East of Desolation Infrastructure, decay, urban exploration and discovery…

Northern City Line

GO! came the voice from the shadows as a gap in the traffic opened up... I launched myself up and over the gate, into the desolate scrub beyond.  Joining my fellow adventurers in the shadows, only Tom remained.   We finished our access, on the Northern City Line, just off the end of a brightly lit station.

Turning away from the station, we entered the tunnel.  All 5 of us wary of what might lay ahead...

Once part of the Great Northern Electrics Line, the Northern City Line runs from Moorgate to Finsbury Park in London.  Opened in 1904, the line is now a Network Rail line, run by First Capital Connect.  The tunnels are 16' (4.9m) in diameter, and for the most part, low clearance once you stray away from stations...

Splitting away from the station, into limited clearance

Stunning brick vaults and iron clad tunnels are the theme of the day here.  This is a huge underground space.  The separate tunnels are just under 5m high.

The guys in the mouth of the tunnels

Gary, shooting

Progressing up the tunnels, we moved swiftly, only stopping for a break when we reached an alcove which connected the two tunnels.  Walking the tunnels is an experience which I will always find difficult to explain to someone who has never done it.  Half the time, you are just walking in a tunnel.  It's fine.  The other half the time, you are peering ahead, looking for the next alcove, listening behind for that rush of air, watching the tunnel lights remain on, and keeping an eye out front and rear for the tell-tale bobbing lights of workers.

Taking a break in an alcove, connecting the two tunnels, Gary set up for a shot down the tunnels.  It all started to go a little Pete Tong from here.  Those tell-tale bobbing lights had appeared in the distance.  Track workers!  And they were definitely moving.  Towards us!  We were stuck between a rock and a hard place, between us and our exit, were track workers... A snap decision was made.  We would press on, up the tunnel.  There was a disused section further up, and it only contained rubbish and ballast.  Unless they had seen us, we would be safe in there.  Gingerly, we stepped out into the other tunnel, and swiftly made our way, hearts in mouth, adrenaline pumping, into the dark, unlit section of disused tunnel.  About a hundred metres in, we sat in silence, waiting.  Hearts in our mouths, we waited for fate to take its course.  The doorway at the end of our tunnel began to glow.  It became brighter, and it was evident that the workers were at the entrance.  We sat.  We waited.  And just as suddenly, the light disappeared.  We breathed a (silent!) sigh of relief.  We waited a little longer and gingerly made our way back to the live tunnels, back to the station and after a brief encounter with a freight train, back to the cars!  Our ordeal was over.  We were finally safe, until the next time...