Report - Event Horizon, Oldham, April 2018

[tarkovsky]

One I never got round to posting a few months ago. Had been wanting to do this one for a while, and finally managed a visit with @Esoteric Eric on a sunny evening, well timed to catch the sun going down from the far end. It was a fairly lengthy walk

Event Horizon is otherwise known as Ashway Gap tunnel, above Dovestones Reservoir.

History etc courtesy: http://www.doveheritage.com/tunnel-under-the-hills/

‘When the first reservoir (Yeoman Hey c1880) was being planned there was much concern from local mill owners that it would deprive them of essential water. A solution was that a tunnel should be constructed from the confluence of Birchen and Holme Cloughs to the Ashway Gap area where water would continue to flow into Greenfield Brook down a stepped weir and also be collected at a draw-off pipe for use at the mills.‘

This report tells the tragic tale of a school boy who lost his life after being washed down the tunnel in 1990. The accompanying archive photos show why you don’t want to be investigating this tunnel when rain is expected...

(Archive photos here: http://www.doveheritage.com/tunnel-under-the-hills/)

Thankfully the flow was comparatively gentle on our visit....

Just to the right of the ladder at the top there’s a warning sign...

Thankfully neither me of @Esoteric Eric can read so we entered the tunnel, none the wiser... looking out from the infall...

The thing with a really long straight tunnel is that most photos look the same, so there’s a lot of this...

And this...

And this...

Until you reach the middle bit, where the loud spring flows into the tunnel. The metal sheets appear to have been added to protect the tunnel from erosion, but have seemingly been peeled up by the heavy flow of water...

Then there’s more of this...

Until the spot of light at the end of the tunnel gradually grows as you approach the end, and the impressive view...

Looking back in...

And back for the long walk back to the infall...

And back to the car, this time in the dark, trying not to interrupt the frog piggy-back party that was in full swing...

 

[dweeb]

Nice, that sign is amazing.

Can you edit the title to include NSFW due to the intercourse photo please!

 

[tarkovsky]

Nice, that sign is amazing.

Can you edit the title to include NSFW due to the intercourse photo please!

Cheers, it’s a good sign isn’t it! Shame it doesn’t work ;-)

Intercourse? It’s just hitching a ride isn’t it? ;-)

 

[Hmp-Caver]

Shame about the young lad, it's horrible when tragedies like this occur and is a reminder that tunnels and water are not to be taken lightly, water levels as seen can rise within moments and become dangerous, I've seen spillways that have been from a trickle to full on churning monsters in a matter of MINUTES. I also knew a lad who worked for UU and told me that there are some drains and places that water can be really low and then within seconds it can be completely submerged, and not to mention the dangers of sluice gates and machinery that can be activated at any time sealing you in...scary stuff.