Basingstoke's Collapsed Canal Tunnel

[@davidrobinson4642]

Paul, you were absolutely accurate with your identification of the location of the tunnel collapse. I have been inside the tunnel from the Eastern portal to the tunnel blockage (about 3/4 mile in) before it was closed and I can report that the internal tunnel condition is superb (much better than a lot of canal tunnels that are in daily use today). The blockage was caused by a roof collapse in about 1932 due to a pond forming on the surface when it's drainage channel became blocked due to lack of maintenance. The blockage is a supportive plug of sand and clay which fills the tunnel from bottom to ceiling and is actually preventing any further damage from occurring. The problem with the bats is that it has been argued that the blockage has effectively turned the tunnel into a cave and that reopening it would affect hibernation during the Winter months. I have had plenty of opportunities to see bats sharing canal tunnels that are in year-round daily use by boats without any apparent problems (actually it was to the advantage of the bats in Brandwood Tunnel on the Northern Stratford Canal because they feasted on the flies driven in by a passing boat). If the Greywell Tunnel was reopened then it would allow a Marina to be built near Up Natley which would serve Basingstoke and thus provide a logical terminus to the canal, completely appropriate to the canal's function. The 'cave' condition could be emulated by closing a new Western portal by a pair of doors closed during the Winter Bat Hibernation period when any boat traffic would be light anyway. Problem is this requires an environmental compromise, the Engineering is easy and it shouldn't cost too much as most of the infrastructure already exists. Well done.

[@susantaylor927]

We love your vids! We have 50 years worth of interests in canals and railways and walking! Now we are armchair walkers and greatly enjoy all aspects of your vids! Thank you!😊

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you. Very kind

[@NPMTrialsVideo]

I thought it about time I offered you some feedback (read high praise) for this and the numerous other videos you've done. This one was of interest as my first job was pre-college experience as a Countryside Ranger on the Basingstoke Canal, and back in the 70s had the opportunity to take a small boat to the 'beach' at the end of the collapsed tunnel. My wife and I always look forward to your latest offerings, whether it's waterways, ancient roads, or old railway routes. We're Hampshire-based so the often local theme is a bonus. Rebecca, as an aside, my wife and I both like the side-show of what you're resplendently wearing, and the latest hair-do. Maybe a fitness video and a cook-book at Xmas will be next? Paul, you however have failed to move me on the looks or fashion front, sorry mate. Anyway, love the quality of the videos and editing, and the depth of research that obviously goes into them. And if ever you run out of new material and inspiration, do defensive stop-lines and WWII pillboxes float your boat?

[@Beatlefan67]

Our late father was born in Basingstoke, in 1913 and he'd tell us boys about the canal. I think it was a bit of a 'lads playground'. Keep up the good work you chaps - another entertaining and informative vid!

[@annfeddersen6963]

The Basingstoke Canal hidden and buried in the Basingstoke fen and under the path in eastrope towards the festival place ending at the Basingstoke street kitchen in Basingstoke is interesting too.

[@andrewholloway231]

Thank you for a great video exploring the collapsed Greywell tunnel. I really enjoyed it. So, in 1991, my family hired a boat from Galleon Marine, Odiham, Hants for a short break along the Basingstoke canal. I have just visited the Basingstoke Canal Society's History, restoration and today page on their website and it says: "While returning the Canal as a navigation back into Basingstoke is beset with insuperable difficulties, it remains the Society’s aspiration to re-establish the route of this lost section as close as possible with a footpath and cycleway."

[@benlarge1984]

I found this rather interesting, ive lived in Basingstoke all my life, 36 years, and never thought about the canal, I might have to take a day out and retrace your path.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Good to rewatch this video! Today I went to see the ruins of King John's Castle aka Odiham Castle and walked to the other end of Greywell Tunnel. I did think about trying to find this end but as it was getting late I thought I'd just head home and watch this video!

[@Buckey033]

To the west on the other side of the A30 there’s remnants of the canal (with stagnant water in) along the edge of Old Basing as well

[@kevbaker153]

As said before Bats co exist in several canal tunnels that are open, Saddington on the Leicester Section has a large bat colony and they aren't bothered by boats going through it regularly

[@sidewaysaction9983]

There's been Bats in the dark room off our workshop for as long as I remember, we don't bother them they don't bother us apart from a few droppings, the house Martin's on the other hand turn up every year build amazing nests then shit all over everything but we wouldn't have it any other way. As I've said before loving your work.

[@pwhitewick]

Ah thanks very kind

[@hanskniezand2049]

You are so right about house martins shitting over everything. Don't know what they eat but I would give it a miss.

[@ValleyRC]

@@hanskniezand2049 The ones round my way appear to eat a mixture of white paint and berries lol.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Interesting video as always! As a child I remember walking along the Basingstoke Canal from the East mouth of Graywell Tunnel to King John's Castle and on to Odiham Ford. I'm remember it being just about the muddiest place I'd ever been!

[@pwhitewick]

I can imagine that as even now its still quite muddy!

[@Poultrymad]

Nice little book if you can get it, is 'London's Lost Route To Basingstoke' by P.A.L.Vine. Has some old photos & illustrations of the area including showing the route through Basing & Basingstoke wharf in 1872 & Nately brickworks (1897-1908). The big loop around Rotherwick didn't happen because the Rt. Hon. Earl Tylney objected as it cut through his land, so they dug the tunnel instead. We investigated the Western portal in the mid 1980's, also found Little Tunnel & managed to get right up to it (probably trespassing at the time!) Been a long time since we went there so very nice to see your video about it, Paul & Rebecca. ;)

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you. I'll keep an eye out

[@and7barton]

Love your channel - It would be an interesting project to research / explore the Chippenham canal tunnel (wiltshire), running between the top of Pewsham Way and somewhere along The Causeway near Causeway Close (This one is a bit of a mystery and worth researching). Another location worth looking into, is the Plymbridge railway tunnel near Plymouth. The southern end of the tunnel is a decent brick portal in some woods between Forder Valley Road and Sheepstor Road; the northern end (blocked) comes out in Plymbridge Road (on the LH side). Last time I looked, the southern end was accessible.

[@jag251080]

Spent my childhood riding and playing and exploring along this canal lovely area

[@petersilvester1315]

Somebody else might have mentioned the pronunciation of Greywell. I lived in Basingstoke close to the line of the canal 50 years ago, and used to walk it. A very old resident I met near the tunnel told me that Greywell is pronounced as "Grool". I also heard that from other people in the village of Basing, through which the canal ran (along the castle wall). A great video, thanks.

[@darylmears9683]

I have only just started watching your videos, found your channel through the video you did with Geoff Marshall. I'm really enjoying your content and you even taught me something about my home town of Swindon that I didn't realise. I look forward to more of your content coming.

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Daryl

[@GreatBeardofWisdom]

Huh, this is really weird, but you were in my year at school, don't know if you'd remember? Commonweal, left in 2006? So strange to just bump into you here like this.

[@darylmears9683]

@@GreatBeardofWisdom wow, yeah I definitely remember. Good to hear from you, hope you're doing well.

[@GreatBeardofWisdom]

@@darylmears9683 Good to hear from you too, I'm getting on as well as I can in these times we find ourselves in. No complaints really, hope you're doing well and that you're staying as safe as you can.

[@darylmears9683]

@@GreatBeardofWisdom good to hear you're getting on well. Pretty much the same here just getting on the best I can in these crazy times. Hope you stay as safe as you can too

[@carolbage8300]

Smashing stuff. On these risk ridden explorations of collapsing tunnels, I hope you're counting them out and counting them back in again so that you don't lose poor Rebecca down one of these tunnel shafts. She didn't have much of a speaking part in this production but when she did speak, I think she had you on the ropes a bit. You had to resort to "phone a friend" to get you out of a jam. Don't take any prisoners Rebecca. Thanks, Bob

[@pwhitewick]

She always has me on the ropes!

[@carolbage8300]

@@pwhitewick Steady man. Too early in the day. Bob

[@NebiCarax]

Tom Scott and the Whitewicks uploading on the same day? Nice way to start the week

[@pwhitewick]

Looooove Tom Scott

[@peterbuckley265]

@@pwhitewick WHI IS TOMM SCOTT ???.

[@HobbiesAndSunshine]

Totally

[@peterthorpe8104]

Congratulations another fascinating short film. I used to live in Camberley and often visited Basingstoke. I never knew much about the canal.

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you very much!

[@user-gu9pv7ck1i]

Great vid. Cycled a fair bit of the Basingstoke mainly from Its junction with the Wey Navigation at New Haw through Woking and beyond.

[@michaelpilling9659]

Fascinating guys - thank you so much. Another superb video, full of historical facts.

[@baz6128]

Very cool episode. That background music reminds me a lot of a travel program I used to watch back in SA and it suits your video perfectly. And the pretend video call in woods is next level stuff. Keep it up dude!

[@pwhitewick]

Pretend..... No clue what you mean... 🤪

[@lindamccaughey6669]

Well I really enjoyed that. I enjoy a history lesson it’s fantastic. Love the tunnel and pleased the bats have a sanctuary, I do love bats. Thank you so much for taking me along. P,ease stay safe

[@boxcarjim1]

The issue with the bats is that is not a roost, but an hibernaculum - where bats over-winter. It's one of the most important hibernacula for two species of bat (Natterer's and Daubenton's) in Western Europe. The Greywell Tunnel both the eastern and western bits of it, is an SSSI for this reason.

[@harrowtiger]

Covid receptacles bats? Mmmm, tasty.

[@jonathancombe9991]

Thanks a very interesting video. I live close to this canal (the part still open) and have walked the whole towpath but never explored or even attempted to explore the disused parts. So very interesting to see what it's like. Certainly the reason I've always heard is the tunnel cannot be re-opened because of the bats and they are protected. I also believe parts of the canal further west have been built on too.

[@pwhitewick]

Yes indeed Stroud water is looking very good by all accounts

[@TrevsTravelsByNarrowboat]

Great one, Having lived in Basingstoke for 25 or so years in the past, it is an area I know very well, and have explored in the past. A shame you did not go the east portal as well, as you would have walked past King John's castle to get there, which would have been a nice point of interest to have added to the video. Which actually was not really a castle, but a fortified hunting lodge. I now live on a narrowboat, travelling the UK network, and I have seen bats in tunnels, and at dusk seen them leaving to go out hunting. I think we can co-exist in the same space.

[@Lichfeldian--Suttonian]

Great video as usual, guys. Many thanks.

[@davie941]

hey paul and rebecca , another cool interesting video as always , :)

[@nigelhall1961]

Another interesting video well put together as always

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers Nigel

[@danielbarrows7144]

Bat 🦇 man does not like visitors to his cave 👀😈😎🦇 and Rebecca looking stylish as usual 😊 thanks for sharing

[@LLACEM]

Rebecca, I couldn't concentrate on anything except your top but I would like to visit that site great video.

[@hoover517]

Another Brilliant and informative video.

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Hoover

[@An.Individual]

Interesting video. Thanks to everyone in it.

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you

[@ColinH1973]

Very interesting piece of investigation.

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers Colin.

[@steveooooo4423]

Rebecca is the great part of the vid truly the best find ever !

[@mikehardwick352]

Another great video lots of information thanks, i would love to do what your doing digging up all that material but I’m in Ontario Canada and there’s not many canals to look for

[@stephensaines7100]

Well I'm in Toronto, and my uncle and aunt used to live in Odiham along with my cousins. Doubtless, they explored the tunnel and whereabouts. My uncle had a deep fascination with canals, his father (my Grandad) having had a pleasure boat on the canals. My cousins still live in the region, this vid brought back a lot of memories of my cycling the area. Loved it, and loved the video.

[@grenfellroad8394]

Great video. I live in Basingstoke, used to live in Farnborough, and always wondered where the canal ran.

[@pwhitewick]

A very lovely walk.

[@PoppinJay]

Fascinating stuff, most enjoyable. Keep exploring.

[@terryansell6641]

As always interesting video from New Zealand thank you

[@pwhitewick]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@MrVxrman]

A good interesting video and well put together. Many thanks for sharing. 😀🍻🥂👍🏻

[@pwhitewick]

Much appreciated

[@Jermey771]

There's more evidence of the Canal to be found west of where you started too. Excellent fun trying to find where it went and try to follow it back to Basingstoke. Have done that a few times.

[@cjclow052]

Hey i was looking around on the NLS side by side map and found a good place for a video for a railway a place called ellesmere the station there is fully intact but disused it was a decently sized railway hub

[@haywardsteve]

Rebecca like the way you wear your corset on the outside of your blouse

[@folksinger2100]

Fashion!!!!

[@An.Individual]

Me too. Thank you Rebecca.

[@mileshigh1321]

I don't think Rebecca ever leaves the house not looking good! Who says you can't look great and explore at the same time!

[@MianCowell]

When you need to explore a canal then attend a cocktail party, she's got it covered.

[@meditationmusicbyalexjackson]

It's a bustier isn't it?

[@SMILEVIDEOTRAINS]

very well put together and narated..

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Keith

[@TheFrowningLizard]

I live 200yds from the canal in a cottage built in the 1860's. There is a bridge over the canal, which was built 1780's or so I think, and was the main road in and out of the village :D

[@RobinPrice]

i no of a active railway tunnel with bats flying in and out all night. its actually on the whatley quarry line and the tunnel is called great elm tunnel. quarry trains still run. excellent vid as always. looking forward to next vid. thanks guys.

[@t.vanoosterhout233]

Fascinating stuff, all that disused, crumbling and collapsing infrastructure. Nice way to explore it too. Perhaps give Rebecca some speaking parts as well?

[@pwhitewick]

You know she has her own channel too?

[@t.vanoosterhout233]

I do know, will check it out again. Thx for answering!

[@sheriffjohn2498]

Good show, i can pretty much understand all that you are saying these days, interpreting between you and Martin Zero, I’m picking up the lingo quite easily now. The most interesting is that so many of you put a hard g at the end of a word that ends with a g. Ex: “A few of the gang are coming around tonight” in the US we say gAAn...with a hint of a g. At the end. Or that guy is a gAin member. We see you as saying: that guy is a gAin..Ga member or just G at the end. Not picking on you, just having a bit of fun while enjoying your shows. Pls keep them coming! SJ

[@jonty2020]

Great Video.. thanks for all the effort you put into these.

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you

[@PartTimeBoater]

Thanks for a very interesting video. Coincidentally, I uploaded a short video last Friday from the Eastern Portal of the Greywell Tunnel also mentioning the hibernation of the bats. As Part Time Boater I usually talk about my life on the boat but it is being painted so we thought we would diversify as it is local to my land base. Thanks once again.

[@rogerwatson7205]

Thanks guys very interesting as usual. Perhaps I am odd but I think bats are really cool!

[@pwhitewick]

We agree. 👍

[@JDLeonard74]

It's been so hot here. Working out in it every day. It must feel great over there in the UK. Matt's long pants and coat make me want to jump in the stagnant pond. I'm sure Matt and yourselves are comfy though. Much weather jealousy here.😉 Thumb 900👍

[@pwhitewick]

Though probably not as much as you we've had mid 30's now for a week. Blurgh

[@JDLeonard74]

@@pwhitewick Wow! That's seriously weird for August! You win this one for sure.

[@JDLeonard74]

@@pwhitewick Oh, wait. You mean °Centigrade not °Farenheit? 😋Duh, sorry 😳😅

[@Lee-wb5og]

I'm surprised you didn't try calling the number on the fence!

[@malcolmsmith6615]

Another excellent video! The big depressions on the hill have all the characteristics of pits rather than collapses; far too wide. The tunnel almost aligns with the boundary between clay deposits and chalk deposits, either of which could have been excavated. Clay would have been useful for temporary brick works while the tunnel was being constructed. I don’t know the local history so can’t be certain. It is of course possible that all shafts were filled after construction and so none remain? Just a thought. Keep up the good work!

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Malcolm that's very useful and sums up a lot on the upper section

[@malcolmsmith6615]

The Whitewicks That’s not to say that the smaller depressions above the tunnel are not the result of collapse below.

[@nickyclark5667]

Great video

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Nicky

[@carolinegray3150]

Good video

[@donsharpe5786]

We are going to have to co-habit with bats as we have in the past. When we take over areas for housing then we ought to build bat housing as part of new build along with places for owls, swifts swallows and house martins.

[@MsVanorak]

Ive got bats in the town around me and it's houses built in the 1980's. Goodness knows where they live but they seem to squeeze into neglected corners. Where I lived before they were behind the notice board in the porch of the church so were OK with humans coming and going. I think they will become like foxes and move into urban environments.

[@playwithmeinsecondlife6129]

Rebecca is the prettiest thing ever seen along a disused rail line or canal footpath.

[@johnmasters504]

gives me the horn

[@jasonwelsh5986]

Easten end towards fleet has lots of 2ww pill box’s anti tank barriers dragons teeth all in good condition there is also concrete squares were mines once was all on this tow path lovely place to walk.

[@Byron2561]

its a good canal. I cycled it all from Greywell to the Wey. Crosses the LSWR main line on an aqueduct and there was a railway branch over it to the National Rifle Association (not the US version) at Brookwood.

[@bullettube9863]

So what happened to this canal? When and why did it go out of use? Glad to see Matt with you, he gets around pretty well for such a large guy! :) As for the bats, best to leave them alone, the tunnel may be in such bad condition that humans would be endangered. As for Rebecca, always nice to see her with you, and are those new shoes or just one of many from her collection? (we're never going to forget seeing her shoe collection behind her on the last video)

[@stephensaines7100]

www.subbrit.org.uk/sites/greywell-tunnel-basingstoke-canal/

[@bullettube9863]

@@stephensaines7100 Thank You so much! Interestingly, in America they were writing the constitution and trying to get back on peaceful terms with Britain while this canal was being built.

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Another great video. Looks like the arch on the first bridge has sprung more than once through the pressure from each side pushing it up. Parapets are the easy bits to fix, the arch less so.

[@janscattergood7294]

Really interesting. Love the bat's. x

[@pwhitewick]

Me too.

[@sergeant5848]

And not a mention of Douglas Adams or the round-about anywhere!

[@532bluepeter1]

There are more reasons than bats for not re-0pening Greywell Tunnel. the restoration of the canal as far as it progressed was an amazing feat considering the time that it lay abandoned. Like many canals though it suffers from a water supply problem. On contacting the Basingstoke Canal Authority prior to a kayaking tip I was told that powered craft have to be booked through and a warden must follow them to pinch the gates shut to conserve water supply as in the words of the staff member that I spoke to the canal is little more than a dew pond. It is a beautiful waterway and a lovely green space for local residents and a haven for wildlife but as a navigable canal it is not great. the difficulties to be surmounted at the Western end with the M3 crossing the line and a buried tunnel mean that the remainder is very unlikely so the bats really should rest easy in their roost.

[@liambullard3000]

The plan was for a new tunnel to divert off just after king John's castle and come out just before heather row lane bridge, local legend has it that the tunnel collapse was caused by a large oak tree falling above the tunnel on greywell hill, the wood you saw on brickwork arm is the hull of 1 of 2 boats found, the eastern portal you can see the top thru the railings the reason most of eastern portal is blocked is due to a landslide many years ago, date alludes me but I shall ask someone I know

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Liam, much appreciated

[@liambullard3000]

@@pwhitewick I shall apologise now for being the font of some knowledge, i spent my youth in the area and the canal east of greywell up to penny bridge was my play area

[@boxcarjim1]

The collapse which sealed the tunnel's fate was in 1932 (it wasn't the first collapse). The oak tree myth is probably true, but was not so much as a cause but a consequence.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

Hmm, suspect the larger hole is early coal workings perhaps? Looks more like joined up bell pits than a collapse to me? Looking at the lidar, that first one looks like a collapse, but there appear to be other workings in the area.

[@pwhitewick]

Pray tell more.... Joined up bell pits? Not sure there was much mining here on account of the landscape being mostly chalk we think.

[@UKAbandonedMineExplores]

@@pwhitewick ooh, if chalk, dont know, just looks like that. Early form of mining, we have them here yo get at shallow coal seams

[@leilabennett1582]

I live in Basingstoke and have been along there many times. I was once told the collapse had something to do with a pond above the tunnel. Did you also visit the abandoned Alton light railway while you were in the area?

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Leila, we've actually already covered that line here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/goPIZXqAipWLgrM

[@justvin7214]

Yes, the tunnel collapse happened under the pond which drained the pond taking the island on the pond with it and also the tree that grew on the island. It would have been very impressive to witness it. Btw it's been a few decades since I saw the 'bat cave' entrance and it never had the railings around it then (I hope the bats manage to avoid it during their comings and goings).

[@leilabennett1582]

@@justvin7214 I first saw the bat cave some years ago and it had a wooden paling fence. We saw some young lads slide one up and go in.the tunnel. That's probably why they put the railing there. They've been there a few years now.

[@tinplategeek1058]

@@justvin7214 Bats are amazing at avoiding things while flying very fast. We have a pair of bats that flying through our small garden at dusk. They start about 15 foot above the side fence on approach then are at about 8 foot above the garden and then do a 90 degree turn to avoid the other fence while increasing height as there is a row of 20 foot trees behind that fence. If you blink twice, you would miss them such is the speed.

[@justvin7214]

@@leilabennett1582 Ah cool. We used to play around there but we never went in as we didn't want to disturb them. Occasionally we'd see people wandering around looking for the cave and if asked we'd say we didn't know of any bats or cave. We used to play in King John's castle too and the ford at Warnborough Green (that used to get packed on hot summer days). There was a pub at Dogsmerfield that had hundreds of chipmunks in the beer garden, not sure if they're still there though.

[@cjclow052]

Odd a few days before i was looking for a video about this lol

[@simontaylor4791]

Great video guys Are you going steampunk on us Rebecca with the corset

[@johng9399]

You should cadge a trip with one of the Canal boaters on you tube. Give you an insight into the canal system.

[@pwhitewick]

That remains a goal!

[@Byron2561]

@@pwhitewick and there was me thinking you already had

[@Sim0nTrains]

Very interesting indeed. Never knew bats could east mosquitoes as well.

[@pwhitewick]

Alarm something new every day.

[@thoughtengine]

@@pwhitewick A tiny insectivorous bat eats mosquitoes. It is not universal. There is also literally a vampire bat which predates upon larger mammals. The most common bats here in North Queensland are a fruit bat, or flying fox, which ruins whole crops by biting plugs out of fruits, chewing until all the taste is gone, then wasting 98% of it. They are in plague proportions here, shutting down public parks completely; oh, and their preferred scent is eau de their own bladders.

[@stuartlew1229]

look at the east end of Box tunnel built by Brunel

[@sheilastallard]

I'm pretty sure this is one of our cycling books. Must go and see. KEEP SAFE!. ps Are buying lots of cheap pub meals?

[@pwhitewick]

Go see and report back... 😁😁

[@sheilastallard]

@@pwhitewick Yes Sir!! xx

[@folksinger2100]

Nice vid well done - again!!! Bats and People seem to get on in a church setting especially the belfry. The option would be to to create a new short tunnel of sorts. No one explains what the bats did before the barges stopped?

[@johng9399]

Or before the tunnel was bored.

[@pwhitewick]

Probably cohabitation

[@melhorler45]

Very interesting

[@NovaMoonstar]

Why not rebuild the collapsed sections of the old Greywell Tunnel for bat habitat; while building a new, bigger Greywell Tunnel for boat traffic?

[@duckydashcam751]

When are you going to come up to Nottingham, to do the old Nottingham canal?

[@pwhitewick]

Might be a short while yet. One day

[@duckydashcam751]

Fair enough, really nice to walk down though.

[@memofromessex]

Have you checked the old ONS maps to see if that spur to the brick manufacturing was built before it was opened?

[@pwhitewick]

It was only built 100 years after by all accounts. Can't really tell on any maps prior to 1900.

[@liambullard3000]

@@pwhitewick it opened approx 100 years after the canal and closed in 1902 ish after it was found that the bricks made there were unsuitable for building,

[@a11csc]

super vid as is the norm now

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers Chris.

[@a11csc]

glad ya appreciate as sometimes a leave a comment an no reply and its not just two it happens on loads i sub to when ya get 1 back i feel the effort of what you two put in is worth the effort of watching thanks for the reply@@pwhitewick

[@stephensaines7100]

Without knowing what engineering studies have been done, I'd have to guess that trying to re-dig collapsed sections of the tunnel would be an immense undertaking, and very costly, if even practicably possible. If those sunken sections are due to tunnel collapse, I don't see how it can be done. Interesting link: www.basingstoke-canal.org.uk/engineering/tunnels.htm

[@pwhitewick]

Yup as someone suggested, easier to redig another or just work around it.

[@stephenpegum9776]

Great stuff yet again Paul & Rebecca. Just one quick question though - was Matt cold or what ? He never took his coat off throughout ?!

[@pwhitewick]

To be fair it wasn't the warmest day. He was the best dressed by a long way

[@stephenpegum9776]

@@pwhitewick Surely that accolade belongs to the lovely Rebecca ??!!! 💘💘

[@RedFathom]

i doubt any of the shafts would be that water tight.

[@tabriff3832]

One thing worries me... collapses, ventilation shafts?, unmarked, unknown to the average walker, fall into or down one... that’s your picnic over, and who’s going to know?

[@pwhitewick]

100%

[@josecorreia8280]

hi can make a tunnel or cave home for bats

[@TheGramophoneGirl]

4:40 Poor Rebecca left behind :(

[@0000lowrider]

Have you been to the harecastle tunnels?

[@willstevens4289]

The old six inch Ordnance Survey maps show some ‘old chalk pits’ in the ground above the tunnel. Could some of what you saw been remains of these?

[@pwhitewick]

Ah most certainly.

[@catzkeet4860]

To add to this, mostly bats are happy enough to have humans sharing spaces they shelter in during the summer, BUT the issue with the use of these places where bats overwinter is that bats feed up to allow them to hibernate for several months without dying of hypothermia. ANY disturbance makes them fly around which wastes a LOT of energy. While that won't damage them, a cold snap can then leave them without the fat reserves to cope with the drop in temp, and they die. And bats are important creatures, both often rare, and vital to the ecosystem. Please be careful of bats.

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks for the additional info Catz

[@redhmanchesteruk.]

If you are ever up North look up the Hollinwood Branch Canal in Tameside and Oldham, Greater Manchester. There are interesting features including a dug out tunnel, the remains of a coal tippler, a lake that was the result of a culvert collapse during the building of the canal and at the eastern end, Park Bridge iron works (remains of) where the rivets for the Titanic were forged and somewhere, never found it, the site of a pumping engine called "Fair bottom Bobs" which Henry Ford had shipped to Detroit where it still resides in the Dearborn Museum. Obviously there's plenty of information on the web to research. Just saying.... Love the videos.

[@LordGeorgeRodney]

how can 18 people dislike this!!?

[@andyhill242]

I've heard about the Basingstoke Canal recently somewhere else but As usual, I can't remember where perhaps it was @FoxesAfloat but then again maybe not! I know, I'm rubbish!

[@pwhitewick]

Bit far south for them I think?

[@andyhill242]

@@pwhitewick That's it they were talking about how far south canals used to go and mentioned the Basingstoke.

[@reburdoc4647]

Well the bats will get used to boats going through like birds get used to folks on footpaths ect so to restore I guess restore each end separately

[@tdrury]

How did you record the call on your phone?

[@grilnam9945]

I don’t know how I did this but saw the thumb and titles and thought it was a post10 video!!

[@pwhitewick]

You'll have to explain what a post 10 video is??

[@agentx7138]

@@pwhitewick he is a KZbin that loves drains clearing blockages in culvert this is one of his most viewed vidios kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqfHpJxuZ6qKaK8

[@grilnam9945]

The Whitewicks post10 is a guy in USA who in his own time explores and clears culverts. Very random I know.

[@pwhitewick]

@@grilnam9945 subscribed!! Looks fun

[@grilnam9945]

The Whitewicks the guys a saint, forgot to mention the most important bit of his selfless drain clearing.

[@megagarrym6318]

I enjoyed the chat with Amy Whitewick, but I have to know Paul, is she your daughter or granddaughter?

[@pwhitewick]

Or Sister.....

[@megagarrym6318]

@@pwhitewick hmmm, that thought never occurred to me ;-)

[@Poultrymad]

Paul isn't that old! ;)

[@stephensaines7100]

@@pwhitewick Ouch. The resemblance was clear.

[@hanskniezand2049]

It's a shame bats get such bad press regarding virus transmission. They are clearly an important part of ecosystems.

[@dtb2654]

👍

[@paulscott7802]

I can tell you why there was a collapse..... a rather large tree was felled above the tunnel....

[@Laxpowertoo]

The last time I explored the western end of the tunnel in the 1980's there was no railings around it. Just a hole on the ground and piles of rubbish everywhere. You could easily have fallen in it. It looks like the whole place has been cleaned up a lot since then.

[@pwhitewick]

Yup well looked after we assume on account of the bats