Haunted Waterways - Ghost Tour 2001.

 In mid-2001, Carlton Television contacted the WMGC to enquire whether we would be interested in conducting an investigation into the Dudley Tunnel - part of the extensive canal network that runs under Castle Hill, Dudley. The ensuing vigil would have been filmed and broadcast as part of the documentary series - 'Water Ways' - which focuses on the history of the Midlands canal system.

 Unfortunately, as it transpired, the aforementioned proceedings never took place. Due to schedule problems, Carlton T.V. eventually had to shorten the amount of time being dedicated to this particular topic and ended up cancelling all arrangements.......

Somewhat ironically, during early September 2001, the local press began running advertisements for a very brief series of 'Spooky Excursions' along the Dudley Tunnel system:

"Ghost Tours 2001 - Explore under Castle Hill and visit the sites of unusual, mysterious and grisly incidents dating from the 18th Century to the present day. You will be transported by boat and travel through tunnels, mines and caverns....."

While the idea of a commercial 'Ghost Tour' would usually have Club members dashing for the nearest sick bucket, this particular enterprise struck us as sufficiently 'out of the ordinary' as to merit investigation. Sheer bad luck had already put pay to the group's chances of taking part in an official vigil at the site in question - and, unfortunately, a request for a private visit following the cancellation of the T.V. appearance was immediately denied!

Subsequently, the group had been contacted by someone claiming to be able to ‘organise’ a private investigation of the area for us, but, unfortunately, their efficiency in such matters was evidently not as good as they had thought!!  As a result – and due to the following ‘Most Haunted’ involvement with the site – the group never did get to investigate the tunnels privately!!!

Ghosts, Murders And Gruesome Death: Tour Notes....

All of the information below is taken from a cassette recording made by a Ghost Club member during the Ghost Tour. We cannot personally vouch for the validity of any of the stories noted below, but a spokesperson for Dudley Canal Trust Ltd. assured us that the researchers concerned had all done a thorough job on chasing up relevant tales and sources.

On Oct. the 8th, 1964, the tour boat 'Electra' entered Castle Mill Basin with some 30 to 40 passengers on board. A man situated at the front of the boat began indicating towards the nearby entrance to the Wrens Nest Tunnel and everyone on board looked up to see the figures of two children seemingly standing just above the water level..... As the boat moved a little further into the basin, it suddenly swung sharply to the left - towards the entrance of the aforementioned tunnel - completely bereft of human control!

Local legend has it that two children, one eight and the other twelve, made a raft one day and attempted to paddle themselves through the Wrens Nest Tunnel. Sadly, a sudden gust of wind struck the raft, capsizing it, and both of the children drowned.

On October the 8th 1999, a Medium is said to have been invited to take a trip into the lengthly network of tunnels and caves, in an endeavour to cast light on some of the supernatural stories associated with the site. She immediately reported that a great many people had lost their lives in the mines and around about that general area.

As the boat carrying the Medium passed directly under the covered air shaft in the Tipton Tunnel, she suddenly exclaimed: "It was there, it was there - 1906 they're telling me, it was there......." Strangely, no further information was offered on this rather dramatic outburst and no explanation has ever surfaced to account for what was said?

Upon entering Shirts Mill Tunnel, the Medium said: "Write down the name Lilly Baxter - they're telling me 1926...." She claimed that another woman was apparently crying at her side - a woman who had lost her husband who went by the name of George Fell.

He supposedly used to mine ore in the area and had disappeared one night, never to return. Apparently, she is still wandering around down there, vainly searching for him.

At this point it is said that the medium suddenly claimed she just couldn't go on and the boat had to immediately turn back to base!

On the left hand side of Shirts Mill Basin is 'Murder Mine' - so named because, during the 1950's, when the cavern was being cleaned out, an unidentified female skeleton was discovered here.

Lights have been reported turning themselves on and off in the limestone cavern called 'Little Tess'. Once part of a much larger cave, 'Dark Cavern', metal roller shutters - used to seal the area off at night - have been found lowered during daylight hours, stopping boats from entering. On occasion, a mysterious figure has been seen standing next to the entrance of the tunnel, and, at times, the cavern is said to go icy cold.

During the 1980's, when the canal system was being restored, a photograph was taken of the men working inside the cavern. Upon having the shot developed, it was noticed that there were some 25 people in the image - one more than could actually be accounted for! The 25th man was never identified! It was here that one Thomas Baker - a young miner - was crushed to death by tons of falling rock in the mid-19th Century.

In the area known at the 'Singing Cavern', only 12 miners were ever allowed to work there at any one time due to loss of life through rock fall. During the renovation of the caverns, a JCB driver, working alone, supposedly heard someone calling out his name. The incident had such an effect on the man, he apparently never came back to work there again!

One barge Skipper reports having clearly seen someone passing across a raised section of walkway in front of his boat. Strangely, his 50 or so passengers saw nothing at all? Again - apart from the people situated on the boat - the cavern was known to be completely empty...

From time to time, footsteps are heard walking around 'Singing Cavern'. One Miner, John Whitehouse, is recorded as being crushed to death here under falling rock, while another, William Mc. Master, was literally 'blown to smithereens' in a premature explosion as he packed explosives into rods.

A 'Phantom Legger' was once associated with the Dudley Tunnel itself. Legend has it that he was said to appear to passing boat skippers and endeavour to 'leg' their barges through the tunnel for them! (Very accommodating!) Occasionally, the sound of a mouth organ has been heard playing in the tunnel. In years gone by it was not unknown for local children to steal a boat and take a ride down into the tunnel. One such child is believed to have been sitting at the bow of the boat - playing his mouth organ - when he slipped and fell into the water and, unfortunately, was crushed to death.

In 1926, a young man was murdered just above the entrance to Quarry Pit Shaft that leads into the Dudley Tunnel. Bargees are said to have reported seeing balls of mist floating in the centre of the tunnel. As the boat draws near - they mysteriously vanish. At times, sparkling lights have also been seen hovering. Again - as the boat approaches, they too disappear.......