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CANAL TUNNELS OF LONDON


DARKNESS BENEATH THE STREETS

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History

Home > History > Canal Tunnels

All London's canal tunnels are on the Regent's Canal. Are there two, or three
canal tunnels? Only two are generally recognised today, Islington Tunnel (960
yards, or 886 metres) and Maida Hill Tunnel (272 yards or 251 metres). In fact a
third very short tunnel exists, Eyre's tunnel, (53 yards or 48 metres) under
Lisson Grove. Today this is sometimes incorrectly assumed to be a bridge. Maida
Hill and Eyre's tunnels were opened in 1816 and are near to the junction with
the Grand Junction Canal's Paddington Arm which is now known as Little Venice.
Islington Tunnel was opened in 1820 along with the completion of the canal, a
procession of boats passing through with a band playing, to be met by a salute
of cannon fire as they emerged at the eastern end.





Islington Tunnel is the major engineering work of the Regent's Canal. The
engineer who built it was the Regent's Canal's engineer, James Morgan. The early
print illustrated to the left shows the west portal, probably in the very early
days of the tunnel before the introduction of a steam tug. It also interestingly
illustrates the type of open horse drawn boat in use at that time, confirmed by
other contemporary illustrations. The photograph to the right shows the same
portal in 1998, at sunset. It is just possible to see the light at the other
end!

The Company initially launched a competition for the design of the tunnel. The
advertisement was placed in August, 1812, but elucidated little response. A
committee of three eminent engineers, Nicholson, Walker, and Jessop, were to be
judges. They received only wild ideas and the prize of 100 guineas was awarded
to a copy of a Jessop design, which was evidently not considered suitable. The
competition having been something of a fiasco, James Morgan was ordered to get
on with it and so he did. There were delays in starting work as a result of the
usual difficulty - landowners! Work must have started in 1814 for in January
1815 four of the six shafts had been constructed and 140 yards of tunnel built.

By March 250 yards had been built and all four shafts were linked at tunnel
level. Tunnels were built by the process of sinking shafts at intervals to the
required depth, and then lowering men and equipment down to dig, and, it was
hoped, meet. Accurate survey work was essential in order to locate the shafts in
the correct place and dig them to the correct depth. That the tunnel is more or
less straight indicates that this was done well, although difficulties meant
that headings, small pilot bores, had to be constructed between shafts initially
to ensure it. Things did not progress quite so well later in the project
however, and Morgan found the earth through which he was digging to be a lot
less stable than had been anticipated. A vein of stone caused ingress of water.

Mindful as he doubtless was of the collapse of a road tunnel at Highgate in
north London, Morgan used substantial temporary support structures and used
stronger brickwork and in places additional brick lining to add strength.
Springs were encountered in the digging of the shafts which made extra work
necessary. The tunnel cost nearly £40,000 to build, a great deal more than had
been anticipated. This was hardly unusual, and indeed even today major civil
engineering projects frequently end up costing much more than expected! The
tunnel was completed at the end of 1818 although not opened for business
straight away. The picture (above, right) is of the east portal of the tunnel in
1999.



The tunnel was at first operated by "legging", whereby men lying on their backs
on planks aboard the boat walked the vessel through against the side walls. This
was slow, hard, and caused a great deal of delay. In 1826 a steam chain tug was
introduced, one of the earliest uses of steam power on the canals. On one
occasion in 1880 it caught fire and sank.The picture to the right shows the tug
in 1924 (from the film Barging Through London) The chain was secured at each end
of the tunnel and the tug pulled itself and a train of barges by winding the
chain around a barrel on board. This means of haulage survived over 100 years
until the 1930s when boats with engines became commonplace. The caption from the
film (above, left) makes clear the conditions in which the boat and tug crews
had to work!.

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During the winter period at the start of 2000, Islington Tunnel was closed for
extensive repairs (pictured, left). In June 1818 Thomas Telford inspected the
tunnel and is quoted as describing it as "Perfect, the materials and workmanship
excellent, and its direction perfectly straight". It has lasted 183 years, so
far!

Maida Hill Tunnel was the first to be built, starting in 1812. A spring was
struck during the construction resulting in some casualties amongst the workmen
and a substantial delay. A great many wooden supports were needed to shore up
the tunnel but these difficulties were eventually overcome. The route of the
tunnel had to be altered and its length because of opposition from a Mr Portman.
This diversion also made necessary the small Eyre's tunnel under what is now
Lisson Grove



Maida Hill Tunnel from the west. A restaurant overlooks the tunnel mouth, giving
luncheon customers a first rate view of the frequently passing trip boats, in
summer.



Maida Hill Tunnel east portal. The portal is disfigured by the ugly design of
the housing for electricity supply cables which are routed under the towpath.

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Eyre's Tunnel from the west. It carries Lisson Grove over the canal.





The short Eyre's tunnel is the only one with a towpath, now fenced. The East
portal, over which a building now hangs.