The Huddersfield Narrow Canal

In 1794 acts of Parliament were passed to build two new canals, The Rochdale and The Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Direct routes between Manchester, the north-west and Yorkshire were needed to transport goods between the centres of industry. The goods were principally textiles: wool and cotton and their raw components. The HNC connected Aston under Lyme in Greater Manchester (then Lancashire) with Huddersfield in West Yorkshire.

This very beautiful canal is 19.3 miles long and has narrow 74 locks. It is a journey through woodland, moors, industrial towns and historic mill villages. The summit pound is the highest in Britain but perhaps the canals most remarkable feature is The Standedge Tunnel which connects Diggle to Marsden. Robert Aickman proposed it as one of the Seven Wonders of The Waterways.

The Standedge Tunnel

• 3.2 miles through gritstone,
• 640ft under the surrounding hills of The Pennines.
• 643ft above sea level.
• The Highest, Longest, Deepest tunnel in the Country.

Construction Difficulties

Construction of the Standedge Tunnel began from both ends in 1798; a tunnel rather than more locks was thought to be a better option due to concerns about water shortages. The main bulk of the excavating and mining being done by Irish navvies, Cornish tin miners and local farm labours, around 2500 men were employed during the 17 year project. The bold scheme met with difficulties from the start. Numerous factors slowed down the tunnelling: cut backs were enforced such as halting the construction of smaller tunnels to supply waterwheels used to raise soil and waste. Higher than expected water levels within the tunnel were found and poor drainage provision hampered the work. The main contractor suffered large losses and needed extra funding to continue and when he pulled out nobody else wanted to tender for the job.

Poor working practises made the conditions underground for the navvies extremely dangerous: The work was carried out by candle light, the air quality was very bad, and the rock was blasted away by gun powered. Several men lost their lives in explosions. Officially 50 men died of various causes but there were probably many more as those that died at home did not figure in the official count. The Diggle Hotel, which still stand today, was used a morgue.

There were squabbles and disagreements with the overseers of the tunnelling too. The mill owners, who had partially financed the venture, disagreed on many details. The original engineer, Benjamin Outram withdrew from the scheme due to ongoing complications, complaints and ill health. Finally, after a period of inactivity, the canal committee applied successfully to Parliament for more money to complete the project. Canal royalty, Thomas Telford, was asked for his advice which resulted in a new plan being drawn up for its competition. The two ends of the tunnel met in 1809 but they weren’t quite square so the tunnel now has its famous S bend.

Daily Workings through the Tunnel

Despite all the difficulties, the first boat passed through the tunnel in 1810 and in March 1811 it was complete with a grand opening ceremony being held a few weeks later. Several boats carrying invited guests transited the tunnel in a time of 1 hour 40 minutes. The tunnel had cost £160.000 making it the most expensive in Britain.

Professional ‘Leggers’ were employed to power the barges through the tunnel. Working in pairs they were paid one shilling and sixpence per boat. To stop arguments about who was going to go through first a young boy was employed to organise the crews. He was also responsible to walking the horses up and over the fell to the other side. When all the horses had been claimed, he knew that no boats were inside and he could let the next group of boats pass through. He did this job for 37 years with only a day off each year for Christmas. His family lived in the building that is now the café.

Between its opening day and 1840 the tunnel was used by around 40 boats daily. The passage was only open to single boat working (although there are a few passing places) and with an empty boat taking around 1 hour 20 mins and 3 hours for a laden one, the competitiveness of the canal suffered, especially when it was compared to its rival The Rochdale Canal just the other side of the fell. Another difficulty was that the HNC was built for 70ft narrow boats while the Hudderfield Broad Canal could take wider but shorter 57ft boats as used on the Calder and Hebble navigation. This meant that goods had to be transferred between the two canals at Huddersfield which increased costs to levels that weren’t sustainable. This was exacerbated by the coming of the Huddersfield and Manchester railway.

Demise of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal

Three railway tunnels run parallel to the canal tunnel. The first opened in 1848 with a second one opening in 1871. The trains carried goods between Manchester and Huddersfield, two major centres in the textile industries. The third, double track line is the only one used today; the other two are disused but still intact. All four tunnels are linked by adits and cross tunnels. Ironically the canal was used to remove the spoil from the construction of the railway which allowed it to be built in just 3 years without the need for construction shafts.

With the railways taking trade away from the canals the HNC fell into a slow decline, with the last commercial boat transiting in 1921. In 1944 the canal was officially closed although in 1948 ‘The Alisa Craig’ helmed by L.T.C.Rolt, and Robert Aickman, two of the founders of the Inland Waterways Association, did managed to struggle through. She was the last barge to pass along the canal before the lock gates were removed in the 1950s.

A maintenance boat was housed at the summit level tasked with carrying out inspections and basic work within the tunnel. In 1960/61 this boat took canal enthusiasts on trips through the tunnel but parts of the roof had become unstable and eventually collapsed making the excursions impossible. At the time of the closure a local newspaper reporting that satanic rituals were taking place and that workers had found strange wall art and severed sheeps’ heads deep in the heart of The Pennines!

The Restoration of the Canal and Tunnel

In the 1990s the money finally became available to restore the tunnel thanks to the efforts of The Huddersfield Canal Society and the local community. It was in a bad state of repair with over 1.5 miles of tunnel impassable due to rock falls. Many sections had to be stabilised with rock bolts and lined with concrete. Over 3,000 tons of rocks had to be removed along with 10,000 tons of silt. The total cost of repairing the tunnel was over 5 million pounds: rather a lot more than the original cost. The tunnel was officially opened by the then Prince Charles on May 1st 2001.

Initially it was considered unsafe for modern diesel powered boats to pass through the tunnel using their engines due to lack of ventilation and they were assisted through by an electric tug boat. However since 2009 boats have been able to pass through under their own power.

The Tunnel is said to be haunted as visitors and staff have reported seeing strange lights, hearing unexplained sounds and there are rumours of a mysterious robed figure….During the autumn of 2023 a group of enthusiasts are undertaking a paranormal investigation within the tunnel.

The Standedge Tunnel today.

Today it is possible to helm your own boat through the tunnel. The average time to transit is 2 hours. A trained volunteer chaperone accompanies you on your boat. A second team member drives along the disused train tunnel parallel to the canal tunnel and meets you at adits along the way.

How to book

It is necessary to book your passage through the tunnel at least 3 days in advance. Passage from Marsden to Diggle is between 0830 and 1030 am and between Diggle to Marsden between 1300 hrs and 1430 hrs. Booking can be done online or by ringing 03030 404040 and speaking to the Yorkshire and NE customer service team. Places and dates are limited. In 2023, around 200 boats used the tunnel. Passage down The Marsden Flight also needs to be booked so that the top lock can be unlocked.

What to expect

Helming your own boat through the Standedge Tunnel is an amazing experience. After a while you become accustomed to the dark and the restricted head room and relax and start to enjoy the journey. The CRT volunteers provide hard hats and extra lights for your boat and the chaperone is calm and reassuring as well as being very knowledgeable about the history of the tunnel. It is rather wet in places and a tight fit but we passed through without damaging our boat (we had taken off the covers to our navigation lights beforehand). If you don’t fancy the idea of helming yourself the volunteers will do it for you and meet you at the other side. At the Marsden entrance there is are a café, shop and visitors centre which are well worth stopping for.

This canal is one of my all-time favourites; it is diverse, exciting, hard work but enormously rewarding. I highly recommend it.

There is little evidence to suggest the way in which masons’ marks were allocated. They may have chosen their own marks or been given one when they joined a site. Later masons sometimes based their mark on the master that trained them. 20th Century masons often used their initials joined in a pattern. Marks sometimes form groups and this may indicate that they belonged to a team of masons who worked together. An example of this is a mark like a capital letter ‘W’ which can be found in that form or with extra strokes across the ends of one or more lines. The marks are mostly drawn freehand although compasses are sometimes used for marks based on circles and consist of lines that meet or cross in a pattern. The marks are made with a chisel or a punch and a point is sometimes used to drill the ends of the lines. Although it was important that marks were not easy to confuse it is clear that masons did not spend a long time cutting elaborate marks made up of a large number of lines. Most marks consist of between four to six lines and marks of more than seven or eight are rare.

date inscriptions

Many of the locks that I have passed through have stone plaques at their entrances showing the date that the lock was completed. Two of the most notable examples that I saw were displayed on Grand Union Leicester Line flight between Loughborough and Leicester and on The Leeds Liverpool canal as it passes through Wigan. The latter depicts the date as Roman numerals. The inscriptions ranged from very detailed, precise carvings on selected stones to more prosaic and simple legends.

This plaque commemorating John Tasker can be seen in lock 6 on the Ashton canal just outside of Manchester: I wonder who he was?

EDITOR'S NOTE

A short while ago I had an email from a lady named Clare Tasker. She writes that Susan Gebbels "mentions and shows a picture of a plaque commemorating John Tasker at lock 6 on the Ashton Canal just outside Manchester. She asks the question "I wonder who he was?"  John Tasker was my father and he worked for British Waterways from 1980 - 2003 (when he retired). The plaque was put there by his friend the lock keeper Shaun after he died in 2006. My dad was a big Man City fan, hence its location near the Etihad Stadium. He truly loved his job on the canals / cut - even in the winter with the ice."

Clare also included some photos of her father.

I bought Blackbird, a 40ft narrow boat just over a year ago and have just completed my first year as a Continuous Cruiser. It’s been a wonderful time (mostly)! I have enjoyed travelling through the inland waterways enormously. It has given me an appreciation of our nation’s industrial heritage in a way that no amount of reading or consumption of modern media technology ever could. I now know why the Black Country was so named, the importance The River Weaver played in the salt trade, I have learnt about the movement of coal and limestone along The Lancaster Canal and the connectivity between Cornish clay and The Staffordshire Potteries. I have experienced first-hand the power of The English Rivers, not just as forces of nature, but as the living veins of our earliest transport routes. I have also learnt a good deal of practical things that have helped me make living on board a pleasure, I am sure other boaters could add a their own advice….

Condensation.

I was rather surprised at how much condensation could appear after just one night; even when the boat was reasonably warm. I now try to:

Warm the cold places of the boat by opening cupboard doors.

Wipe down the windows each morning with an absorbent cloth; as it prevents moisture getting into the window frames and causing rot.

Open the galley window a little when cooking.

Insulate, insulate, insulate!  Everywhere you can.

Create airflow routes, I drilled holes in the board that supports the mattress and in the draw fronts under the bed. You can make patterns so the holes are decorative as well as practical.

Wood Burners.

I have used open fires and stoves for 30 years and so am very familiar with the art of fire making. However, the stove on Blackbird is fairly small and making the most of the warmth has taken some thought.

I always have a good supply of dry kindling and small logs to hand to get the fire going quickly after a cold day's cruising.

A dedicated bucket for ash and a small shovel are very useful.

Keep your eyes open for the wonderful local coal barges and stock up when you can. There are several different smokeless products available which burn at different rates and have different heat outputs. Try a few until you find the sort that works best in your boat.

My stove heats the space best when it is on long and low; I fill it up in the evening before I go to bed and turn the vent right down. Even if it goes out during the early hours of the morning there is enough heat to take the edge off the chill.

Forage for wood as you go, log it with a bow saw and store it somewhere to dry.

Make good use of the top of the stove to slowly cook a stew. I use a trivet under the pot to stop the bottom burning. It’s an ideal place to warm a kettle too.

Mooring

Angle mooring pins and position them well back from the bank, in wet ground they can pull sideways with the movement of passing boats and slip out, even when they are hammered fully in.

Use brightly coloured plastic bags around the tops of the pins to highlight their position to other towpath users. Sainsbury’s are perfect!

If you don’t have a piling pin, a normal long pin can be used. Position it vertically through the back of the horizontal piling and wrap the lines over the top and bottom of the pin before tying off on the dolly.

Learn to tie a few knots, a round turn and two half hitches, a canal man’s hitch and a clove hitch will all be useful.

Clothes

Be ruthless, chose what you really need and give the rest to a charity shop.

Pack the clothes that you aren’t wearing in vacuum bags, it will save space and keep them dry.

Slip on shoes are perfect for going in and out of the boat, especially when it’s muddy.

Fuel

Keep diesel tanks as full as possible, especially in the winter. Diesel bug lives in the water film between the air gap and the diesel layer. I had it in my engine and it clogged up my fuel filters. If you do get diesel bug it can be treated with products available in most chandlers.

A spare gas cylinder is a very useful thing! I buy mine from the fuel barge.

Engines

I knew very little about diesel engines a year ago, now I can change the oil, and filters, tighten and replace an alternator belt, monitor the coolant and oil levels and pack a stern gland greaser with grease. These are all surprisingly easy jobs, learning how to do them will save you money and give you confidence in your engine.

I have also assisted in replacing an alternator and removing a gear box that needed to be reconditioned. I really like engines now!

The weed box should be examined regularly especially in areas that have a lot of rubbish or vegetation in the water. I have been surprised by how little weed around the prop it takes to lose a lot of power. I have also learnt to know when there is a lot of weed on the bow by the sound of the engine.

Make a note of the part numbers for your filters and belts and keep some spares, you never know when you might need them.

Cruising

A guide book makes the journey richer as you can understand the history of the environment around you.

Go slowly, stop often and explore the places you pass through.

Talk to the people around you and hear their stories.

Security

Pick your mooring spot carefully, ideally around other boats. If you have to leave the boat for a while, there are several things you can do to deter would be intruders:

Place a pair of big, old boots just outside the door.

Set a battery powered radio to come on in the evening.

Twinkling fairy lights make the boat look as if there is someone inside.

I have met lots of interesting people both on and off the boats who have been so kind and helpful. There is never any shortage of advice! I have loved boating life and can’t wait for year two!

History

The Lancaster Canal was once a busy waterway, transporting limestone and coal via its seaports of Milnthrope and Lancaster, commodities which gave rise to its nickname of The Black and White Canal. Opened in 1799, it was extended into Kendal in 1819 and down to the sea via the Glasson locks in 1826. Sadly the northern reaches were cut off with the arrival of the M6 motorway in 1968 but these remain beautiful stretches none the less. The navigational section of the canal is 41 glorious miles whose beauty is hard to beat. As a waterway it has so much to offer and delight: an exciting passage to reach it via The Ribble link, stunning countryside, panoramic views of The Lake District and Morecambe Bay, a branch that connects it with the sea and two lively and historic cities to discover.

Southern Canal

There are two ways of exploring The Lancaster canal, either by hiring a boat or taking your own along the Rivers Douglas and Ribble. Latter visitors will arrive at the junction from the Savick Brook close to Preston. I recommend turning right and staying at the lovely Cadley services which has secure car parking and an area for BBQs. The canal’s southern terminus is only a mile away and it is a treat to walk along the tow path to admire the steep gardens that run right down to the water. The canal was shortened by a mile many years ago and now starts just south of Ashton Basin. Preston seems to be a city of churches but also of parks and green spaces. The excellent Haslam Park has much to offer as does the restored Victorian pleasure gardens of Avenham. The 20mile bike trail  'The Guild Wheel' winds it way through its paths and along the River Ribble.

The first section north is beautiful and green with the fields’ edges caressing the waters often trampled by generations of cows and sheep. The boater is aware that the main coast railway, M6 and A6 are never far away but the peace of the canal is still prominent. The village of Bilsborrow is dominated by Guy’s Thatched Hamlet and Owd Nell’s, an eclectic collection of buildings, accommodation, pubs, and restaurants, a fun fair and bowling green. As a people watching location it is excellent! There are also some other canal side inns, a handy PO and shop.

The pretty market town of Garstang is only five miles further north; there are some good independent shops as well as a couple of supermarkets. The walk along the river is lovely and Garstang basin has several attractive buildings, a pub and moorings. A little further on the boater arrives at the services and further moorings where it is very pleasant to spend a week or so. More rural countryside emerges as you glide along the waterway towards Potters Brook, passing under John Rennie’s stone bridges. Just past bridge 85 is the left hand turn down to The Glasson Branch. It is well worth a trip down the 6 locks to see the sea and the remains of the once busy port. The Conder Valley is quiet and unspoilt and ends in salt marshes and the estuary of the powerful River Lune, the tide comes in at such a rate you can hear it before you see it.

Mid-Section

Back on the main canal the cut begins to change its appearance as one nears the historic port town of Lancaster, another grand place to spend a bit of time. There is much to explore: a castle, several museums, (including the maritime one), beautiful squares and interesting streets and buildings. There are still some fine examples of old mills along the tow path. It is not long before the amazing Lune aqueduct is reached which carries the canal over the river some 600ft below. It was built by Alexander Stevens who died before it was completed in 1797.

As the canal continues north it turns towards the west and the astonishing Morecambe Bay comes into view at Hest Bank. It is possible to moor up and have a sea view with the Lakeland fells in the background: possibly one of my all-time favourite places to stop. Carnforth is the next town to be reached; there is a sanitary station in the basin along with a pub and petrol station that sells gas and fuel. The roar of the M6 becomes the dominant noise and the peace is disrupted for a while as you pass under the motorway towards the Keer aqueduct. The last pretty place to stop on The Lancaster is Borwick, a lovely village situated around the green. As you journey along the final mile of the canal the motorway gets louder and louder until you come to a rather abrupt halt at the canal’s terminus next to a service hut. The M6 is only 10 meters away the other side of a mesh fence.

The Northern Reaches

Beyond the terminus it is possible to continue on foot to the Tewitfield locks, these were last used in the early 1940’s but the chambers look as good as ever even though there are no longer any gates. A footpath takes you over the M6 and deposits you on a beautiful towpath, which in the spring was lined with wild flowers. The navigation has water in it for 8 miles and one expects a boat to come chugging by at any moment. The M6 intercepts the waterway in two other locations but it is possible to proceed to the end of the watered section. The Lancaster Canal Trust have dug out, lined and re-watered a ¼ mile stretch, and they have ambitious plans to reinstate the canal all the way to The Canal Head in Kendal if the finance can be found. The Hindcaster Tunnel and the amazing horse tow path over the top is another reminder of the quality of the construction and engineering of this once important canal. The final miles into Kendal have no water in them and in some sections, due to dense vegetation, it is impossible to see where the canal used to run, only the bridges, still standing proud and strong, hint at the now ghostly course of the navigation.

In conclusion, having spent four months on The Lancaster Canal, I can thoroughly recommend boating there and hope that one day the navigation is restored all the way to Kendal.