Standing at 645 feet above sea level is Britain's longest, highest and deepest canal tunnel. A feat of early industrial engineering, Standedge Tunnel was built 200 years ago using pickaxes and dynamite. As well as tunneling from both ends, shafts were sunk from the hill above - in places 600 feet above the tunnel and in spite of not having modern equipment such as Global Postioning Systems and lasers, all the ends met up. Live many other grand civil engineering projects it was completed well behind schedule and way over budget with investors being asked to dig ever deeper into their pockets. Unfortunately the Huddersfield Narrow Canal lost out to the Rochdale Canal with it's broad locks. The 70' long, 7' wide narrow boats that used the Narrow Canal could not progress past Huddersfield along the Huddersfield Broad Canal which had 14' wide locks that were only 56' long. Likewise the barges that could use the Broad Canal could not use the narrow locks of the Narrow Canal. Those factors together with railway competion eventually forced the closure of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal by Act of Parliament in 1944.

Determined that such a feat of engineering should not be lost forever, the Huddersfield Canal Society began a lengthy campaign to restore the canal in the early 1970's and by the 1980's work had begun. A short stretch of canal was restored at Uppermill by Society volunteers than the stretch from the Tunnel End at Marsden to Slaithwaite was restored by workers on various goverment schemes. The establishment of a National Lottery in 1994 generated the money that was needed to complete the restoration of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal at the beginning of the 21st Century.

Here you can try out the various hands-on displays including a 'legging machine' where you can discover for yourself how boats were propelled through the tunnel in days gone by.

Standedge Visitor Centre

Visitor Centre Information

Admission to Visitor Centre Including Short Boat Trip Into The Tunnel

Family Ticket

Group Bookings (Minimum of 12) (Please book 3 Days prior to visit)

Information For Boaters

Please book at least 3 days prior to journey

Health and Safety In The Tunnel

All private boats have to be towed through Standedge Tunnel by an electric tug. Engines cannot be used due to lack of adequate ventilation in the tunnel. All boat passengers have to travel in the Boat Passenger Module. This will ease evacuation via the cross headings and disused railway tunnels in the event of an emergency.

Hikers Ticket

Those wishing to experience the through trip of Standedge Tunnel but do not have a boat can do so on the Boat Passenger Module (dependant on availability). £6.00

Contact

Standedge Visitor Centre,
Waters Road,
Marsden,
Huddersfield,
West Yorkshire,
HD7 6NQ.

TELEPHONE: (01484) 844292 or +44 (0) 1484 844292 if dialing from outside the U.K.

FAX: (01484) 841968 or +44 (0) 1484 841968 if faxing from outside the U.K.

E-MAIL: info@standedge.co.uk

WEBSITE: www.standedge.co.uk