111-680: The Standedge Tunnels ( / s t æ n ɪ dʒ / ) are four parallel tunnels through the Pennine hills at the Standedge crossing between Marsden in Kirklees , West Yorkshire and Diggle in Oldham , Greater Manchester in northern England. Three are railway tunnels (containing the Huddersfield line ) and the other is a canal tunnel. Before boundary changes in 1974 , both ends of
222-558: A flight of 16 locks that raise the canal by 209 feet (64 m) over the course of 1 mile (1.6 km). The two pounds of the canal are generally known as the Upper Peak Forest Canal and Lower Peak Forest Canal. Whilst there is no evidence that these names were used historically, the designation Lower Peak Forest Canal was used in the British Waterways Act 1983 , which redesignated the lower part of
333-445: A bottleneck for rail traffic between Huddersfield and Manchester. Even before its completion, plans were in consideration for a second tunnel alongside it. When the economic case became clear, Thomas Nelson, who built the first railway tunnel, was awarded the contract. As with the first tunnel, the canal tunnel was linked to the second by 21 adits which passed underneath Nicholson's tunnel, allowing spoil to be removed by boat. Construction
444-526: A café and the booking office for canal tunnel trips. The visitor centre is about half a mile (0.8 km) west of Marsden railway station , reached via the canal towpath. Next to the station are the headquarters of the National Trust 's Marsden Moor Estate which has a public exhibition, "Welcome to Marsden", that gives an overview of the area and its transport history. Pennines The Pennines ( / ˈ p ɛ n aɪ n z / ), also known as
555-496: A full load. The limited load capacity and the lack of a towpath damaged the competitiveness of the whole canal when compared to the rival Rochdale Canal , which was only a few miles to the north and competed with the Huddersfield Canal for business. Although there were widened passing places in the tunnel for handling bi-directional traffic, intense competition between boat crews was a hindrance and two-way operation in
666-578: A jug of ale each day. The Marple railway was still a serious bottleneck. The canal company still lacked funds to complete the Marple locks and the Combs Reservoir that would be necessary. A petition to Parliament was considered but, finally, £24,000 was borrowed from Samuel Oldknow and Arkwright and the work was completed in 1805. At Bugsworth, limestone brought down the tramway was either put into boats to be taken to Manchester and beyond or it
777-557: A lock. The canal is perched halfway up the valley-side with extensive views of Furness Vale , and the Peak District beyond from Marple through Strines , Disley , New Mills , Furness Vale and Bridgemont . It terminates at Bugsworth Basin , Derbyshire ( grid reference SK021820 ), a distance of 6.9 miles (11.1 km). The village was renamed Buxworth in Victorian times. Recently, the extensive basin has been reopened, and
888-609: A series of geological structures whose overall form is a broad anticline whose axis extends in a north–south direction. The North Pennines are coincident with the Alston Block and the Yorkshire Dales are coincident with the Askrigg Block . In the south the Peak District is essentially a flat-topped dome. Each of the structures consists of Carboniferous limestone overlain with Millstone Grit . The limestone
999-413: A service vehicle through one of the parallel disused railway tunnels. Three railway tunnels run parallel to each other and the canal tunnel. Through them runs the Huddersfield line . They are level for the whole length, which had the operational benefit of providing the only section of level track on the line where water troughs could be installed to provide steam locomotives with water without requiring
1110-785: Is bordered by the foothills of the Lake District , and uplands of the Howgill Fells, Orton Fells, Border Moors and Cheviot Hills. The West Pennine Moors, Rossendale Valley and Forest of Bowland are western spurs, the former two are in the South Pennines. The Howgill Fells and Orton Fells are sometimes considered to be part of the Pennines, both inside the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The Pennines are fringed by extensive lowlands including
1221-742: Is exposed at the surface in the North Pennines, Yorkshire Dales and the Peak District. In the Dales and the White Peak , limestone exposure has caused the formation of large cave systems and watercourses. In the Dales the caves or potholes are known as "pots" in the Yorkshire dialect . They include some of the largest caves in England at Gaping Gill , more than 350 ft (107 m) deep and Rowten Pot , 365 ft (111 m) deep. Titan in
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#17327725643191332-716: Is now a popular venue for visiting boats. There is also a short branch from Bridgemont to the centre of Whaley Bridge, once the site of a connection to the Cromford and High Peak Railway , which ran across the Peak District and joined up with the Cromford Canal . The section from Dukinfield Junction to Marple Junction is part of the Cheshire Ring route. The canal was authorised by the Peak Forest Canal Act 1794 ( 34 Geo. 3 . c. 26) and its purpose
1443-488: Is only wide enough for one narrowboat for much of its length and, to save on cost, a towpath was not provided. Canal boats were horse-drawn when it opened and the boats were legged through the tunnel – one or more boatmen lay on the cargo and pushed against the roof or walls of the tunnel with their legs. Professional leggers were paid one shilling and sixpence for working a boat through the tunnel, which took one hour and twenty minutes for an empty boat and three hours with
1554-456: Is sparsely populated by English standards. Larger population centres are in the foothills and lowlands fringing the southern Pennine range, such as Barnsley , Chesterfield , Halifax , Huddersfield , Macclesfield , Oldham , Bury , Rochdale , Middleton , and Stockport but most of the northern Pennine range is thinly populated. The cities of Bradford , Derby , Leeds , Manchester , Sheffield , Stoke-on-Trent and Wakefield are also in
1665-531: Is the most important mineral quarried, mainly for roads and cement, while other extracted materials include shale for cement and gritstone for building stone. The springs at Buxton and Ashbourne are exploited to produce bottled mineral water and there are approximately 2,700 farms in the National Park. The South Pennines are predominantly industrial, with the main industries including textiles, quarrying and mining, while other economic activities within
1776-952: Is usually taken to derive from some form of Celtic pen or ben ("mountain, head"). Various towns and geographical features within the Pennines have names of Celtic origin, including Pennington , Penrith , Pen-y-ghent , Pendle Hill , the River Eden , and Cumbria . More commonly, local names result from Anglo-Saxon and Norse settlements. In Yorkshire, Teesdale , and Cumbria, many words of Norse origin, not commonly used in standard English, are part of everyday speech: for example, gill/ghyll (narrow steep valley), beck (brook or stream), fell (hill), and dale (valley). Northumbrian/borders terms are used in South Tynedale, Weardale , and Allendale , such as burn (stream), cleugh (ravine), hope (valley), law (hill) and linn (waterfall). The northern Pennine range
1887-692: The A684 road from Sedbergh to Hawes via Garsdale Head which reaches 1,100 feet (340 m). Further south the A58 road traverses the Calder Valley between West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester reaching 1,282 feet (391 m) between Littleborough and Ripponden , while the A646 road along the Calder Valley between Burnley and Halifax reaches 764 feet (233 m) following valley floors. In
1998-468: The Dark Peak with moorlands and gritstone edges, and the White Peak with limestone gorges. The South Pennines is an area of hills and moorlands with narrow valleys between the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales. Bowland is dominated by a central upland landform of deeply incised gritstone fells covered with tracts of heather-covered peat moorland, blanket bog and steep-sided wooded valleys linking
2109-734: The Eden Valley , West Lancashire Coastal Plain , Cheshire Plain , Vale of York , Humberhead Levels and the Midland Plains . The main range of the Pennines start from its southern end at the Weaver Hills in the Peak District. The southern foothills of the range merge into the valley and basin of the River Trent , separating the range from the Midland Plains to the south. The Pennines continue northwards across
2220-564: The Industrial Revolution cross the range: The first of three Woodhead Tunnels was completed by the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway in 1845, engineered by Charles Vignoles and Joseph Locke . At the time of its completion in 1845, Woodhead 1 was one of the world's longest railway tunnels at a length of 3 miles 13 yards (4,840 m); it was the first of several trans-Pennine tunnels including
2331-756: The Mersey (including the Irwell , Tame and Goyt ) flow westwards towards the Irish Sea . On the eastern side of the Pennines, the rivers Tyne , Wear , and Tees all drain directly to the North Sea . The Swale , Ure , Nidd , Wharfe , Aire , Calder and Don all flow into the Yorkshire Ouse , and reach the sea through the Humber Estuary . The River Trent flows around the southern end of
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#17327725643192442-714: The Midland Railway built the Settle-Carlisle Line through remote, scenic regions of the Pennines from near Settle to Carlisle passing Appleby-in-Westmorland and other settlements, some a distance from their stations. The line has survived, despite difficult times and is operated by Northern Rail. The Trans Pennine Trail , a long-distance route for cyclists, horse riders and walkers, runs west–east alongside rivers and canals, along disused railway tracks and through historic towns and cities from Southport to Hornsea (207 miles/333 km). It crosses
2553-731: The National Park . The main economic activities in the North Pennines include tourism, farming, timber and small-scale quarrying, due to the rural landscape. Gaps that allow west–east communication across the Pennines include the Tyne Gap between the Pennines and the Cheviots, through which the A69 road and Tyne Valley railway link Carlisle and Newcastle upon Tyne . The A66 road , its summit at 1,450 feet (440 m), follows
2664-589: The Northumberland National Park (9) sometimes also included. The North Pennines AONB just north of the Yorkshire Dales rivals the national park in size and includes some of the Pennines' highest peaks and its most isolated and sparsely populated areas. Other AONBs are Nidderdale east of the Yorkshire Dales, and the Bowland Fells , including Pendle Hill , west of the Yorkshire Dales. The language used in pre-Roman and Roman times
2775-490: The Peak District National Park . The only significant unprotected gap is the area between Skipton and Marsden . Britain's oldest long-distance footpath , the 268-mile (429 km) Pennine Way , runs along most of the Pennines. Various etymologies have proposed treating "Pennine" as a native Brittonic /Modern Welsh name related to pen- ("head"). It did not become a common name until
2886-482: The Peak Forest Canal Company, who were keen to trade, suggested a tram road should be built to bypass the tunnel until it was completed, but no action was taken. The next tunnel contract failed to attract any takers and canal engineer John Varley , who had repaired parts of the canal which had been damaged by floods, was invited to work on the tunnel. Soon thereafter, mine owner Matthew Fletcher
2997-782: The Pennine Chain or Pennine Hills , are a range of uplands mainly located in Northern England . Commonly described as the " backbone of England" because of its length and position, the range runs from Derbyshire and Staffordshire in the north of the Midlands to Northumberland in North East England . From the Tyne Gap in the north, the range extends south through the North Pennines , Yorkshire Dales , South Pennines , and Peak District to end near
3108-666: The Severn Tunnel on the Great Western Main Line , and the Totley Tunnel on the Sheffield to Manchester route. Only the 1894 rail tunnel is in use but all three rail tunnels are maintained. In 1966, the 1848 single-track rail tunnel was closed followed by the 1871 single-track tunnel in 1970. The 1848 tunnel provides an emergency escape route for the other tunnels and has been made accessible to road vehicles such as fire engines and ambulances . Both
3219-399: The Standedge and Totley tunnels, which are only slightly longer. The first two tunnels were replaced by Woodhead 3, which was longer at 3 miles 66 yards (4860m). It was bored for the overhead electrification of the route and completed in 1953. The tunnel was opened by the transport minister Alan Lennox-Boyd on 3 June 1954. It was designed by Sir William Halcrow & Partners. The line
3330-614: The Trent and Mersey Canal , Butterley Tunnel on the Cromford Canal and the Norwood Tunnel on the Chesterfield Canal . It recommended that a towing path should be built through the tunnel, but the extra cost and delay were not affordable. Desperately short of money, the canal company obtained a new Act of Parliament in 1806 to raise additional finance and allow an extra toll for using the tunnel. In 1807, Thomas Telford
3441-420: The 1740s and accepted as genuine until the 1840s. In 2004, George Redmonds reassessed this, finding that numerous respected writers passed over the origin of the mountains' name in silence even in works dedicated to the topological etymology of Derbyshire and Lancashire . He found that the derivation from Bertram was widely believed and considered uncomfortable. In fact, Redmonds found repeated comparisons with
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3552-543: The 1848 and 1871 tunnel are used by maintenance personnel for access. During the 2000s, Network Rail proposed reinstating rail traffic through the 1848 and 1871 tunnels to increase capacity on the Leeds–Manchester Transpennine route, but a reappraisal in 2012 following the decision to electrify the Transpennine line found that reinstatement would not be necessary. The Standedge Tunnel Visitor Centre at
3663-542: The 18th century and almost certainly derives from modern comparisons with the Apennine Mountains , which run down the middle of Italy in a similar fashion. Following an 1853 article by Arthur Hussey, it has become a common belief that the name derives from a passage in The Description of Britain ( Latin : De Situ Britanniæ ), an infamous historical forgery concocted by Charles Bertram in
3774-527: The Anglo-Saxons travelled through the valleys. During the Dark Ages the Pennines were controlled by Celtic and Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. It is believed that the north Pennines were under the control of the kingdom of Rheged . During Norse times the Pennines were settled by Viking Danes in the east and Norwegian Vikings in the west. The Vikings influenced place names, culture and genetics. When England
3885-706: The Border Moors and Cheviot Hills, separated by the Tyne Gap and Whin Sill , along which run the A69 and Hadrian's Wall , are not part of the Pennines but, perhaps because the Pennine Way crosses them, they are treated as such. Most of the Pennine landscape is characterised by upland areas of high moorland indented by more fertile river valleys, although the landscape varies in different areas. The Peak District consists of hills, plateaus and valleys, divided into
3996-455: The Forest of Bowland include Ward's Stone 1,841 ft (561 m), Fair Snape Fell 1,710 ft (521 m), and Hawthornthwaite Fell 1,572 ft (479 m). Terrain is lower towards the south and the only peaks which exceed 2,000 ft (610 m) are Kinder Scout 2,087 ft (636 m) and Bleaklow 2,077 ft (633 m) in the Peak District. Other principal peaks in
4107-528: The Forest of Bowland to the southwest. The main range then continues northwards across the Yorkshire Dales to the Stainmore Gap where it adjoins the North Pennines. The range continues into its northern end at the Tyne Gap , separating it from the Border Moors and Cheviot Hills across the Anglo-Scottish border . Although the Pennines cover the area between the Peak District and the Tyne Gap,
4218-470: The Huddersfield & Manchester Railway midway through its construction. Costing £201,608, the tunnel is 3 miles 57 yards (4,880 m) long. When opened, trains were accompanied through the tunnel by a pilot man or pilot engine and their re-emergence was communicated between signal boxes situated at either end by a telegraph system devised by Henry Highton . The 1848 tunnel soon became
4329-471: The Italian Apennines going back at least as early as William Camden (1551–1623) , many of whose placenames and ideas Bertram incorporated into his work. Bertram was responsible (at most) with popularizing the name against other contenders such as Daniel Defoe 's "English Andes". His own form of the name was the "Pennine Alps" ( Alpes Peninos ), which today is used for a western section of
4440-545: The Marsden end of the tunnel is in the former warehouse, used for transshipment of goods from canal barge to packhorse between 1798 when the canal reached Marsden, and 1811 when the tunnel opened. The centre contains exhibitions on the history of the tunnels, the canal tunnel's recent restoration and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal . Tunnel End Cottages, which once housed canal maintenance workers, houses
4551-601: The Marsden end, is a base for boat trips into the tunnel and has an exhibition depicting the different crossings. On 4 April 1794, construction of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal (then known as the Huddersfield Canal), linking Ashton-under-Lyne and Huddersfield via a tunnel, was authorised by an Act of Parliament . Benjamin Outram was appointed the consulting engineer after his report in October 1793 estimated
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4662-649: The Peak District and adjoin the South Pennines approximately around the Tame Valley , Standedge and Holme Valley . The South Pennines are separated from the Forest of Bowland by the Ribble Valley , and include the Rossendale Valley and West Pennine Moors in the west. The range continues further north into the Aire Gap which separates the Yorkshire Dales from the South Pennines to the south and
4773-861: The Peak District the A628 Woodhead road links the M67 motorway in Greater Manchester with the M1 motorway in South Yorkshire and Holme Moss is crossed by the A6024 road , whose highest point is near Holme Moss transmitting station between Longdendale and Holmfirth . The Pennines are traversed by the M62 motorway , the highest motorway in England at 1,221 feet (372 m) on Windy Hill near Junction 23. Three trans-Pennine canals built during
4884-435: The Peak District, a notable custom is well dressing , which has its origin in pagan traditions that became Christianised. Flora in the higher Pennines is adapted to moorland and subarctic landscapes and climates. The flora found there can be found in other areas of moorland in Northern Europe and some species are also found in areas of tundra . In the Pennine millstone grit areas above an altitude of 900 feet (270 m)
4995-403: The Peak District, the deepest shaft known in Britain, is connected to Peak Cavern in Castleton, Derbyshire , the largest cave entrance in the country. Erosion of the limestone has led to geological formations, such as the limestone pavements at Malham Cove . Between the northern and southern areas of exposed limestone between Skipton and the Dark Peak is a belt of exposed gritstone. Here
5106-466: The Pennine Way affects perceptions of the southern and northern extents of the defined area. The southern end of the Pennines is said to be in the High Peak of Derbyshire at Edale , the start of the Pennine Way, but the main range continues south across the Peak District to the Weaver Hills, with its foothills merging into the Trent Valley. This encompasses eastern Cheshire , northern and eastern Staffordshire , and southern Derbyshire. Conversely,
5217-423: The Pennines and northwards on the eastern side taking water from tributaries, principally the Dove and Derwent . The Trent drains the east and west sides of the southern Pennines, also reaching the North Sea through the Humber Estuary. The Trent and Ouse meet and enter the Humber at Trent Falls . Maximum discharge through the Humber can reach 1,500 m /s (53,000 cu ft/s). According to the Köppen classification ,
5328-442: The Pennines generally have a temperate oceanic climate ( Cfb ) like the rest of England, but the uplands have more precipitation, stronger winds and colder weather than the surrounding areas. Some of the higher elevations have a subpolar oceanic climate ( Cfc ), which may border a tundra ( ET ) and subarctic climate ( Dfc ) in areas like Great Dun Fell . More snow falls on the Pennines than on surrounding lowland areas due to
5439-751: The Pennines longer than it did in the surrounding areas of England. Eventually, the Celtic tongue of the Pennines was replaced by early English as Anglo-Saxons and Vikings settled the area and assimilated the Celts. During the Viking Age Scandinavian settlers brought their language, Old Norse . The fusion of Norse influences into Old English was important in the formation of Middle English and hence Modern English, and many individual words of Norse descent remain in use in local dialects, such as that of Yorkshire , and in local place names. The folklore and customs are mostly based on Celtic , Anglo-Saxon and Viking customs and folklore. Many customs and stories have their origin in Christianised pagan traditions. In
5550-455: The Scottish agricultural expert, to write a treatise on the benefits of lime in farming, which they published. Trade increased rapidly and it was becoming necessary to double the railways. Attracting suitable labour was also a problem. Cottages were rented to convert into dormitories, and Wheatcroft opened a shop where goods could be purchased cheaply. At one point, the employers offered "a good flannel waistcoat and trousers" for each worker, plus
5661-469: The South Pennines and Peak District include Black Hill 1,909 ft (582 m), Shining Tor 1,834 ft (559 m), Pendle Hill 1,827 ft (557 m), Black Chew Head 1,778 ft (542 m), Rombalds Moor 1,319 ft (402 m) and Winter Hill 1,496 ft (456 m). For much of their length the Pennines are the main watershed in northern England, dividing east and west. The rivers Eden , Ribble , Dane and tributaries of
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#17327725643195772-437: The South Pennines include tourism and farming. Although the Forest of Bowland is mostly rural, the main economic activities in the area include farming and tourism. In the Yorkshire Dales , tourism accounts for £350 million of expenditure every year while employment is mostly dominated by farming, accommodation and food sectors. There are also significant challenges for managing tourism, farming and other developments within
5883-417: The appointment of Gernan Wheatcroft to manage the canal at Bugsworth and Whaley Bridge. He proved so efficient that he was able to use the threat of resignation to gain the addition of £30 to his £75 a year salary to keep and maintain a horse to assist him in his duties. In a move that would not disgrace a modern marketing organisation, the quarry owners retained Outram's future father-in-law, Dr. James Anderson,
5994-409: The arches of the aqueduct, the other assuming that the arches were unfinished. It was decided not to interfere with the ongoing construction of the aqueduct, so the railway ran from its Marple end to the proposed top lock. The arches of the aqueduct were completed in November 1798—and the workers were given a "handsome treat" in celebration—being finally completed towards the end of 1799. However, there
6105-440: The autumn, concerned that such work was expensive, Outram abandoned building extra workfaces and concentrated on boring out from both ends. While this was cheaper, the completion date was extended. Other factors had slowed progress: a shortage of funding and poor working practices also contributed. Cutbacks in drainage provision hampered tunnelling, as larger quantities of water entered the workings. In September 1797, Outram advised
6216-420: The botanical conservation charity Plantlife , and are nationally important for their wildflowers. Fauna in the Pennines is similar to the rest of England and Wales , but the area hosts some specialised species. Deer are found throughout the Pennines and some species of animals that are rare elsewhere in England can be found here. Arctic hares , which were common in Britain during the Ice Age and retreated to
6327-399: The canal as a cruising waterway. The Lower Peak Forest Canal heads south from Dukinfield Junction at Dukinfield in Greater Manchester , where it makes a junction with the Ashton Canal at the southern end of the Tame Aqueduct ( grid reference SJ934984 ) through Newton , Hyde , Woodley , Bredbury and Romiley , before crossing the River Goyt on Marple Aqueduct , alongside
6438-459: The canal had been completed and 17 years after work began, at a total cost of £123,803. Despite multiple problems, its construction showed that the technique of quantity surveying had advanced. Telford's plan covered every eventuality and was followed until the canal opened. Between 1811 and 1840, the tunnel was used on average by 40 boats daily. The tunnel is brick-lined in some places, though some sections of bare rock were left exposed. The tunnel
6549-417: The canal through 209 feet (64 m) in a partly woodland, partly municipal park and partly urban setting through the centre of Marple, to connect with the Macclesfield Canal at Marple junction. The Upper Peak Forest Canal is on the same level as that of the upper Macclesfield Canal , allowing boats to cruise from Whaley Bridge or Bugsworth all the way to the top lock at Bosley without having to use
6660-426: The canal's opening. The expedition used a single narrowboat, which departed Marsden around 11 a.m. and emerged from the Diggle portal around 1 p.m. The canal and tunnel benefitted from a £5 million restoration project to re-open the canal. Several rock-lined parts of the tunnel were stabilised by rock bolts where possible and concrete was used to stabilise the rock face where this was impractical. In May 2001,
6771-423: The committee that Thomas Lee, the contractor, had made large losses as a result of the difficulties and could not complete his contract. He was awarded more money for timber, an increased rate per yard for completion and an extra year in which to finish the tunnel. By mid-1799, 1,000 yards (910 m) of the tunnel had been finished and 1,000 yards (910 m) had been excavated, but not completed. In October 1800,
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#17327725643196882-506: The continental Alps . Those mountains (the area around the St. Bernard Pass ) derive their name from the Latin Alpes Pœninæ whose name has been variously derived from the Carthaginians , a local god, and Celtic peninus . The St. Bernard Pass was the pass used in the invasions of Italy by the Gallic Boii and Lingones in 390 BC. The etymology of the Apennines themselves—whose name first referred to their northern extremity and then later spread southward—is also disputed but
6993-455: The cooler, more tundra-like uplands once the climate warmed up, were introduced to the Dark Peak area of the Peak District in the 19th century. Peak Forest Canal The Peak Forest Canal is a narrow (7-foot (2.13 m) gauge) locked artificial waterway in northern England . It is 14.8 miles (23.8 km) long and forms part of the connected English/Welsh inland waterway network. The canal consists of two level pounds, separated by
7104-406: The cost of the canal and tunnel at £178,478. Nicholas Brown surveyed the route. Outram thought that geology of the hill through which the tunnel would pass was of gritstone and shale, and would not present any difficulties. Work on the 5,456-yard (4,989 m) tunnel would start at a dip in the hill at Red Brook and the tunnel would be driven simultaneously from both ends. Steam engines would keep
7215-428: The course of a Roman road from Scotch Corner to Penrith through the Stainmore Gap between the Eden Valley in Cumbria and Teesdale in County Durham. The Aire Gap links Lancashire and Yorkshire via the valleys of the Aire and Ribble . Other high-level roads include Buttertubs Pass , named from limestone potholes near its 1,729-foot (527 m) summit, between Hawes in Wensleydale and Swaledale and
7326-442: The dales with mostly pine, elm, lime and oak. On the limestone soils the oak was slower to colonize and pine and birch predominated. Around 3000 BC a noticeable decline in tree pollen indicates that neolithic farmers were clearing woodland to increase grazing for domestic livestock, and studies at Linton Mires and Eshton Tarn find an increase in grassland species. On poorly drained impermeable areas of millstone grit, shale or clays
7437-491: The elevation and distance from the coast; unlike lowland areas of England, the Pennines can have quite severe winters. The northwest is amongst the wettest regions of England and much of the rain falls on the Pennines. The eastern side is drier than the west—the rain shadow shields northeast England from rainfall that would otherwise fall there. Precipitation is important for the area's biodiversity and human population. Many towns and cities are located along rivers flowing from
7548-441: The excavated spoil. When the railway tunnel was completed, several cross passages were retained. The last commercial boat passed through the tunnel in 1921 and the canal was closed to traffic in 1944 when maintenance ended and the tunnel fell into a state of disrepair. The last boat to pass through the tunnel before its restoration was the Rolt/Aickman expedition in the Ailsa Craig in 1948. Writing in 1948, L. T. C. Rolt described
7659-428: The head streams of the river valleys. Most of the range is protected by national parks and national landscapes (formerly Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty ). Running north to south, and including the Cheviots, the range is within Northumberland National Park , the North Pennines National Landscape, the Yorkshire Dales National Park , Nidderdale National Landscape , the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, and
7770-417: The journey as taking two hours, during which the speed was kept very low to avoid damage to the boat. The canal had become obstructed in several places on both sides of the Pennines and the tunnel, which had become unsafe, was closed by large iron gates at each end. A local newspaper described a trip organised by the Railway and Canal Historical Society during 1961, which was held to commemorate 150 years since
7881-420: The lower level of the canal and Marple locks fell into disuse, to the extent that by the early 1960s the lower part of the canal was impassable. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Peak Forest Canal Society and the Inland Waterways Association campaigned for the restoration of the Peak Forest and Ashton Canals, and they reopened on 1 April 1974. The Lower Peak Forest Canal, from Dukinfield Junction to Marple,
7992-462: The most expensive canal tunnel to have been built in Britain. It was also the longest, deepest and highest. The tunnel was 5,445 yards (4,979 m) long, 636 feet (194 m) underground at its deepest point, and 643 feet (196 m) above sea level. It was extended at the Marsden end in 1822 by 11 yards (10 m), when Tunnel End Reservoir's overflow was diverted over the tunnel mouth. The tunnel
8103-584: The mountainous terrain in the north. The highest point is Cross Fell in eastern Cumbria, at 2,930 feet (893 m) and other principal peaks in the North Pennines are Great Dun Fell 2,782 ft (848 m), Mickle Fell 2,585 ft (788 m), and Burnhope Seat 2,451 ft (747 m). Principal peaks in the Yorkshire Dales include Whernside 2,415 ft (736 m), Ingleborough 2,372 ft (723 m), High Seat 2,328 ft (710 m), Wild Boar Fell 2,324 ft (708 m) and Pen-y-ghent 2,274 ft (693 m). Principal peaks in
8214-532: The new bore is to the north of the canal tunnel, but passes over the canal tunnel just inside each tunnel entrance. When the work was completed, the tunnel was 3 miles 60 yards (4,883 m) long. To speed the excavation, 40 breakups were opened using around 120 long tons (120 t) of gelignite . About 25 million bricks, mostly produced locally, were used in the tunnel lining. A 26-foot (7.9 m) unlined section of tunnel collapsed in April 1894 blocking
8325-513: The north–south Pennine Way (268 miles/431 km) at Crowden-in-Longdendale . Considerable areas of the Pennines are protected as UK national parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are afforded much the same protection as national parks. The national parks within the Pennines are the Peak District National Park (1) and the Yorkshire Dales National Park (7) with
8436-544: The railway's Marple Viaduct, to the foot of Marple Locks, a distance of 6.9 miles (11.1 km). The environs are largely rural, passing woods and fields, with some industrial premises encroaching towards the Dukinfield end of the pound. Whilst the 1 mile (1.6 km) section through Marple Locks is legally a part of the Lower Peak Forest Canal it is often considered as a separate section, raising
8547-400: The range and in northwest England the lack of natural aquifers is compensated for by reservoirs. Water has carved out limestone landscapes in the North Pennines, Yorkshire Dales and Peak District, with gorges and caves present in the Yorkshire Dales and Peak District. In some areas, precipitation has contributed to poor soils, resulting in part in moorland landscapes that characterize much of
8658-546: The range. In other areas where the soil has not been degraded, it has resulted in lush vegetation. For the purpose of growing plants, the Pennines are in hardiness zones 7 and 8, as defined by the USDA . Zone 8 is common throughout most of the UK, and zone 7 is the UK's coldest hardiness zone. The Pennines, Scottish Highlands , Southern Uplands and Snowdonia are the only areas of the UK in zone 7. The Pennines have been carved from
8769-488: The shales and sandstones of the Millstone Grit form high hills occupied by moorland covered with bracken , peat , heather and coarse grasses; the higher ground is uncultivable and barely fit for pasture. The Pennines contained Bronze Age settlements, and evidence remains of Neolithic settlement including many stone circles and henges , such as Long Meg and Her Daughters . The uplands were controlled by
8880-483: The south of, the canal tunnel at a slightly higher level. From the canal tunnel, thirteen adits were driven to facilitate excavating the railway tunnel. The railway company had bought the canal company to provide access. Boats transferred excavated spoil and moved construction materials. Canal access increased the rate of construction, which took a little over two years; in comparison, the Woodhead Tunnel , which
8991-709: The surrounding foothills and lowlands. The Pennines contain the highest village in the United Kingdom, Flash , at 1,519 feet (463 m), near the southern end of the range in Staffordshire . The main economic activities in the Pennines include sheep farming , quarrying , finance and tourism . In the Peak District , tourism is the major local employment for park residents (24%), with manufacturing industries (19%) and quarrying (12%) also being important while 12% are employed in agriculture. Limestone
9102-488: The topsoil gets waterlogged in winter and spring. Here tree suppression combined with the heavier rainfall results in blanket bog up to 7 ft (2 m) thick. The erosion of peat still exposes stumps of ancient trees. "In digging it away they frequently find vast fir trees, perfectly sound, and some oaks ..." Limestone areas of the Pennines in the White Peak , Yorkshire Dales and Upper Teesdale have been designated as nature reserves or Important Plant Areas by
9213-518: The topsoil is so acidic, pH 2 to 4, that it can grow only bracken , heather , sphagnum , and coarse grasses such as cottongrass , purple moor grass and heath rush . As the Ice age glacial sheets retreated c. 11,500 BC trees returned and archaeological palynology can identify their species. The first trees to settle were willow, birch and juniper, followed later by alder and pine. By 6500 BC temperatures were warmer and woodlands covered 90% of
9324-421: The train to stop. Both the single-track bores have ventilation shafts at Cote, Flint and Pule Hill, and the double-track tunnel is ventilated via three shafts at Brunn Clough, Redbrook and Flint. Drainage adits interlink with one another, including the canal tunnel, into which water is discharged. In 1846, work commenced on a railway tunnel for the Huddersfield & Manchester Railway . It ran parallel to, and to
9435-592: The tribal federation of the Brigantes , made up of small tribes who inhabited the area and cooperated on defence and external affairs. They evolved an early form of kingdom. During Roman times , the Brigantes were dominated by the Romans who exploited the Pennines for their natural resources including the wild animals found there. The Pennines were an obstacle for Anglo-Saxon expansion westwards, although it appears
9546-681: The tunnel for a week. On 1 August 1894, the new tunnel was passed for use by inspector Major Yorke. The opening of the double-track tunnel provided additional capacity for the L&;NWR, allowing them to temporarily close the single bores for maintenance. As of 2018, excluding the London Underground, the double-track bore is the fifth-longest UK rail tunnel, after the High Speed 1 tunnels for the Thames Estuary and English Channel,
9657-541: The tunnel was impractical. The canal company introduced one-way working, for which one end of the tunnel was closed by a locked chain to prevent access unless authorised. A similar arrangement remains in use. In 1846, the Huddersfield Narrow Canal was purchased by the Huddersfield & Manchester Railway . The canal tunnel was used during the construction of the first railway tunnel and no shafts were needed. The canal provided an easy means of removing
9768-436: The tunnel was re-opened to traffic. Most modern canal boats are diesel-powered and it was considered unsafe for boaters to navigate the tunnel using diesel power because of its length and the lack of ventilation, so electric tug boats haul the narrowboats through. Since the 2009 season, boats have been allowed to travel through the tunnel under their own power with an experienced chaperone on board to guide its passage, followed by
9879-550: The tunnels were in the West Riding of Yorkshire . The canal tunnel on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal was authorised by an Act of Parliament on 4 April 1794. Construction of a 5,451-yard (4,984 m) tunnel began months later. Within two years, cost-saving measures pushed back its completion date and progress was slowed by water levels much greater than had been expected. It proved difficult to secure skilled help, some tenders went unanswered and Benjamin Outram withdrew from
9990-404: The upland and lowland landscapes. The landscape is higher and more mountainous in the Yorkshire Dales and North Pennines. The Yorkshire Dales are characterised by valleys, moorlands and fells while the North Pennines consist of plateaus, moorlands, fells, edges and valleys, with most of the higher peaks in the west. Rising less than 3,000 feet (900 m), the Pennines are fells , with most of
10101-434: The use of small tub boats rather than conventional narrow boats, and an inclined plane at Marple instead of locks. Outram having privately voiced his disquiet, Fulton's plans were quietly dropped. At the same time as Outram was working on the lower end, he came under pressure to make progress on the section Bugsworth to Marple, and Samuel Oldknow's coal-pits and lime kilns. Splitting the work in this way possibly contributed to
10212-760: The valley of the River Trent . The Border Moors and Cheviot Hills , which lie beyond the Tyne Gap, are included in some definitions of the range. The range is divided into two by the Aire Gap , a wide pass formed by the valleys of the rivers Aire and Ribble . There are several spurs off the main Pennine range east into Greater Manchester and Lancashire , comprising the Rossendale Fells , West Pennine Moors , and Bowland Fells . The Howgill Fells and Orton Fells in Cumbria are also sometimes considered to be Pennine spurs. The Pennines are an important water catchment area, with numerous reservoirs in
10323-576: The venture. In 1807, Thomas Telford drew up a new plan for its completion. In 1811, the tunnel opened. It is the longest and oldest of the four Standedge tunnels and is the longest, highest, and deepest canal tunnel in the United Kingdom. Having been closed to all traffic in 1943, the canal tunnel was re-opened in May 2001. The first, single-track railway tunnel, built for the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) on its line between Huddersfield and Manchester,
10434-413: The works drained during construction. Outram was the site engineer and Brown was superintendent and surveyor. During July 1795, John Evans was appointed to manage boring the tunnel. By mid-1796, 795 yards (727 m) of tunnel had been cut, some of which had been lined. Considerable effort had been spent constructing small tunnels to supply waterwheels to raise spoil and water from intermediate adits . By
10545-487: The £1,100 overspend recorded in 1795, though there were problems getting the shareholders to meet their commitments. By 1796 this had risen to £4,000, but in August the tramway and the canal opened to Marple. Nevertheless, at the end of 1796, funds from investors were still insufficient to finish the locks and the aqueduct at Marple and Outram was asked to suggest a temporary alternative. He produced two solutions, one to cross
10656-644: Was Common Brittonic . During the Early Middle Ages , the Cumbric language developed. Little evidence of Cumbric remains, so it is difficult to ascertain whether or not it was distinct from Old Welsh . The extent of the region in which Cumbric was spoken is also unknown. During Anglo-Saxon times the area was settled by Anglian peoples of Mercia and Northumbria , rather than the Saxon people of Southern England . Celtic speech remained in most areas of
10767-459: Was also extended at the Diggle end in 1893 by 242 yards (221 m) to accommodate the 1894 rail tunnel. The extensions made the tunnel 5,698 yards (5,210 m) long. A survey carried out before restoration using a modern measuring system gave the length as 5,675 yards (5,189 m), which is the accepted figure. When the tunnel opened, the canal became a through route, 13 years after the rest of
10878-484: Was asked for his advice. He produced a plan, which was followed until the work was completed. On 9 June 1809, both ends of the tunnel met. On 10 December 1810, the first boat passed through. On 26 March 1811, the tunnel was complete and a grand opening ceremony was held on 4 April; a party of invited guests, followed by several working boats, entered the tunnel at Diggle and completed the journey to Marsden in one hour and forty minutes. The tunnel had cost £160,000, making it
10989-432: Was asked for his opinion; he suggested that time could be saved by tunnelling in both directions from Redbrook pit, which was kept dry by a large steam engine. He estimated that it would cost £8,000, but a contractor could not be found and tunnelling continued from both ends. In 1801, Outram resigned after work had stopped for a lengthy period. Brown was dismissed. In late 1804, a sub-committee visited Harecastle Tunnel on
11100-500: Was closed in 1981. The London and North Western Railway acquired the Huddersfield and Manchester Railway in 1847 and built a single-line tunnel parallel to the canal tunnel at Standedge with a length of 3 miles, 57 yards (4803 m). Today rail services along the Huddersfield line between Huddersfield and Victoria and Piccadilly stations in Manchester are operated by TransPennine Express and Northern . Between 1869 and 1876
11211-528: Was completed in 1848. It proved to have insufficient capacity and a second, parallel, single-track tunnel was opened in 1871. The LNWR opened a third, double-track tunnel in 1894. Only the double-track tunnel is currently used for rail traffic; the other two are intact but disused. All four tunnels are linked by cross-tunnels or adits at strategic intervals which allowed the railway tunnels to be built without construction shafts and allowed waste material to be removed by boat. The Standedge Tunnel Visitor Centre, at
11322-438: Was disrupted by strike action by tunnellers and bricklayers over disputes about payment and shift length. In February 1871, the 3-mile-57-yard (4,880 m) second rail tunnel, south of the first, was opened. Even two tunnels could not provide sufficient capacity to satisfy demand and in 1890, the L&NWR embarked on providing four tracks on most of the line which required constructing a new twin-track tunnel. Construction
11433-401: Was done under the guidance of A. A. MacGregor and carried out by 1,800 men who lived in the paper mills at Diggle and 54 wooden huts near the eastern side. Once again the tunnel was driven from adits, this time 13 adits were connected to the first railway tunnel. The canal tunnel was extended at the Diggle end to accommodate the third rail tunnel, which ran close past it. For most of its length,
11544-505: Was one of seven stretches of canal formally designated as remainder waterways that were re-classified by the British Waterways Act 1983 of 8 February 1983. Under the act, a total of 82 route miles (132 km) were upgraded to Cruising Waterway Standard. Bugsworth Basin remained derelict for much longer, but was the subject of long-term restoration attempts by the Inland Waterways Protection Society. It
11655-464: Was promoted by Samuel Oldknow (the largest shareholder) with much of the finance being provided by Richard Arkwright Junior of Cromford , Derbyshire. The line was surveyed by Thomas Brown and the consulting engineer and resident engineer were Benjamin Outram and Thomas Brown, respectively. Work was begun first on the section between Ashton and Hyde Hall, where new coal-pits were being opened, so as to derive some income as soon as possible. Outram
11766-547: Was put into lime kilns to be burnt to produce quick lime . The trade in limestone and quick lime (also known as burnt lime), as well as the transport of coal into the basin for firing the kilns, accounted for the greatest proportion of the Canal Company's income. With the coming of the railways, the canal began to lose its business and in the 1920s the Peak Forest Tramway and Bugsworth Basin closed. Later,
11877-418: Was slightly shorter, took seven years to build despite the work being done by the same contractor, Thomas Nicholson. The tunnel was driven and lined by up to 1,953 navvies working 36 faces. The tunnel advanced at up to 85 yards (78 m) per week. Nine men died during its construction. In 1848, the central single-track tunnel was completed by the London and North Western Railway (L&NWR), who had acquired
11988-537: Was somewhat delayed by a request from the committee to report on ideas by Robert Fulton who had been awarded the contract for the cuttings at Werneth . These would have replaced the stone construction of Marple Aqueduct by a somewhat flimsy cast iron trough. Outram, who was experiencing problems with the Holmes Aqueduct on the Derby Canal , was well aware of potential weaknesses. Fulton had also suggested
12099-437: Was still a great of work to be done at the lower end—the driving of Hyde Bank Tunnel proving a particular problem—and the railway and aqueduct saw little use until the canal finally opened along its full length in 1800. The upper level of the canal and tramway opened for trade on 31 August 1796 and Bugsworth Basin soon became a bustling interchange between the tramway and canal. Brown and Outram's efforts were much assisted by
12210-545: Was to provide an outlet for the vast limestone deposits around Dove Holes . As Dove Holes is over 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, the canal was terminated in a basin at Bugsworth in Derbyshire and the line was continued up to the quarries by means of a gravity-operated feeder tramway, known as the Peak Forest Tramway , which was 6 miles (9.7 km) long. The construction of the canal and tramway
12321-447: Was unified the Pennines were incorporated. The mix of Celtic, Anglo-Saxon and Viking heritage resembled much of the rest of northern England and its culture developed alongside its lowland neighbours in northwest and northeast England. The Pennines were not a distinct political polity , but were divided between neighbouring counties in northeast and northwest England; a major part was in the West Riding of Yorkshire . The Pennine region
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