Blisworth Tunnel
Opened 25 March 1805
Blisworth Tunnel is 3,076 yards (2813 m) long making it one of the longest navicable tunnels in the country and forms part of the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire, between the villages of Stoke Bruerne at the southern end and Blisworth at the northern end.
Work began on the construction of the tunnel in 1793 but was not completed until 1805 due to water ingress issues and the need to re-align the direction of the tunnel.
Due to the delays, the rest of the Grand Junction had already been opened whilst the tunnel was still being built. In order to bridge the gap in the canal a temporary horse-drawn tramway was constructed which ran over the hill. This meant transferring goods from canal to wagon and back to canal and was in regular use from its construction in 1801 until the tunnel opened in 1805.
For a full history of the building of the tunnel and canal life, please visit the museum.
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