Inside a Collapsed Canal Tunnel - The Sapperton Story

Massive thanks to Steve. Go subscribe here: / @courtabovethecut
Welcome to this weeks adventure were we try and take a close look at Sapperton Canal Tunnel on the Thames and Severn Canal. Spanning the final gap in the Cotswold's at over 2 miles long it remains today as a testament to those that took on this incredible challenge.
WARNING: This tunnel is unsafe. From this northern portal you can only reach the second collapse. The air quality immediately after the first is unknown. The southern end again, whilst there are no collapses, the air quality could well be poor. Stay safe!!
Credit: www.cotswoldcanals.net/sapper...
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @pwhitewick

[@pwhitewick]

Join Steve on his regular Canal videos here: youtube.com/@CourtAboveTheCut

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Thank you for sharing!

[@bobjackson6524]

Found it. Nice one 🙌

[@AndyBsUTube]

Excellent and fascinating video as always. I do have a but though... I spent many years caving and exploring old mines. Don't go places like that on your own as your friend did! Especially if you know it's sticky mud underfoot and deep water - not good if it goes wrong, or you trip over - you need a buddy just in case. Note what cavers wear on their heads - helmets with good quality lamps and backups - not hand-help torches, however bright; you need both hands free in places like that - holding a torch is a waste of a hand! For the amounts of odd exploration you do you could easily get something for a few hundred quid that will stand you in good stead for many years (decades if you look after then - so cost is trivial). As for the other end, bad air is something to be wary of. If there is material to rot it takes up the oxygen, and as the tunnel is blocked in part there is no ventilation. Other gases such as hydrogen sulphide (also toxic) can be stirred up from bottom sediments and rotting material. Do go there unless you have experience of bad air in confined spaces - or at least a guide who does. It is almost never obvious until it starts to affect you. In some situations this may be just moments before you lose the capacity to get back out under your own steam. This is particularly true of shafts with high CO2 levels - you may be unable to climb up. And open holes with funnel shaped holes... Super-dangerous. There's one not too far from me (an old well as we discovered) that we explored - but we had all the necessary ropes and kit so it was not a hazard. Even then it was a challenge. But one slip at the top without being roped into something and that's it! Keep making these videos as they really are great, and keep on being adventurous - but please don't get yourself hurt doing something easily mitigated against.

[@michaelmiller641]

What a fascinating episode, everybody! Thanks for that!

[@mattpearce4017]

My great grandfather used to go through this tunnel lying on his back and using his hands on the ceiling to move the boat along

[@leswallace2426]

Fantastic that you partnered up with CourtAboveTheCut! Great video.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Here’s to many more in the future! It’s always a pleasure working with Paul and Rebecca

[@bobjackson6524]

Well dome Steve. Thoroughly fascinating vid. Thankyou paul for taking us in. 👏👏👏👏

[@Richardincancale]

That was a magnificent episode! I think every large city had such a hospital/campus. Remember the hospital near Bristol - Barrow Gurney that was the subject of a comedy song by the Wurzels - no-one gave it a second thought. Thank for reminding us of this important history. [edit: This comment was meant for the episode about the Hatfield branch line - St Albans hospital]

[@martinmarsola6477]

Thanks for the video today, Paul . Glad to see Rebecca and Steve from “Court above the Cut”. Always a pleasure to watch. See you on the next! ❤❤❤😊😊😊

[@urbangeeze1348]

I think it was a bit risky, using an inflatable kayak in a situation where you're not sure of the depth of water or the debris contained within. Branch's can easily tear a hole in it, as you found out, or cut into you, bringing the risk of infection, when your means of exit is either swimming or wading. Whereas, a solid sit on kayak can go through very shallow water at no risk to the kayak or yourself, & is far more stable & forgiving, as I know, being the owner of both a single & 2 person polyethylene sit on, of which I use in rivers & coastal waters. Get in touch next time you decide to do something like this, & I'll do what I can to assist you. Regards Urban Geeze, (formally Rural Geeze).

[@cerealport2726]

Doing some back-of-the-envelope calculations, a 2 mile long, 14ft diameter tunnel (assume it is circular) contains about 46029 cubic metres of rock. This works out to be about 10.1 million gallons (UK), or about 81 million pints - which is about how much beer I would have to drink before starting to dig such a tunnel. For those looking for the usual conversion to "olympic sized swimming pools", it's about 18.4.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Haha I like those maths

[@EeezyNoow]

It's also going to take you about 5,500 years (at 4 pints per day).

[@cerealport2726]

@@EeezyNoow With inflation the way it is, it's the cost of those 4 pints a day that really worries me...!

[@kieranbeecroft8414]

@@cerealport2726 enough to build a canal tunnel I suspect :D

[@Woodie-xq1ew]

I think it would be fair to double those numbers because the tunnel looks more than 14 feet tall and there is quite a lot of silt in it

[@StupidBlokeStupidVideos]

That was by far the best video featuring big dangerous shafts that I’ve watched today, so far.

[@dilwyn1]

Yep!! It was Great. Thanks Paul, Rebecca and Steve, that was fascinating.

[@chrisb012]

Love this video. Am I the only one who gets butterflies (& not in a good way) when you looked down those shafts?

[@lipsee100]

I think inside the tunnel the construction looked simply beautiful .

[@kevinorman9732]

Gives me the creeps..... Had to watch from behind the sofa 😂

[@GreatNate]

I’ve been in the UK 5 years now and I’m not sure if it’s the Sofa or the Settee.

[@dr.deborahkatharinestevens318]

Rebecca and Paul know absolutely no fear of nettles!😊

[@25mileswest86]

Thanks for this - very enjoyable watch; I came here from Steve's channel after watching his video of the days outing.! The two pieces are great to see back-to-back - really complement and enhance each other.! Subscribed... 👍

[@tomlee812]

Just catching up after having our 5m old grandson for the week (!). This was compulsive viewing and your footage really makes you respect those navvies and the dangers they must have faced on a daily basis whilst constructing the tunnel. The engineering is almost unbelievable given the challenges they had. Another great video, thank you all.

[@bathroomjon1]

Fab video - very interesting- can’t believe in the nanny state we live in those shafts are so easily accessible!!!!!

[@melanierhianna]

I live very near the Bramhope railway tunnel and it’s just like this except still in use. There are airshafts next to a spoil heap. The only difference is that stone brick walls were built around the air shafts to a height of about 15 feet. These cylinders now have netting on the top. The tunnel claimed many lives when it was built.

[@markthompson3577]

I'm sorry Paul... I had to stop the video in part 2 .....my heart was pounding faster than me ......but a crackin' good video as always .....looking forward to the next one .......🙂

[@davidallen2058]

Step 1 in restoring the tunnel should be to make the shafts safe. Capping and adding a chimney with an exhaust fan on the top. Draw out the bad air and prevent water ingress into the expanding clay.

[@Tuberuser187]

The width of it is more like a Railway Tunnel than a Canal Tunnel, really nice Brickwork too.

[@simonf8370]

I've waited a week to watch this. I was not disappointed. ❤

[@MrGreatplum]

Quite pleased those shafts were fenced off otherwise goodness knew who or what would fall down them! The tunnel trip looked fun - like you, I’d have been fine on the boat but after that, nope!

[@SteamCrane]

PSSSSssssss.... uh oh!

[@kiles99]

That brought back a lot of memories - my father loved walking along this canal back in the 70s and so pre-teen me was dragged along as well. There used to be the remains of some old canalside houses at the Daneway end - are they still there?

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

There’s something in the woods, when they cleared the land a few years back you can see them in pictures but without exploring I couldn’t say what’s left

[@rickmartin6147]

No

[@hipcat13]

Great video guys! Love the country around there. My Mum used to go to boarding school in Cirencester. You ever been to the Roman museum there? From what she said, you couldn't turn a spade without digging up Roman tile and stuff. Your new format seems to be working. It's nice to be able to devote as much care as you want to your craft.

[@TWX1138]

The terrain and purpose are obviously different, but there are a lot of abandoned mines in the southwestern United States, many featuring simply open holes without covers or fencing. Some have subsequently been capped by structural steel as heavy-duty grates set into concrete perimeter rings, but that's usually as a reaction to a problem, like people or livestock falling in. If this is occasionally an issue even in a part of the world that's still fairly sparsely populated I can only imagine that it's a much bigger problem in a region that has featured continuous habitation at a much greater rate for a longer period of time.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

I’ve watched some stuff on those mines. Mainly when they open them up and dig the large concrete casts out. It’s interesting stuff

[@SteamCrane]

Some years ago, Dirty Jobs did an episode on an ongoing project to cover these California etc "glory holes" (their term) with a more substantial cover than wooden timbers. IIRC, covers are fiberglass.

[@highpath4776]

@@CourtAboveTheCut My cousin fell down a tin mine shaft near bodmin moor , cornwall. fortunately he was so fat he got stuck and could be rescued

[@guyomalley2430]

Having run along here and past this portal many times I have always wished I had a safe means to explore - thank you

[@AndyWoodger]

Shudders just watching it, but compelling all the same!

[@SteamCrane]

Fantastic video! This is what happens when you unlock from a rigid weekly schedule. I like that a new video is always a surprise.

[@Sarge084]

When I went to have a look at the portals I confined my observations to the outside from the dry tow path, I did however bravely venture into the pub for a bite to eat and a beer or two (4) and slept them off in my motorhome! That's a fantastic area if you're into the history of transport infrastructure, with canals and railways galore, and my particular interest, military airfields!

[@kevinrayner5812]

I had no idea this canal or tunnel existed but I was aware of the railway. I found the tunnel by accident when driving near Cirencester and seeing a sign to the Tunnel Inn. Thought that looks interesting so followed another car, under the railway and there is the pub in the middle of nowhere and not just any tunnel but a canal tunnel. Good luck on re-opening it.

[@swoop1352]

Epic vid. Sooooo many chances to play the "spot the Rebecca" drinking game!

[@marksmith334]

8:35 very nice

[@larsstrombach1908]

what a nice and cool summer adventure!

[@flightimage845]

Great video and testament to the ‘quality not quantity’ reset of a few weeks ago. Thank you to all involved.

[@Hairnicks]

Wow, well done lovely people, everybody needs a nutter like Steve to send on ahead when things get dangerous, I notice Martin Zero does just the same thing! Thanks for another fascinating video, really enjoyed it.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

I’m happy to be a Guinea pig 😂

[@stewartjohnking]

Great video. Fascinating and terrifying. I've walked the path in the woods without realising what I was walking past.

[@Mikes666]

I’ve been trying to remember where this tunnel was!,I went in the tunnel inn pub many years ago.Looks like the pub is no longer. It was good to meet you both at Wiltshire museum. It was short and sweet!

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

It’s reopening next year apparently, I’ve never been but it was meant to be a decent pub

[@Yorkshirelad58]

Thank you both and Steve for this episode. I used to live near the North end of the tunnel and have walked to the entrance from the Daneway several times over the last 40 years. I have always been fascinated by the tunnel but never brave enough to go in although I have climbed down and ventured a few feet in. Tremendous eery echo if you shout. Are you going to go in the other end? I believe they used to run a boat trip into the tunnel.

[@brianwillson9567]

Back to Sapperton. Even by ‘Whitewickvideo’ standards this is a biggie’. At some stage in the indeterminate future the Thames and Severn will be made navigable again. In the meantime hero Steve carries the torch for the Whitewick team. Well done and thanks for this fantastic video. You did not think to send Rebecca up past the roof falls?

[@pwhitewick]

I tried.... she was having none of it.

[@brianwillson9567]

@@pwhitewick yes, she is a sensible lass.

[@dave_h_8742]

​@@pwhitewick😂 lass ain't daft scared just watching.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

She stayed back with the crisps, it was a good move on her part 😂

[@mikedjames]

I hope that tunnel gets back into use. One thing some more upmarket inflatable canoes have is a canvas outer cover. I could see that issue almost as you slid over the spiked fence panels just hidden under the water... Thank you.

[@pwhitewick]

New model on order

[@davie941]

hi again Paul and Rebecca , and hi Steve , what a very cool interesting video, you two are braver than me lol, very well done and thank you all 😊

[@SteamCrane]

It seems Rebecca is the sane one.

[@frankG335]

It's not the single most terrifying thing I've seen in my life. Good grief! Maybe that's true if you live in England.

[@Rail_Focus]

Great video, the shafts don't seem that well fenced off considering how deep they are!

[@Lichfeldian--Suttonian]

Scary shafts indeed! Great video and many thanks ad usual, Paul and Rebecca.

[@Jimyjames73]

Very intriguing - well done 🙂🚂🚂🚂

[@YannaTarassi]

oh hey, that gopro video was the first ting of yours I ever saw haha. :) Love your vids!

[@neilfoster814]

That was really interesting! The good thing about these old tunnels is that they are quite easy to plot the route by the spoil heaps and air shafts.

[@malcolmsmith6615]

This is very much “my thing”, absolutely fascinating! Thank you.

[@caminojohn3240]

Interesting you mentioned that the canal trust wants to reopen this section. I can imagine they will need to place a whole new liner from end to end made of concrete. Most likely pouring a new concrete footing and then moving sections inside. No, it's not the same as the historical canal tunnel made of brick, but with as many collapses so far due to the surrounding material, I don't see any cheaper or safer alternative.

[@pwhitewick]

I think you are pretty much spot on.

[@dilwyn1]

This is going to be great !!

[@Randomstuffs261]

Fantastic video, I try and search out abandoned places online but I've still never come across this before I saw your video on it.

[@harrybrown3657]

Great detail.. A good lamp made this amazing ☺

[@barryballard1408]

A very enjoyable and engrossing episode! However I think now's time for Rebecca to confiscate your Indiana Jones box set before its too late.

[@louisesouthgate5231]

Fascinating! Would love to see you explore the other end!

[@tinytonymaloney7832]

Could never go into a tunnel like that on my own. Great video 👍

[@gaugeonesteam]

Navi diet. a few years ago on "time team" they got one of their team to shift 18 tons of rubble and eat a navi's diet for one whole day. one day's diet was around 8 - 10 pints of beer, several steaks, loads of bacon, bread, potatoes, condensed milk and tea. (season 16, episode 5, hand dug rail tunnel in Yorkshire) another great video from your gang!

[@annarboriter]

Once the longest, now the third longest, canal tunnel does seem to be enough of a national asset to merit maintenance funded on a national level. Given how essential airshafts were to effective and safe use of this canal tunnel and the need for keeping animals and people away from falling into such shafts, it leads me to wonder whether expected superstructures and barriers were robbed for the building materials. At a minimum, the edges of the shafts would have been stabilized during the excavations

[@GavinEarnshaw]

You came down to Morwellam a while back... We've got plenty of unmarked mineshafts to fall down.😮

[@pwhitewick]

Haha.... I want to get across that Leat again!!

[@GavinEarnshaw]

​@@pwhitewickI think that looked more iffy 😂

[@cooper68ns]

Thank you paul and rebecca. Just my opinion, but I like your decision to take more time in between videos. I think its paying off well . I have been enjoying your videos very much. Cheers

[@TheMckeegan1989]

I never even thought about canals, but im super invested now great video

[@The22adamms]

Great vid only live a few miles away from the tunnel. Enjoying seeing my local country side

[@janinapalmer8368]

Most interesting.... what a long tunnel too.. Hi Bec ... you were very quiet .. the guys didn't let you have a say ...

[@tardismole]

There's only one thing more frightening than a fenced-off hole and that is an unfenced-off hole. Except that the one with the broken fence leaves me wondering if someone or something fell down the shaft. Or, perhaps, the fact that you went into the tunnel without hard hats. Excellent video.

[@PeterMaddison2483]

Lol A hard hat is great protection from a cave-in... 🤣

[@johnspurgeon9083]

I agree about need to use a hard hat. I've saved a bad head more than once - you just can't tell how close you are to the roof when your lighting is limited.

[@tardismole]

@@PeterMaddison2483 Well, no. lol. But hitting your head on the ceiling could be prevented.

[@simonballard6413]

Super video! We visited the tunnel a couple of years ago. Thanks for all the info.

[@leifvejby8023]

Great video - and that matter of fact way you said that "he is mad - he is probably mad"!

[@kaikiefer499]

Oh yes, you're such a legend... 🤣... Very informative video. Liked every second of it. 👍

[@pwhitewick]

"Canal Legends"

[@RichardWatt]

​@@pwhitewickwould a dentist be a "root canal legend? 😊

[@stevemarshall3481]

2:38..... we keeping you up Rebecca 😂

[@mikeakhurst1855]

Been there several times, not ventured in though!❤

[@lindamccaughey6669]

Great video thanks Paul. That tunnel was rather scary. Hope no-one falls down those shafts. Thanks for taking me,along. Please take care

[@macaidwin]

Thanks for this lovely video!!

[@Sim0nTrains]

That tunnel didn't really look safe being honest but some great footage from Steve! Nice video and remember the video with the GoPro going down the shaft.

[@whynottalklikeapirat]

I believe the word “terrifying” was deployed at a higher frequency in this video than references to blood and body parts in The Scottish Play ….

[@gordoncrates3508]

Great video as always guys. When I walked the canal a few years ago from Brimscombe I planned to have lunch in the Daneway Inn only to find closed for refurbishment 😢

[@laurendamasoruiz]

Great choice of music! I was walking along here a few months ago and saw a sign for all the shafts, blimey there’s a lot of them! Fab video as always

[@maxboonkittypoison]

Really hoping that the tunnel wil be restored. 230 year old. The people build this have done an amazing job.

[@thomasdieckmann5711]

Wow, what an adventure! Great episode.

[@andysmorgen]

looks good !

[@JimtheITguy]

At least they have fenced them off a bit, if you find yourselves down Cornwall we have plenty of shafts just open down here.....that we do go down

[@paulcooper9187]

Great insight into the tunnel. Thanks

[@familylife3624]

Nice video Paul and Rebecca, very similar to Martin's upload today of Worsley Super video love it

[@calebwright6151]

Another great video Paul I must admit I would have only gone as far as you did but Hoorah to Steve for those great pictures very brave.

[@user-ug2wk7db2g]

One positive aspect of the construction method is the reconstruction is going to be aided by the shafts. Much of the survey and practical work can be undertaken remotely. The advantage of width and regular access is an absolute plus for the future. We need this canal restored primarily to move water and offer economic opportunities in rural locations.

[@67stevester]

Fascinating! I hope the tunnel is restored soon.

[@nicholaskelly1958]

Charles Hadfield That Doyen of Canal Historians told me once that his Great Grandfather had visited the tunnel as a young man. He met King George III walking on the towpath and the King gave him a sovereign! Of course Sapperton was the first barge canal tunnel of any length. The only tunnel that was larger was Strood Higham on the Thames and Medway. It was one of the very canal tunnels ever built that could take sea going vessels. Today it is in two parts and is the railway tunnel between Gravesend and Strood.

[@pwhitewick]

I think we did a video on that a few years back. Quite the interesting story

[@The_BenboBaggins]

Incredible stuff!

[@Orxenhorf]

Ehh.... It's probably possible to salvage and reopen the tunnel. The listed portals would be a problem with this idea though. It might be necessary to deal with the area near them by hand. As for the rest of it, if you could get one of those tunnel boring machines in there that place precast concrete walls as they dig, it could clear and reline it at the same time. After that they could clear, reline if needed, and properly cap the ventilation shafts to make them safe. The problem is, that would be mighty expensive. If they wanted to seal the shaft at the surface for safety in the time being, there was an episode of Dirty Jobs once where he was sealing abandoned mine shafts. They made up a disc of expanding foam on a plastic sheet on the ground. Once set, then trimmed it to approximately fit in the hole a good distance down and filled the gaps around the edges in with the cut-offs. After that got close enough to sealed, they started pouring in other bags of expanding foam mix to finish the seal and build up a couple feet of foam. Once that was set they could put dirt back in over the top and it wasn't open or going to collapse anymore.

[@bobly]

Another fab video Paul and lovely to see Rebecca too

[@georgeallen7101]

Love the episode, but guys please wear a hard hat ! Protects the head and gives you a place to put your light leaves the hands free .

[@13soxs]

Excellent trip, well done all....🙂

[@edwardchalmers7070]

00.32 Thanks for showing us stuff that we’re never going to see otherwise ✅

[@MalacdenValleyModels]

Fantastic and interesting show guys. 10/10 🎉👍

[@spookerd]

Really liked the editing on that intro, great job.

[@ChoppingtonOtter]

Wonderful of they really can one day reopen it.

[@3kimcarter]

What a brilliantly fascinating video thank you for bringing this to us.

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you. Love the 37 through Torpantua profile!!!!

[@ClaudeMonecel]

Back in 60s a teacher from school took us along tunnel from Stroud end

[@malcolmdalrymple1779]

Brave stuff. Thanks.

[@elliottjames8020]

I sued to live a little way up the canal form the northern enterance. The tunnel featered in an episode of "Midsomer Murders," I feel justified in say I lived in Midsomer and survived.

[@joeobyrne3189]

Great episode

[@BIGInnsy]

Great video - very interesting. I live very close to Cannock Chase, Staffordshire- I’m guessing my nearest Roman road would be the A5 Watling Street. I shall definitely investigate further 😉

[@pwhitewick]

Do it. Let us know.