Barnsdale Tunnel - West Yorkshire, July 2020.
Situated on the Hull & Barnsley railway, the 1226 yard Barnsdale Tunnel was opened on the 20th July 1885, westbound traffic would emerge from the tunnel and head towards Wrangbrook Jn which was the diverging point for the Wath & Denaby branch lines, the tunnel was bored through magnesium limestone a rather hard type of rock, the eastern portal is a couple hundred yards from the A1 motorway close to the Barnsdale Bar service station, the tunnel design is of same construction as Drewton & Brierley which are also on the H&BR. All three air shafts have been capped off at ground level they are located at 310, 630 & 930yards from the western entrance. The tunnel finally closed in April 1959 although little traffic used the line from several months prior! a set of buffer stops remained at the western end until 1967 as part of a headshunt until the tracks were lifted. There’s clear evidence of repair work although perhaps not very recent...
So to the explore... this was the second visit having tried earlier in the year the camera batteries died on my after 20/30mins unfortunately so I had to abandon and thankfully now the lockdown restrictions have been lifted I’ve made a small push to get through several on the list to visit! Anyhow access of the tunnel was via the eastern portal close the the A1 I figured less activity at this end and less to walk, there’s a road that goes over the tunnel to the east , parked there and followed a path through the trees towards the A1 and down into the cutting, ladders up and in passing the CCTV camera as we went... a very poor fake but I gave them a smile nonetheless, the tunnel was fairly dry for the most part, Mist played havoc several times it got so bad at one point it was tools down and wait for it to pass which it did after 30mins so pics were taken in the clear spells I’m guessing it was down to the heat / rain causing it to pushing easterly through the tunnel or perhaps it was Sharon
: pausing for a moment at “Sharon’s Spring” to address any spiritual goings on... it was a nice explore not much colour in the western half mainly in the eastern end, three air shafts all capped but free of any major water ingress, I may have to return here in time to readdress some images with hopefully less mist! I can’t think of anything else to say so enjoy the pics 
Thanks for looking.
:
Situated on the Hull & Barnsley railway, the 1226 yard Barnsdale Tunnel was opened on the 20th July 1885, westbound traffic would emerge from the tunnel and head towards Wrangbrook Jn which was the diverging point for the Wath & Denaby branch lines, the tunnel was bored through magnesium limestone a rather hard type of rock, the eastern portal is a couple hundred yards from the A1 motorway close to the Barnsdale Bar service station, the tunnel design is of same construction as Drewton & Brierley which are also on the H&BR. All three air shafts have been capped off at ground level they are located at 310, 630 & 930yards from the western entrance. The tunnel finally closed in April 1959 although little traffic used the line from several months prior! a set of buffer stops remained at the western end until 1967 as part of a headshunt until the tracks were lifted. There’s clear evidence of repair work although perhaps not very recent...
So to the explore... this was the second visit having tried earlier in the year the camera batteries died on my after 20/30mins unfortunately so I had to abandon and thankfully now the lockdown restrictions have been lifted I’ve made a small push to get through several on the list to visit! Anyhow access of the tunnel was via the eastern portal close the the A1 I figured less activity at this end and less to walk, there’s a road that goes over the tunnel to the east , parked there and followed a path through the trees towards the A1 and down into the cutting, ladders up and in passing the CCTV camera as we went... a very poor fake but I gave them a smile nonetheless, the tunnel was fairly dry for the most part, Mist played havoc several times it got so bad at one point it was tools down and wait for it to pass which it did after 30mins so pics were taken in the clear spells I’m guessing it was down to the heat / rain causing it to pushing easterly through the tunnel or perhaps it was Sharon
: pausing for a moment at “Sharon’s Spring” to address any spiritual goings on... it was a nice explore not much colour in the western half mainly in the eastern end, three air shafts all capped but free of any major water ingress, I may have to return here in time to readdress some images with hopefully less mist! I can’t think of anything else to say so enjoy the pics Thanks for looking.
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Cheers for the comment
