[Talk-GB] mapping tunnels

Andy Robinson Andy_J_Robinson at blueyonder.co.uk
Fri Sep 28 00:02:26 BST 2007


Thom Shannon wrote:
>Sent: 27 September 2007 11:19 PM
>To: talk-gb at openstreetmap.org
>Subject: [Talk-GB] mapping tunnels
>
>Does anyone have any suggestions how to map a long tunnel? I know how to
>tag the ways, the issue is where does the tunnel go. You can't exactly
>get a GPS trace! I want to map the tunnels under the Mersey. The
>queensway tunnel has 3 exits, all at slightly odd angles and there is a
>junction in the middle of the tunnel.
>
>Do you think I could figure out some reasonable positions using a cars
>odometer and a compass? Or does it not really matter that much?
>
>Another option just occurred, the tunnel was started in 1925, so any
>maps from that era would be out of copyright. Perhaps a trip to the
>library?
>


We were hoping to have access to a clever bit of data gathering kit that
could chomp on all the main road tunnels. We even listed them all somewhere,
though I can't find it on the wiki. Alas that has come to nothing so I
always said that as a tunnel engineer I should be able to get them mapped.
Perhaps its time to put my thinking cap on again.

Various people have had grand designs to use wii's and the like to detect
motion and movement, but I think a simpler method is good enough in most
cases and you raise a very good point that in many cases these tunnels are
more than 50 years old and their routes can probably be gleaned from out of
copyright OS mapping.

A trip to the Library may indeed be a sound idea.

Cheers

Andy

Andy Robinson
Andy_J_Robinson at blueyonder.co.uk






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