 'posh' classic cars.

You didn't mention the huge viaduct near Sandwell that was blown up/destroyed/taken down way back...there are pics somewhere on line. Note also that the Hooky/Chippy line joined at Andoversford with a line from Swindon old Town. So in theory at one time you could get from Oxford to Swindon, walk up to old town station and catch the train to Andoversford, switch to the Banbury train and go back to Oxford that way......or go on to Cheltenham and catch the other line direct to Oxford.

Look out the BR training film, filmed at the Sandywell tunnel, Leckhampton and Andoversford station

Still liked the third tunnel capture with the go pro. Artistically diverse in light and eerie in nature. Great vid.

@cloud9aviation84

3 жыл бұрын

The last tunnel, the go pro footage, that looked like there was cars in there, especially the left hand side

excellent video 👍you did your best at the sandy park tunnel

@pwhitewick

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks 👍

"Lost Tunnels"? I think you found them! Anyway, thanks for the lovely video. Greetings from the Netherlands.

@GiacomodellaSvezia

3 жыл бұрын

As they're no longer in use, I personally find "lost" appropriate, even a little poetic, like they're orphaned.

Is the Sowerby Bridge - Rishworth branch line on your list? Some impressive cuttings, nice old bridges and the Rishworth station platforms can still just about be found.

The second tunnel looked like it should have been a canal tunnel with all that water in it.

@pwhitewick

3 жыл бұрын

It was sooo loud. I was worried it wouldn't come out on the camera, but I think it did catch it ok

@TrevsTravelsByNarrowboat

3 жыл бұрын

@@pwhitewick Oh yeah I could hear it okay.

Very good & Interesting - shame that they have been bricked up 😐🚂🚂🚂

@pwhitewick

3 жыл бұрын

Yup, we half expected they would be knowing its middle england and the shires!

The culvert was a tad stressful.

When it's dry, I will walk through one of thee tunnels......

enjoying your videos here in new zealand

Bloody blimey, I've driven along the A44 a gazillion times and I never knew about the tunnels.

"So you join us on" or "So you join us today on" It's like your catchphrase now. Don't change it. Britain must have gone through an amazing revolution in the 1860 - 1910 period. Not just railways & industry but a massive house building program during this period too. My house built in 1895, Yes, we all love a tunnel video. great stuff.

Excellent stuff! Would love to find more tunnels in central France. Sadly it's very flat around here and the tunnels that I know about are still very much in use.

Great video as usual. Abandoned tunnels... ooh yeah.

PP and Bex do it again, makes my sunday morning

You guys should think seriously about making DVD,s on your expeditions, would be great to buy these from stores. Have you any info on the disused lees moor tunnel near Keithley, would be great to see some footage on that.

@pwhitewick

3 жыл бұрын

Cheers. I think if you hop over to Adventure Me youtube channel he may have covered this. Failing that we will be doing it with him later in the year

Brilliant video as always, I have to say that you’re both remarkable people and certainly have some difficult challenges to overcome along your exploits. I would like to ask a question and hope you can provide the answer, which is; what old / disused railway maps do you use and are they available online to view free of charge? Thank you very much for your assistance and hoping that you’re able to help me, kind regards and best wishes to you both from a Whitewick subscriber.

I didn't realise that I hadn't subscribed, but have now.

Best EDS quote of the series so far: "Beard Emergency level 4"

@pwhitewick

3 жыл бұрын

Robin... I think you'll find the correct pronunciation is... "beardmergency"... 🤪

@gaugeonesteam

3 жыл бұрын

@@pwhitewick My wife uses a different scale for the same thing: Teenager, father, grandfather and great grandfather.

Count the culvert as a mini tunnel, as you did get inside that.

@pwhitewick

3 жыл бұрын

Yup!!... Lets say 1 out of 4!

Ello, can you come down to Cleckheaton in West Yorkshire? We have a greenway, you could say which is a bike path similar to this, however you can find a abandoned platform, a bit of a train station building. This used to be a old line which ran from Bradford to Dewsbury. There is also an bridge near Tesco, which visibly looks like a train tunnel. May not be in London, but it’s still a abandoned railway. There is actually two platforms, one small and one big, the big platform is on top of the biggest bridge in town, and the second platform is right next to the Tesco entrance. I can send a email possibly, showing you all of the locations from maps?

As for accessing the tunnels, have a look at the Lock Picking Lawyer videos. Picking a lock is not criminal damage.. :-)

Top marks for effort in getting to those tunnel portals! Love that culvert! Was it just for flood prevention or did it once carry a stream? As you say its unusual to find such a dry culvert. Enjoyed seeing the 67s on the Network Rail test train to!

@ryanjones6837

2 жыл бұрын

I've been down there a few times in kingham. There is a stream in that area and water was running through the culvert last time I was there(a little bit though).

I find these videos very interesting it's a shame all these old lines have closed the tunnels are amazing still

"Riveting KZread content ...what a treat" ;)

The water movement in the second tunnel must have be quite fast, as the noise of the water rushing through is very load. You make a boring subject interesting and that is what keeps me interested in viewing your channel. And yes the pun was intentional!

You need a search light torch at least 10,000 lumens for tunnels . Fenix or nite core.

Looking at the old map and the newer map of the last tunnel, it looks as if the end of the tunnel in the estate has been filled in/ levelled

Paul, great video as always, but was that landslip not much older? I think it was the same one that really sounded the death knell for that part of the line. Perhaps about 65 Yrs ago

Have you checked out The Old Photographs Series: The Midlands & South Western Junction Railway book, couple of pictures of Sandwell tunnel, also Dowdeswell viaduct.

Fascinating to learn what's still there to find and see almost on the doorstep of my adopted home, thank you! P.S. didn't you mean heading WEST to the last tunnel of the day? ;o)

Very interesting as usual. I would love to know what the old vehicle was inside the dark tunnel that you could just get the camera through. Very mysterious.

8:00 - Post 10 has entered the chat

That land slip explains the retaining walls.

yes Paul Staffordshire Blues a horror brick to lay as an engineering brick so hard commonly used all over UK impossible when wet to use, wonder if companies still in production after all the years used mostly as a finishing brick came in many different shapes and sizes so not just common size brick, however when laid and pointed looked just the smartest ever because of its unique colour Malcs formally of Brighton living in Perth Hillarys last 20 years, love your show as so professional xx

Ironically I visited Hook Norton nature reserve yesterday - the water trickling out of the side of the cutting was idyllic! Managed to walk through HN Tunnel a few years ago in the winter. There was a hole in the side of the wall about mid way through where there was a great jet of water gushing out which flooded (and still is flooding) the 2nd half of the tunnel. Not audible yesterday but It sounded just like CN tunnel sounds now! Didn't see any bat evidence.

Chipping Norton brewery 🍺🍺👍