Tunnels: Peak Forest Canal

Woodley tunnel (176 yards)

The tunnel was designed and built by canal engineers Benjamin Outram and Thomas Brown. It is 176 yards long and has a towpath with a hand rail along its complete length.

It has an almost round headed arch - slight skew. Next to this portal is a set of cobbled steps giving access up to Hyde Road. This means the tunnel can either be seen by walking along the towpath or walking down the steps from Hyde Road.

At some point Hyde Road was widened and the entrance to the tunnel has been concrete lined. The tow path has also had the original cobbles replaced with concrete.

This portal became an English Heritage Grade II listed building on 10th February 1995. link

The tunnel is used by boats travelling in either direction but there is no room to pass inside the tunnel. 

North portal

South portal

Hydebank tunnel (294 yards)

The tunnel was designed and built by canal engineers Benjamin Outram and Thomas Brown. It is 285 meters long and has no tow path. It has a semi-circular arch with 2 projecting stone bands.

This portal became an English Heritage Grade II listed building on 11th October 1985. link

In 1895 part of the tunnel roof collapsed and the initial repair work almost caused the nearby Hyde Bank House to collapse. A Mr Hirst was then employed to supervise the work as he had experience of working on Standedge Tunnel on the Rochdale Canal.

At the time of the repair work the canal had been taken over by a rail company and the canal had started to decline. The railway company were keen to save money and they persuaded Mr Hirst to reopen the canal whilst relining the roof of the tunnel with bricks. Although most of this work was completed Mr Hirst resigned before the end of the work and a short length of the canal is still lined with the original stone work. link

Today the tunnel is used by boats travelling in either direction and there is room to pass inside the tunnel. At the time of opening when canal boats were towed by horses the boats had to be legged through the tunnel. Meanwhile the horses walked over the top of the tunnel and met the boats on the other side.

North west portal

South east portal

Rosehill tunnel ( yards)

When the canal was opened in 1798 there was a tunnel here. There were a series of problems culminating in the collapse of the roof at some time between 1849 and 1888. The decision was made to open up the tunnel and build the accommodation bridge that you can see. Even recently more work has been necessary and the gradient of the cutting walls has been reduced and the stone retaining walls reinforced with concrete.

What was the north west portal

Approaching what was the south east portal

This was inside the tunnel once upon a time

This was once inside the tunnel