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The Huddersfield Narrow Canal
 

The Huddersfield Narrow Canal passes through Diggle on its 20 mile journey between Huddersfield and Ashton-under-Lyne.  Construction of the canal began in 1794 following its authorisation in an Action of Parliament but, although two of the three sections were opened by 1799, the whole canal was not completed until 1811.  The delay was due mainly to the problems encountered in tunnelling the third section under Standedge which links the sections in the Colne (West Yorkshire) with the Tame valley.  Further delay was caused by the death of Benjamin Outram, the Canal Company’s engineer who died in 1805.

The Standedge Tunnel is the longest canal tunnel in Britain stretching 3 miles 133 yards. It is the highest above sea level at 645 feet.  The narrow bore of the tunnel – 9 feet – meant the horses which usually pulled the canal boats could not pass through; they had to be detached at Diggle and taken over Stanedge summit along what is now the bridleway known as the Boat Lane (start located south of the Diggle Hotel).  The boats were ‘walked’ through the tunnel by ‘leggers’.  These ‘leggers’ were men who moved the boats by lying on their backs and walking on the roof or side of the tunnel

  
  The canal cost £396.267 more than twice the estimated budget (nothing changes). The Stanedge tunnel alone cost £123.804.

‘Many navvies, labourers and other workmen being killed on the works.’ (Pennine Passage – a History of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal’ Michael and Peter Fox).

Before the completion of the third and last section of the canal, the northern terminus of the canal in the Tame Valley was at Wool Road, close to the Navigation Public House and just in Dobcross.  Here stood a large warehouse and a smaller transhipment building around a small basin.  Goods were unloaded from the narrow boats and either stored in the main warehouse or transferred to pack-horse for the trip over the Pennines towards Huddersfield.  The large warehouse has now been converted into flats.  The transhipment warehouse (to the west of the Navigation Public House), with its cantilevered roof has been restored by the Saddleworth Historical Society and acts as a conference centre.

The canal enjoyed a short period of prosperity until 1845 when it was bought by the Huddersfield and Manchester Railway Company, which line was to follow a similar route to the canal.  The railway company did not fear competition from the canal but as they were building a tunnel alongside the canal tunnel, they used the canal to remove spoil from their excavations.
Preparing to negotiate the tunnel.
Note the floats to the rear of the boat on the left.
They act as buffers between the boats as they go through the tunnel 		 
 

  The Diggle end of the canal tunnel was lengthened by several hundred yards in 1893 (date indicated on the portal), when railway tracks were carried over the canal to ease their approach to the newly-completed railway tunnel.

The railway company had no reason to promote the canal and it fell into slow decline until its closure in 1944.

In 1974, the Huddersfield Canal Society was formed with the objective of seeing the re-opening of the canal.  By that time some sections of the canal had been filled in reflecting the enormity of the task.  The restoration was backed by Kirklees, Oldham and Tameside Councils and by British Waterways.  Funding was obtained from English Partnerships, the Millennium Commission and other sources.  The grand re-opening of the tunnel in May, 2001 was the culmination of 27 years hard work at a cost of £30.000.000.

Today up to 4 narrow boats are towed through the tunnel by an electronically operated tug.  Boat owners and passengers are not permitted to remain on their own boats but are carried through on a specially-designed part of the tug for safety reasons.

  
  Towing mechanism waiting at the Tunnel End    
 
Extracts from Picture Post Magazine dated 16th September, 1944.
An extract from a local paper in 1961
Narrow boat Tests Tunnel
Words and pictures
BY KEN BENNETT
Oldham Chronicle Report 24 Sept 2007
Test Thursday 20 Sept 2007
A 50-foot has made history when its bows poked into watery Autumn sunlight at the mouth of the country’s longest underground tunnel.
John Lund, the 54-year-old owner of a fleet of Saddleworth pleasurecraft, became the first person to guide a craft through Standedge Tunnel under its own diesel power.
And today his epic journey is being greeted with cautious optimism by locals who believe Huddersfield Narrow Canal could face a new era of prosperity.
And John also entered the record books by making the trip from Marsden to Diggle through Standedge Tunnel - also the the UK’s deepest and highest underground tunnel - in record time.
He covered the three-mile journey in Dizzy, one of his three boats, in just one hour and 35 minutes.

Currently, narrowboats are towed through the tunnel in convoy by British Waterways electric-powered tugs, The new tests will examine if diesel-powered tugs could make journeys more cost-effective.
As he moored at the Diggle Flight, John said: “This is a new beginning for the canal. The lid is just starting to come off.
“The boating fraternity will want to ensure they can use the tunnel now very regularly if these tests prove positive.
John Lund’s narrow boat Dizzy seen arriving at the Diggle Flight John Lund with atmospheric moinitors fitted to his suit.
“The fact they have only been able to use the tunnel in convoys twice a week has hampered the development of canal traffic.
“My pioneering trip has got tremendous implications for the canal and its uses, We are heralding a new step in canal history.”
John’s trip was monitored by a specialist team from British Waterways and a spokesman confirmed the tunnel is undergoing exploratory atmospheric tests.
But he stressed that pleasure boats would not be allowed to travel unaccompanied.
 
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