'Twas always the rumour.
I'm assuming that the P8 and Coalpithole streams merge under the quarry somewhere, possibly around this point, and then the combined flow heads SE under Eldon Hole before swinging NE toward New Rake. Somewhere around the Linacre area, I would expect another break or branch to occur, with the water possibly heading N for a short while. It's all guesswork, BTW - no new data, just endless re-reading of what's available.
I'm also guessing that there's another fault similar and parallel to Stemple Highway, but further west, maybe around Linacre, and that's what causes the water to change direction.
Incidentally, Roger Flindall's "Mines, Quarries and Murders in the Peak District", a PDMHS special bulletin (not yet online but available to buy at the museum) includes strong hints that the legendary shaft at the bottom of Eldon Hole was a total wind-up, and possibly one perpetrated by Lloyd himself...I'll dig it out and check the text...