The Last 5 Miles, The Basingstoke Canal's abandoned section 4, Brick Kiln Bridge - Greywell Tunnel
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- Опубліковано 1 гру 2022
- The final part of this series begins at Brick Kiln bridge where we explore the short brick works branch, originally the start of the canal's alternative route. Here we come across something quite special. We also go in search of any remains of the former Up Nately brickworks before reaching Greywell tunnel, obtaining some spectacular shots inside the tunnel itself.
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I've just watched this series on a large TV. Your film work is excellent, razor sharp focus and good editing. Very enjoyable!
Thank you so much. Very kind of you to say and thank you for watching.
A very enjoyable series. Being local and pasing the old canal almost evey day you have confirm exactly where the route is and for that I thank you.
Thanks Keith, glad you enjoyed it
I'm amazed at how big the prop was on the old barge at the brick works.
@@John-L-1961 Hi John. Yes it does look oversized. It's probably due to so much of the Hull having rotted away.
Brilliantly done. Just finished this last episode and you’ve inspired me to trace your steps. I’ve cycled and walked the whole length from Greywell tunnel to where the canal joins the Wey (not far from where I now live) but have never looked at going beyond Greywell to the west - that’s now on my list for this summer! Thanks so much
Great stuff Kevin, thank you. Go for it. It's easily doable in a day and some of the scenery is beautiful.
Superb series. Often wondered about the last five miles. Every time I'm on the M3 i try to see if i can sight something from my cab..now i know.
Thank you
Thanks Mark, appreciated
I believe the slots in the bricks under the bridge are for stop planks to hold back water in sections of to be canal when maintenance is required.
Thanks Ian, I think you are correct. I imagine it would have to backed up with sand bags and the like.
@@PASTFINDERexploring Yes, they were to take stop planks, which were pretty thick, but sawn narrower at each end to go into the slots. The bottom of the canal at this point would be flat brickwork, so the lowest plank sat on the bottom. More planks were added, with the top one being wedged in, so none floated away! No need for sand bags - any minor gaps were filled with ash, which when mixed with water made a more or less watertight mixture. Not every bridge would have had stop plank slots (Eastrop bridge doesn't) - they were only put where there were risks of structural failure, e.g. by locks, at each end of an embankment, etc.
This section of the canal is a real gem and is crying out for some sort of preservation to stop it eventually disappearing.Thanks for showing it.
Hi, thank you, it is stunningly beautiful. Unlikely to change as it's now a nature reserve. The bridges are maintained, however, as all still in use. Sometimes I find far more interest because of its natural decay.
@@PASTFINDERexploring Hello,point taken,but I visited both portals of the tunnel about 12 years ago and things looked a bit ‘healthier’ then.The narrowboat Seagull was an amazing find and the size of the prop surprised me.As an ex narrowboater I think the canal must have had a good depth to accommodate it.
Thoroughly enjoyed this journey and discovered so much. Makes all the difference when the exploration level is at this depth and I've learnt a lot whilst getting stung. Super series.
Great fun wasn't it. In a way it's a shame it's done.
It’s amazing what is on our doorstep, that we don’t see or think about. Great video journey Gents, well done 👍 Cheers, Timmo
What a marvellous series Pastfinder
I’ve walked that area many times and can’t believe that I’ve missed so much…………that said I do tend to get sidetracked by The Fox and Goose. What a gem finding Seagull. Great use of your telescopic pole for shots inside the western portal. Great work.
Thanks Steve, very kind of you to say! Seagull was really fortuitous and probably won't be seen again for a few years.
Thank you for such an interesting expedition on such a fascinating subject.
Great stuff Benjamin, Thank you for your kind comments
It’s astonishing finding the wreck of the Seagull - excellent work. I do recall there is still one working steam-powered narrow boat at the Black Country Museum at Dudley.
It was very fortuitous. I read about it purely by chance just a couple of hours before I went out, and thanks to the drought it came up trumps.
Fascinating! Thank you.
Thank you Sheila, Glad you enjoyed it
The concrete topped brick structure by the tunnel's western portal might have been part of WW2 defences - possibly a pill box? There were quite a number along the Basingstoke Canal in Surrey and Hampshire. But then again, it might be something else!
TBH it looked a bit small to be a pill box but maybe tank traps as the location would be a good place to block access
@@anthonymoore6009 Pillbox more likely than tank trap, rmember it's on edge of a cutting although it looks a little small for that. Probably only a couple of metres square.
I thought that too, though there is nothing listed on the edob website indicating any WW2 defensive structures there.
Brilliant Bob ! Thoroughly enjoyed watching this episode. Brought back a lot of fond childhood memories.
Keep up the good work bud 👍🏻
Thanks Steve, glad you enjoyed it. I thoroughly enjoyed making it.
Cracking stuff Bob, I've walked that route many times and as you say it is a beautiful area.
Thanks Nige 🦙
Excellent video, very interesting! 👏🏼😃👍🏻
Thank you Frank.
Lovely documentary once again.
Thanks.
fantastic bob really have enjoyed the whole series on the basingstoke canal the amount of things l have learn't from this series l enjoy walking around that area but knew very little about it thank you for this enlightening fun series.
Great stuff Joe. Glad you enjoyed it and thank you so much for watching. I've not finished with the canal just yet. I plan a future series on the remaining WWII infrastructure on The Basingstoke Canal.
@@PASTFINDERexploring There's quite a lot of that to see on the canal.
@@PASTFINDERexploring that'll be a great series to bob 🙂
Another excellent and informative video Bob! Love the little details, such as the rope markings on the bridges as well! They remind me of the grooves in the brickwork at Church Cottage, where kids used to sharpen their pencils!
Isn’t the brickwork mentioned around 21 minutes in, leading to the portal, the original tunnel wall and portal? I believe it was shortened by about 20-30 yards during construction because of the unstable clay. I think the ground on the Odiham side is more stable, as it’s chalk. But the ground changes to clay roughly half way along the tunnel, which is where it collapsed. I could be wrong however, so any information you have is always wonderful to hear! As always, a very interesting and enjoyable watch, and brilliantly edited together! Thank you!
Thanks for your kind comments Mark. The brickwork around the tunnel is, I believe, a result of collapse and erosion pushing the portal entrance back a few yards. You're correct about the Odiham side being constructed in the more stable chalk while the iffy area was built in clay, a reason for the catastrophic collapse.
The brick structures between the clay pit and brickworks may have supported an overhead conveyor. The technology existed in the 1890s and was used in the Forest of Dean. It may have a series of skips hanging from a rope being winched along to empty at the brickworks.
I think you are right. How would it have been powered I wonder, steam, horse or a man on a handle maybe?
@@PASTFINDERexploring probably steam, given the date of 1890s / 1900s when the brickworks was being expanded. I’ve been going through all your videos while I’m laid up with the bug and they are excellent. I have often used NLS historic mapping and LiDAR to look for hidden history in the landscape. When I traced the route of the canal several years ago I discovered something else that might be worth exploring. The track over Little Tunnel goes to a hilltop meeting point called Five Ways. I am fairly sure one of the tracks across there is the original route from Odiham Castle to Winchester but I never looked into it in much detail. Of course there are no maps from that time but it is known there was a road as Odiham was a stopping point between Windsor and Winchester. Maybe worth a later investigation?
@@openmicfraternity1946 That would be worth a look. I've been to five ways but never knew the relevance. More research needed methinks. Thank you for your kind comments, they are very much appreciated.
I'm enjoying your explorations from my armchair now that the inevitable passage of years has made any more trips to Europe (or even local walking excursions) nonviable. I used to enjoy the English countryside very much - such a contrast to my own patch of dry eucalyptus forest.
Interesting to see the effects of the prolonged dry in the usually rainy Old Dart.
1 thing that did cross my mind though. With the drying up of Lake Mead etc near Las Vegas the bodies from the old Mafia "disappearances" have been surfacing this past year. None of Ronnie and Reggie's late friends come up anywhere around the countryside there yet? 😱😉😁
Hi, Glad you enjoy my films and thank you for watching. Not come across any bodies yet!!! thankfully.