Report - Barren Clough tunnel, Buxworth - June 2019

[paulpowers]

So I recently moved house and spotted the recent report by @urbanchemist about tram tunnels which are ten minutes from where I now live so I went through the boxes and found my camera and torches

I was glad I went on my bike because the kevlar lined jeans and leather jacket stopped the thorns and nettles as I rambled through the undergrowth
Once I'd found the cutting it was easy to find the northern entrance

This is a belting tram tunnel in decent condition inside, it's quite short but well worth a visit if you're nearby

When the Peak Forest Canal Company was building the Peak Forest Tramway, between 1794 and 1796, they cut into a bed of gritstone by the hamlet of Lower Crist, about 380 yards to the east of the terminus of the Peak Forest Canal at Bugsworth. They recognised that it was practicable to open a quarry there, as the stone had good non-slip properties and was easy to cut because it had no grain. Stone without grain is known to as 'freestone'. This bed extended south of the main line of the tramway at Lower Crist and a branch line was made into it. The Company also discovered another deposit of the same stone adjoining the nearby hamlet of Barren Clough, which is situated between Lower Crist and the canal terminus. Consequently, they purchased land there as well but it was another 56 years before Barren Clough Quarry was opened.

http://www.pittdixon.go-plus.net/quarries-gritstone/quarries-gritstone.htm