Keele Tunnel and The North Staffordshire Railway Walk & Explore

Please watch: "The Most Beautiful Closed Railway in the UK? Scarborough to Whitby Railway Episode 2"
• The Most Beautiful Clo... -~-
Keele Tunnel and The North Staffordshire Railway Walk & Explore
Join me for part 2 of my full length walk along the former North Staffordshire Railway starting at Keele Tunnel and ending at Madeley Junction by the West Coast Mainline.
This walk includes a full walkthrough of Keele Tunnel
This was the most difficult disused railway walk i have attempted to date!
Will i reach the end? Lets find out......
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#keele #tunnel #railway Additional Music by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0.
www.scottbuckley.com.au

[@johannbell333]

Definitely up there as one of the best walks you've done, really enjoyed this one. Always that bit more special when so much of the old infrastructure is still present!

[@johnfellows2867]

My uncle was a loco driver at Stoke shed for years, and worked the line to Market Drayton many times. Very hard to imagine now nature has reclaimed so much !

[@fenso6664]

The things you put yourself through for our entertainment. Thank you Ant!

[@jetsons101]

What a walk this was, I got tired just watching it. I amazed how lush the country side is and how fast nature takes over. Great watch, Great work and much thanks..................

[@40022laconia]

If anyone would like to see this section of line when it was in use there are 2 video's on here.(if you have not already seen them) 1 Class 60 cab ride to silverdale colliery. 2 The last coal train from silverdale colliery.

[@SirReginaldBlomfield1234]

Thanks, these are interesting.

[@billyruss]

Walked that stretch of line, including the 39yd Stoney Low tunnel, when I was a student at Keele Uni back in the 80s. Back then, it was still in use by the very occasional freight train, and I remember we had to leg it over the bridge over the M6 because, halfway across, we saw a train approaching from the south. Luckily, it was pretty slow and we escaped unscathed!

[@paulspickernell6875]

Amazing how some lines get lifted straight away and some are left for years, you definitely deserved a pint after that, nice one

[@nickboden5866]

Yes that looks a challenge, the track looks in pretty good condition.

[@philliphammond399]

Hi Ant, an excellent piece of hard work for us. Thanks very much for all the effort you put into your videos.

[@martinmarsola6477]

Thank you for laborious trail incurred today. Thanks for the video and chat, Ant! Your the best. Cheers Ant!

[@peterhenshaw2515]

Very good line walk been a few years since I was on it. Technically the line is mothballed between Madeley and Silverdale that is why the track is in place

[@TrekkingExploration]

Cheers Peter thanks for watching 🙂

[@alistairshaw3206]

Brilliant exploration as always, Ant. The signal you showed was what's called a Fixed Distant. A distant signal tells the driver that the next signal is at danger. In mechanical Signalling a distant signal is controlled by a Yellow lever in the box. If the top of the lever is cut in half, it is a colour light signal or a motor operated signal. Some distant signals were about a mile from the box and very heavy to pull. By the way, I'm a former signal engineer, that's how I know. That one was just a board, but some are a signal that is not connected to the box. Some

[@lindamccaughey6669]

That was just fantastic thanks Ant. I’m so pleased you did t fall in all that stuff you went thru. Loved the who,e walk but just loved the tiny tunnel, it was gorgeous. Thanks so much for taking me along. Please stay safe and take carw

[@roblubelski422]

Really enjoyed this. Great images of the tunnel. Good work.

[@jackhuff7793]

I grew up in silverdale in the sixties and seventies,iv walked that track many times,can remember the steam trains pulling coal from silverdale pit,….

[@kholden2678]

Thanks for the effort to produce this video. George James Crosbie Dawson was the chief engineer of the North Staffordshire Railway from 1890 until his death in 1914. During which time he was responsible for overseeing the reconstruction of most of the line rebuilding or expanding many of the bridges, tunnels and stations. George was my 2nd cousin 4x removed. It is nice to see some of his work still standing and get a glimpse of the route the trains ran on.

[@daffyduk77]

Great bit (!) of visual documentation, thanks !

[@Dave1976.]

Great vlog, Ant. Professional. Your hard work paid off. It's worth it in the long run. You get rewarded at the end. Thoroughly enjoyed this. Have see 1 or 2 others do this, Not as excellent as yours. Keep up the great work. 5 *****

[@chrisbayly5457]

Thanks Ant, one of your best walks....

[@alisonstockley9872]

YOU'RE SO BRAVE 😮. GREAT FILM THANKS. .THAT GAME ME. THE. CREEPS WHEN YOU WERE. WALKING THAT EMPTY. BUILDING 😁

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks very much for watching Alison ☺️

[@davedear929]

That was a hard one for you .many thanks for that. Video was made more interesting by the presence of sleepers and rail, any reason why the rails were not lifted surely there is a lot of money in scrap laying there. Thanks Ant.

[@roytabberer7427]

Thank you very much for doing what you do for our entertainment. Again thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@psychokeef]

Thanks Ant for persistence and making it through the jungle to give us another great video to watch. I wonder how much further before the rail did actually run out.👍

[@nicktwiss2984]

Thankyou for your excellent filming. Saves me trekking; an excellent insight to how it used to be. Many thanks 😊

[@TrekkingExploration]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thank you

[@bobingram6912]

Sorry I missed you for a chat☹ You were literally on track with this one, well worth the effort with all the undergrowth, all that trackwork still extant, magic!!!!👍🏻👏❤

[@SMILEVIDEOTRAINS]

GREAT PRESENTATION.

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks very much indeed 😃

[@richardbutcher7891]

Thanks for another great video. Super to see the old line before nature completely takes over.

[@tonystack7375]

Your a busy lad you certainly get about brilliant work,research and presentation are quite professional great work.

[@stephenharper9961]

Thank you for sharing this, having worked on the wcml for my whole career and having passed this thousands of times I've always been intriqued by the line

[@shirleylynch7529]

That was definitely a trek for you Ant. But well done braving the wild bushes and nettles and trees. Great filming as always. Thank you for taking us with you.

[@Wobbler619]

I come from Keele so very interesting to see this!

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thank you for watching 😊

[@richardsmith2122]

The signal off the chord onto the WCML is still there (and lit) - it’s even a modern LED type presumably when it was resignalled into Rugby they renewed the signal too! The chord isn’t connected although there’s still a crossover on the slows with a couple of signals for shunting

[@jontaylor1652]

Knowing the area made this one even more enjoyable in some ways. Really good stuff again. Well done Ant and thanks for sharing it.

[@anthonydefreitas6006]

Congratulations Ant on passing SAS selection! This has to be you bet explore so far.

[@Soggybudgie]

Brilliant video, Ant. Well worth watching. Admirable determination on your part!

[@victorstevens2781]

What a great video very interesting .

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thank you so much Victor ☺️

[@victorstevens2781]

@@TrekkingExploration Your welcome .

[@rossontinternet]

Tunnel number 3 is Stony Low Tunnel…..the chord is still there and has a working signal before the mainline

[@johnmehaffey9953]

These old track beds really should be put to better use and opened up for the public like the greenways they’ve developed here in Ireland, another great post Ant

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks John. I do feel that something could be done with this one

[@Carolb66]

That is a beautiful tunnel, love it when the track still down, well worth the effort! ❤😊

[@ExploringWithEmAndStu]

Really great video thank you 👍😊

[@circlingabove8018]

Incredible video!!!! Thank you!!!

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thank you 😀 Glad you enjoyed it 😀😀

[@nickcaunt750]

The third tunnel would have been made cut and cover. They often put these short tunnels in where the ground was unstable to keep the cutting sides from slipping. As has happened more recently. I think the 'something medical' is just a water bladder for sticking inside your rucksack to carry your water and be able to sip as you walk.

[@andrewwright1200]

I never knew they were there, and I've stayed at Scot Hay loads of time (when the trains ran and after)

[@kippen64]

Thanks for persisting with such a difficult hike.

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks so much for watching 😊

[@bernardhilton3527]

That was a good one. Thank you Ant. That track hasn’t been abandoned long. Concrete sleepers and even the wood sleepers had screw down chairs. The chairs have dates cast on them usually. After clearing vegetation you could run a freight train over that. 👍👍👍

[@simontay4851]

Easily run even a passenger train. Would be good if market drayton had a rail connection again.

[@socklesslad]

You get a pile of kudos points for this one! Back when the line was open you got a great view of it from the paths over Keele Tunnel and Stony Low Tunnel but now it's so overgrown you can't see a thing. Blink and you'll miss it but the chord is still clearly visible from trains on the WCML - it's no longer connected, however.

[@westernmonitor]

Hi Ant. Just finished watching part 2. What an epic walk and explore. As with many of your vids it shows me a line I was familiar with back in 1970s and 80s and now brings me up to date. Although the views do make me a little sad I am very grateful to you for taking such a lot of care and obvious enthusiasm in getting out and doing such a great job in recording our railway past. If you ever fancy a trip to South Wales for an explore let me know.

[@jsmithmediaproduction]

great video. I'd like to visit this place at some point

[@michaelpilling9659]

Hello Ant. Greetings from Poland. This walk was fantastic. To put it all into prospective, I highly recommend you take a look at "Last coal train from Silverdale Colliery" - on the Renownvidz channel. The building we visited at the end of this wlak is a crew accomadation facility, used when the locomotive reversed back down the spur onto the main line.

[@frankfitzgerald5832]

Cracking explore Ant.....We do appreciate what ya do mate...in the name of entertainment.....keep up the great work .... regards Frank & Lee......

[@HobbiesAndSunshine]

Thank you Ant, that was brilliant and so nice to see so much left.

[@TrekkingExploration]

Glad you enjoyed it 😀 Thank you 😊

[@janepatricia8779]

Brilliant video Ant ,well done for getting to the end,it was like a scene from,im in the jungle,get me out of here,😃 ,loved the train shots,xx

[@stephensaines7100]

Thoroughly excellent!

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thank you Stephen 😊

[@lenasjogren7912]

Nice video you had doing i love this 👍👍😀

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thank you Lena I'm glad you enjoyed it 🙂

[@frazerweb]

I remember visiting Silverdale Colliery and watching a train leave back in 1992

[@thomasroell8979]

Thank you the video. It was hard going, but you made it. Thank you for all of your hard work!

[@kathpayne4364]

Thank you Ant for taking us along with you, on what at times was a hard slog. Think I would have needed more than hedge clippers to get through, chainsaw in place's 😂🤔. Still a busy line today with all those pheasants on it.. 😏

[@petermarchbank2997]

that would make a great heritage line we luv your videos keep up the good job thanks agan

[@dmdragonfly]

In retrospect, given that we were there the previous day, we really should have left things for you to find, haha. Great video! Glad you persevered with the undergrowth, I know from my own walks through it that it's an absolute nightmare! But so worth it.

[@davetspiritpr6834]

You don't think about what's on the bridge I am just going under on the m6 at the time you just think about stopping at Keele services great walk

[@davidhodkinson5164]

Thank you for your hard slog, well done thoroughly enjoyed .

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks David I'm glad you enjoyed it 😀

[@simonballard6413]

Well done, Ant - such perseverance! A very enjoyable video indeed - like all those that you do. So interesting. Many thanks.

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks so much Simon. It's definitely the hardest I've done to date

[@fhwolthuis]

Great video! I love these kinds of remnants

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thank you for watching. I'm glad you enjoyed it ☺️

[@heale1]

superb, thanks for your effort Ant.

[@julianlane8313]

Wondering why the track was never recovered? Great vid Ant as usual thank you 🙏🏻

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

That was a fantastic effort, pushing on to the end deserves a medal of some sort!!! A nice little surprise to find what was left of the old station. I can't believe that the rail is intact for all that distance, I'm surprised some Gyppo hasn't been down and lifted it, must be worth something at the scrap yard!!

[@simontay4851]

Don't give them any ideas. Leave the track in place so it can be easily re-opened in the future. Just need to clear the vegetation and trains could run again.

[@seamusmcevoy2011]

@@simontay4851 Absolutely agree Simon, watching the football tonight?

[@shavedphil]

Excellent and thanks for your perseverance. x

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks Phil. I'm glad I persevered

[@jonathonbrambell8047]

When ever the royal train visited North staffs it was on the madely station site were it would stable overnight. I remember one time going down that road in my car an armed police blocked the road and made me turn back with the Royal train bring present 🙃🙂

[@jonlatham5301]

Did you see the colour signal on the entrance to the chord? Supposed to still be lit. Might have a wonder down there myself one day. Nice video.

[@deanbrown29]

That was amazing, thanks for all that effort

[@TrekkingExploration]

Definitely the hardest one so far. Over 5 hours in the afternoon and evening sun 😂

[@scottvoltageable]

Would be a laugh to ride a motorised rail cart down there if a group of interested people cleared the tracks

[@Sam_Green____4114]

The OS map still shows this line in place and in use !!

[@johnmasters504]

The loco passing on the WCML was Class 90 90001 I presume, great video...

[@TrekkingExploration]

Yes that was such a lucky moment to be stood there. Thank you for watching 😊

[@johnmasters504]

@@TrekkingExploration 90002 has now been done in the same colours and is at Crewe

[@raybarber5662]

They both belong to Locomotive Services at Crewe

[@raybarber5662]

All the year's I have travelled down the M6 and only ever seen one train crossing that been a class25

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks for watching 😊

[@nathan83699]

I was up by Madeley Station the other day or some buildings have been set a light and unfortunately that building is getting worse everyday, I'm surprised you haven't gone the other way towards Stocton book tunnel

[@gazclass58]

Good video that was Ant some nice captions and to catch some rolling stock on the west coast awesome 👍 the brick hut was like it not long been built shame the riffraff got in it did you find out what it was used for in it's Day ? The class 60 look good in the photo at the end of video. Another great 👍

[@jameswameek1]

What a brilliant video. I have seen the M6 Bridge hundreds of times and I always thought it was a pipe bridge until a few years ago. Are the tunnel gates open or was this by special arrangement? Thanks for your hard work Ant.

[@cjmatthiasakamatt8174]

Very interesting, nature always find's away to reclaim land taken by humans.

[@philsmodelrailway232]

You deserve a brew for this video

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks so much Phil. This one was indeed a battle 🙂

[@helenthorne8451]

Hi Ant wow what a long walk why is the track down still bet you were tried when you got back home xx

[@TrekkingExploration]

It was a slog and a half plus I had to walk back. Over 5 hours from start to finish before going back. Glad you enjoyed it though 😉

[@sharonthewalkingexplore.107]

Excellent explore, truly amazing you did great, me and my partner enjoyed it we have a old station in Leicester that you should look at , me and my partner coukd meet you up called the west bridge station in Leicesteron the rally park, aslo you can walk the line as well worth it.

[@Woolliscroft1]

The station on the Market Drayton Line was called Madeley Road, not just Madeley. Madeley station was on the WCML.

[@exileinderby51]

Great video, you deserve a cool refreshing beverage after that, Cheers!

[@TrekkingExploration]

I certainly did when i got back :)

[@urbangeeze1348]

Well done, geeze, that was well worth the effort! Be nice to clear that track & run a lawnmower powered trolley with a couple of seats along that section of track. That would make interesting viewing. Thanks for the excellent content, keep it up m8.

[@Braveheart1984]

There is an in cab film on KZbin from the 90's on board a coal train

[@anthonymoore6009]

Top stuff, well done

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thank you for your kind comment 😊

[@chrismccartney8668]

Great Video

[@b4mouse]

great effort Ant

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks John. That'll take some beating in effort

[@edwardbyard6540]

Get the weedkiller out, bit of chopping and send the rail head grinder out, and jobs a goodun. Get the line open again 😂

[@simontay4851]

Yes.

[@michaelpilling9659]

Hello Ant. Greetings from Poland. I'vef ound an even better video - "Silverdale Mine in 1998 wirh 60081 and 60070 by Mike Wilcock. Really recommend this to you

[@TrekkingExploration]

Hi Michael. Thank you for watching so many videos recently. I shall catch up on many comments later today 🙂

[@richardjellis9186]

Hi guys.. ENOUGH STEAM.! It'd be FAR TOO smokey in't tunnels, anyways.! What a GREAT spot for Britain's next private DIESEL railway company, eh.!🧐🤔!. LOVE THE VIDS KEEP'EM COMING RICH(UK) 🥰🥰🥰.

[@TrekkingExploration]

Cheers buddy thanks for watching 😊

[@janettetaylor8760]

Get them open use as cycling walking and jogging ..

[@andrewnewby6923]

I am hoping to go down to penzance from Exeter on train to film

[@TrekkingExploration]

That's a lovely journey along there 👍

[@ivanhoe6366]

It'll be a shame to loose those pathways completely to nature. They need keeping clear.

[@Sam_Green____4114]

How come the track is still there then?

[@andrewjenkins816]

@20:56 Did I really see a formation of a Class 90, 4 Mark III Carriages and a Class 43?

[@2H80vids]

I wondered what that was too.😁 Didn't look very WCML-ish.

[@vchukwuma]

Nearly, It was a class 90, MK3 carriages and a Mark 3 DVT. This was a common formation on the WCML back in the 90's I think... A throwback!

[@jameswameek1]

Lucky spot Ant.

[@Routeman111]

Can you still walk through the 2 tunnels ie Silverdale and Keele

[@TrekkingExploration]

I did these late 2020 I believe Keele is open however the other was closed off again in 2021. I did see some images on Facebook a few months ago so may be open again

[@volvos60bloke]

Do you tell anyone where you are going and when? Just worried about you falling or something and not being able to get help!

[@TrekkingExploration]

Hi I do yes 😊 Thank you for watching 🙂

[@georgesmith8113]

👍👍😎

[@TrekkingExploration]

Thanks for watching 😊

[@jamiehughes8725]

We used to run down a section of dissused railway from the TA centre in Newcastle. This is a good video too kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaDInmmelKxkhq8