Post by ddraigmor on Jul 28, 2005 13:11:33 GMT
This months 'Canal Boat' magazine (August 2005) contains a really interesting letter on its 'Your Letters' page.
Someone cruising through the tunnel asked about the 'yellow lights' inside a short tunnel leading off the main arm of the canal. An experienced cruiser, he has never seen it before and wondered whether there was any maintenance work going on - it was not in the notices used by British Waterways to advise of on going works.
The editor answerd with something rather interesting! The tunnel off the arm that was seens is an air shaft. It is not lit. However, in 1796, during the construction of the tunnel, the navvies building it hit quicksand. The tunnel collapsed and 14 men were killed.
The lights have been seen at odd times over the years and even when reported to British Waterways, they always state no work was going on. Locals say that the lights are those used by the navvies - candle lights - and that the apparition has been seen many times before. There are no turns in the tunnel - the tunnel is straight, and any shafts leading off are for ventilation. Also, the location of the lights is the spot where the tunnel was intersected with the later tunnel, built away from the quiksand.
The full story is on www.waterscape.com - use the keyword Blisworth in the search engine on the site and, when on page, look at Blisworth Tunnel.
Any ideas whether it would be worth checking out? An hour away from me by car and a favourite walking place of myself and my partner. Oh, and I haven't got a boat....
Jonty
Someone cruising through the tunnel asked about the 'yellow lights' inside a short tunnel leading off the main arm of the canal. An experienced cruiser, he has never seen it before and wondered whether there was any maintenance work going on - it was not in the notices used by British Waterways to advise of on going works.
The editor answerd with something rather interesting! The tunnel off the arm that was seens is an air shaft. It is not lit. However, in 1796, during the construction of the tunnel, the navvies building it hit quicksand. The tunnel collapsed and 14 men were killed.
The lights have been seen at odd times over the years and even when reported to British Waterways, they always state no work was going on. Locals say that the lights are those used by the navvies - candle lights - and that the apparition has been seen many times before. There are no turns in the tunnel - the tunnel is straight, and any shafts leading off are for ventilation. Also, the location of the lights is the spot where the tunnel was intersected with the later tunnel, built away from the quiksand.
The full story is on www.waterscape.com - use the keyword Blisworth in the search engine on the site and, when on page, look at Blisworth Tunnel.
Any ideas whether it would be worth checking out? An hour away from me by car and a favourite walking place of myself and my partner. Oh, and I haven't got a boat....
Jonty
