Chapter 4Types of Tunnel
(A) Tight and Nasty
As its name implies this tunnel is a long a slender design. The Sir Cliff Richard tunnel on the site of the proposed second runway at Manchester in 1997, was, apart from the living areas, designed with tunnels that were at their widest point 2 and half feet by one and a half feet high. The narrower the tunnel the less need generally for shoring. The protester will go some way to strengthen the tunnel anyway with his or her own body from crawling in and out daily and compacting the soil. The narrow construction means the Bailiffs will have to remove a great deal more soil than they would have to with the doored and shored tunnel as well as having to shore the whole tunnel. There were over 5 tunnels at Manchester airport but not enough materials or people with facilities to make doors for all of them. The Tight and Nasty Cliff Richard tunnel thus relied on extremely narrow passages, minimal shoring, and tight turns to slow up the bailiff. The disadvantage with this type of tunnel is that it is difficult to dig and get soil out of. Even if doors become available moving them through the tunnel is almost impossible. If you're broad shouldered and not of slim, medium build then you should forget it.
Lying on your stomach with your arms outstretched to chip away at the tunnel face is an extremely tiring way of digging. With so little space for air to circulate you may find you're out of breath and needing to come out before your arms tire. Working in such a position that prevents rapid retreat should a collapse occur, a wise tunneller will always have someone waiting to grab their ankles and pull them out. So while this description may dissuade all but the most over zealous it should be remembered that badgers,foxes and of course moles dig small tunnels not much larger than their own bodies and have managed to survive quite happily for centuries without any shoring and without the health and safety executive coming down and going bananas.
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