MORE people may be able to travel through the Standedge Tunnel.
Brian Badminton became the first person to take an old-style narrow boat between Diggle and Marsden.
He said: “Although several modern boats have been through the tunnel under their own power, this is the first time ever in the history of the canal that a vintage engine with an exhaust on the roof has gone through.”
There were no ventilation problems during the two-hour journey.
Mr Badminton, who lives on a narrow boat in Aspley Basin, hopes more boats will be able to use the tunnel.
He said: “I hope this leads to British Waterways allowing more boats of this type into the tunnel rather than having boats tugged through.”
Mr Badminton, 57, took his 1946 vintage 60ft narrow boat through Standedge Tunnel on September 19.
