The biggest engineering challenge to face the Worcester and Hereford Railway was the Malvern Hills, at 1,567 yards Colwall Tunnel was driven under the hillside almost entirely by hand and reportedly through some of the hardest rock in the country! After several years of punishing work the tunnel opened on the 17th September 1861, Its mentioned during construction around the mid way point due to to igneous malvern rock advancements as little as 6 inches per day were recorded, two ventilation shafts were driven down with one being 600ft in depth, It’s recorded that in 1907 a section of tunnel collapsed around the base one of the shafts shortly after the passage of a goods train believed to be due to the immense water pressures bearing down on the tunnels lining something that had caused issues during its construction due to the shear amount of natural springs within the surrounding areas. In 1924 construction started on a new wider tunnel bore adjacent to the original bore, which opened on the 2nd August 1926 with the old tunnel closing for good on the same day, however it gained a brief reprieve during WW2 for storing munitions which saw it furnished with a concrete floor and a narrow gauge railway, shortly after the war had finished the tunnel fell back into disuse and the tunnel portals were sealed for good, today Colwall Old Tunnel forms part of the Malvern Hills Sites of Special Scientific Interests, and it’s been reported that it’s inhabited by more than 200 hibernating lesser horseshoe bats, but otherwise it’s abandoned and inaccessible. The Ledbury Area Cycle Forum have promoted plans to reopen the tunnel as a recreational and utility facility for cyclists and walkers. Contractors on behalf of Network Rail periodically inspect the old tunnel for safety purposes.
- Colwall Old Tunnel -
.The now flooded northern portal unsure if access can be sort from this end as couldn’t get close due to the depth of water standing.
.Looking south from the same position, Those cablehangers still remain nearly all still intact. Ahead is a block wall unsure of its intended purpose.
.Closer view of the mystery wall, note the bare rock face in the refuge, some debris from the building of the wall litters the tunnel floor.
.Having navigated the wall, this is the view that greets me looking south, the concrete floor laid during WW2 clearly visible, this section of tunnel is or appears to be in good condition.
.Looking back at the southern side of the mystery wall, note the difference in refuge heights.
.Similar view although the spalling of the brickwork now more evident, heavy soot deposits still hang off the walls.
.A lot of debris in this area lots to be heavily rotten wood, the next obstacle just visible in the far distance.
.A clean section of tunnel, the heavily sooted walls have turned white, Note the now yellow colored rock in the refuge.
.Ahead 20-30ft of tunnel required strengthening, It looks as thought the wall was constructed then it was back filled from the south side with a steel pipe fitted to allow for access and maintain some form of air qulaity. Refuge No.59 on the left.
.Closer view of the “Wall with the Hole”, note the lesser spotted Long bat on the wall.
.Looking down the glory hole.
.Now on the southern side the tunnel looks a lot more unstable with various attempts of strengthening evident believe these were added during the tunnels brief reprieve during WW2.
.The less appealing side of the plug, a few hundred tonnes of aggregate hold the tunnel stable, A small section of the crown has begun spalling and started fall.
.A rather decaying view looking south, a lot of spalling and some significant bulging in the walls.
.Similar view looking south again.
.Looking north some movement in the lining is visible, also note the use of stone masonry vice brick.
.A heavily calcited shaft, unusually off centered construction.
.Second view of the shaft, a lot of water ingress in this area.
.A colorful view north.
.Some slight bulging in the lower walls just visible.
.Refuge No.107
.3rd obstacle ahead.
.Calcite deposits
.A failure in the tunnel lining has led to a substantial collapse.
.Light at the end of the tunnel.
.Looking back south towards the collapse, note the metal work in the refuge.
.Refuge No.122.
.Concrete floor visible again, Refuge No.124 on the left a rather clean section of tunnel again.
.The final refuge No.127.
.The southern “Hereford” portal, well hidden in dense undergrowth.
Thanks for looking.
