The Merritt Tunnel (The Blue Ghost Tunnel)

Merritt Tunnel while in operation

In 1867, the Prime Minister, Sir John A MacDonald, first announced his government's plans to construct a third Welland Canal. The first canal had been completed in 1829 (made with wooden locks) and the second, constructed with stone locks, had followed in 1842-45. Almost immediately, however, it was clear that, with the ever –increasing size of ships, longer and deeper locks were needed. Regardless, it was not until 1871 that the Dominion Parliament officially authorized a second enlargement to the Welland Canal. It was then another year before work began. The third Canal would take from 1872 until 1881 to complete, with modifications continuing until 1887.

Unlike the second canal, which essentially followed the route of the first, the third canal would bypass the traditional route north of the escarpment of the following existing river valleys. Instead, it would align on a direct route from Port Dalhousie to Thorold. This, among other things, immediately created a challenge for the railway. In 1853 the great Western had formally opened its Niagara Line, running from Hamilton to just outside Niagara Falls. It was laid out in roughly a straight line.  With the new, intended route of the third canal, decisions needed to be made where – and how – the rail line would cross. This caused long and serious debate.  Canal planners initially proposed a swing bridge, which would allow canal traffic to pass.  The railroad, however, rejected this idea, fearing constant schedule delays from passing ships, as well as posing potential safety hazards.   Debate continued. What was finally decided upon was a tunnel.  Great Western, in fact, elected to build a new line that would follow a board sweeping curve to the south, away from the main line. Trains would pass through a tunnel, under the new Lock 18, and then curve back to merge once again with the main line, just east of the canal.

Construction of the tunnel was entrusted by the railroad to Francis Shanly – the younger of the two Shanly brothers.  Walter and Francis Shanly were Irish born civil engineers, who had already established their reputations as accomplished railroad designers and contractors.  The Shanly brothers, for example, had been responsible for building the Toronto to Guelph line (part of the Grand Trunk RR).  They are now in North American Railroad Hall of Fame.

There is some debate over when construction of the tunnel actually began.  Some place the start in April of 1875 when the Great Western was officially awarded the contract for construction.  Others, as late as 1879 or even 1880.  What is certain is that it took roughly a year to build and its official opening did not take place until February of 1881.

Construction of the tunnel began as a trench – as if for a channel of water.  The stone vault was then built over the trench, using hand cut limestone blocks from the Queenston quarry.  Once completed, the vault was then covered over with some soil and the canal reach then laid over top of it.  In fact, only 3’ of earth separates the tunnel from the water of the lock 18.  Water still flows over the disused tunnel to this day, and remnants can be seen of the dam, erected to produce the reservoir behind the west side of the lock, used to regulate the water level in the lock itself.

Construction of the tunnel, showing the curve

Its construction was not without controversy.  For example, “the ever-watchful Thorold Post” reported that the roof of the tunnel was only 4’ above the height of the railroad cars that would be passing through it.  This contravened Federal law concerning headway which stipulated a 7’ clearance.  Ultimately the tunnel would be exempted from the ruling.  The Post would eventually concede, however, that an excellent roadbed had been laid and that the tunnel was “one of the finest pieces of masonry on the new canal ... much admired.”  Completed, the tunnel, with its gentle arc, measured 665’ - 713’, when accounting for the winged stonework at both ends – as well as 16’ wide and 18’ high.  Most importantly, for the ultimate future of the tunnel, it was single track.  The official opening of what was now being called the Merritt tunnel, in honour of William Hamilton Merritt, took place on February 28, 1881, when a Grand Trunk Railway train passed through the tunnel, carrying various public and railway dignitaries.  (Great Western had constructed the tunnel, but negotiations were in process at the time for a merger with GTRR.  In 1882 an amalgamation would be approved by Great Western shareholders, and, in 1884, Canadian Parliament would officially recognize the merger.)

Not unexpectedly, construction of the tunnel came at a cost. Much of the work was done by hundreds of men, armed with picks and shovels and assisted by horse power.  Reports suggest that at least 2 people died during the actually building – one being a 14-year-old boy, who was crushed by a “large rock”. Their deaths are listed among the estimated 107 people who died during the buildings of the third canal.  Another danger was created from conception with the building of a single-track tunnel, necessitating constant care to coordinate passing trains. 

Despite best efforts, various “incidents” took place over the tunnel’s operational history; the first taking place in August of 1882, not a year and a half after its opening, when the first head on collision took place.  Others followed, the worst being on Jan 3, 1903, when GTR #4 express train collided with a Mogul steam locomotive, fortunately running light (no train), a few hundred yards from the west tunnel entrance.  The trains were travelling at 22 miles per hour at the time.  The one fireman, M. Charles Horning was killed instantly, while the fireman from the other train, Abraham Desult, sustained burns to 90% of his body.  He died 5 hours after the accident at St. Catharines General Hospital.  Finally, if keeping trains from meeting was not troublesome enough, there was another ever- present danger.   This housed a guard whose job was, not to watch for saboteurs, but to keep farm animals from entering the tunnel and impeding traffic!

The Bridge constructed in 1915, which made the tunnel redundant

Much like the canal itself, the tunnel’s usefulness began to decline almost from its opening.  Accommodating a single track limited its efficiency, especially given the fact the GTRR completed laying its double track network in 1887.  In addition, the lower tunnel clearance that was finally allowed became increasingly problematic, as engines and coaches became progressively bigger.  Consequently, the tunnel was gradually fazed out of service.  In 1915, Harry Eastwood became the last person to officially pilot a train through the tunnel.  The railroad had earlier made the decision to go back to the original proposal made in the 1870’s of a swing bridge, that would take the main line over the canal.  In 1915, a double track Steel Howe truss bridge was constructed near Lock 17 to carry the mainline traffic.  The canal would pass under the western half of the bridge, which was designed to swing to allow for passing ships.  The railroad had finally relented and would just put up with the delays!  This bridge is still in use today.  It’s opening rendered the southern loop and tunnel obsolete.  For a time, the tunnel would continue to be used by area farmers to relocate their herds of cattle to fields across the canal.  Eventually, flooding closed the eastern end of the tunnel - seepage from the lock reservoir – and the western entrance became hidden by trees and heavy brush.  It appeared destined to be forgotten in time.  But not quite!

Rediscovered in recent decades by amateur historians, hikers and adventure seekers, the tunnel started to become an attraction.  This only accelerated with internet and posting of Thorold’s “blue ghost tunnel”; apparitions having been supposedly seen, heard and/or the dark, damp, eerie tunnel.  It was fed by stories of accidents- real or fiction - that had taken place in or near the tunnel. It was also fed by rumors of a nearby cemetery, supposedly flooded with the creation of the lock 18 reservoir and weirs.  In fact, the old St. Peter’s cemetery, which was close by, had been flooded, but not until the 1920’s with the creation of pondage for the 4th canal.  It is believed to have contained approximately 900 graves, roughly 300 of which were relocated to Lakeview cemetery (opened in 1886).  The rest were flooded over – as proven in April of 2009 when a treasure seeker, armed with a metal detector, uncovered the remains of a coffin.  This prompted the Seaway to drain the pondage and have an archaeological study done – confirming the longstanding rumors concerning the fate of the cemetery years earlier.

In 2005, plans were made to try and stabilize the tunnel and officially make it part of a heritage hiking trail.  Heavy flooring and ceiling supports, where the tunnel passes under the lock, were installed.  It was decided, however, that ongoing flooding/seepage issues and gradual erosion of the vaulted ceiling would make it too costly to maintain.  Thus for safety, cost and liability reasons, in 2006 the St. Lawrence Seaway elected to wall-up the west end of the tunnel – with what appears to be a jail cell door on the right side for emergency seaway personnel to enter.  Because of the flooding, only a low chain fence was installed on the east of the tunnel.  To this day, people continue to break holes in the west wall to gain entry.  Graffiti despoils the inside of the tunnel.  The chain fence from the east end of the tunnel is gone, but a few people are adventurous enough to enter from that end.  It requires hiking through brush and wetland to reach.  The Seaway continues to monitor the property and to enter, while not only increasingly dangerous, is also, legally, federal trespass!  They intend to leave the tunnel to history and eventual collapse.  That will be a sad day!