History:
Farleigh Down Tunnel was constructed in WW2 to connect the Monkton Farleigh quarry (which was converted into an ammunition storage site) to the railway network. It closed in the 1960s and some sources mention a brief use as a museum in the 1980s.
The above photo shows ammunition loading from the rail network onto narrow gauge for transport into the tunnel. The remnants of the building to the rear of the photo are all that remain at the surface (Now surrounded by palisade fencing).
The explore:
The site is clearly well trodden, despite plentiful signage and palisade fencing, as you will see there is considerable graffiti, yet interestingly minimal rubbish (What there is appears to be more from railway workers than explorers)
The remnants of the surface building with tracks leading into the system
Entrance door to larger cut and cover "depot" area
"Depot" area is surrounded by a number of what I would assume were offices, which are completely empty, an ongoing theme of the site
Looking back into the depot area before continuing into tunnel
The tunnel after around 500m (complete guess) turns from cut & cover to arched brick as you progress deeper into the system
Sections of the conveyor system that would've operated between the depot and the ammunition storage site are still relatively intact in places, but in others is removed
After a longer walk than expected, the end is reached, on the other side of this wall is the active part of the Monkton Farleigh complex currently used as document storage.
Sadly after sticking my head through the hole I was greeted by a pile of backfill, assuming some poor sod spent rather a while making that hole only to make the same discovery.
Not exactly the same site, but above it another access point for the Monkton Farleigh complex, which is also sealed off with a cinderblock wall. However given the airflow through the cracks of the wall I don't belive it to be backfilled on the other side, so perhaps a protect for another day
Cool site to look around if in the area checking out the more traditional stone quarries to change it up a bit, but nothing particularly special.
Farleigh Down Tunnel was constructed in WW2 to connect the Monkton Farleigh quarry (which was converted into an ammunition storage site) to the railway network. It closed in the 1960s and some sources mention a brief use as a museum in the 1980s.
The above photo shows ammunition loading from the rail network onto narrow gauge for transport into the tunnel. The remnants of the building to the rear of the photo are all that remain at the surface (Now surrounded by palisade fencing).
The explore:
The site is clearly well trodden, despite plentiful signage and palisade fencing, as you will see there is considerable graffiti, yet interestingly minimal rubbish (What there is appears to be more from railway workers than explorers)
The remnants of the surface building with tracks leading into the system
Entrance door to larger cut and cover "depot" area
"Depot" area is surrounded by a number of what I would assume were offices, which are completely empty, an ongoing theme of the site
Looking back into the depot area before continuing into tunnel
The tunnel after around 500m (complete guess) turns from cut & cover to arched brick as you progress deeper into the system
Sections of the conveyor system that would've operated between the depot and the ammunition storage site are still relatively intact in places, but in others is removed
After a longer walk than expected, the end is reached, on the other side of this wall is the active part of the Monkton Farleigh complex currently used as document storage.
Sadly after sticking my head through the hole I was greeted by a pile of backfill, assuming some poor sod spent rather a while making that hole only to make the same discovery.
Not exactly the same site, but above it another access point for the Monkton Farleigh complex, which is also sealed off with a cinderblock wall. However given the airflow through the cracks of the wall I don't belive it to be backfilled on the other side, so perhaps a protect for another day
Cool site to look around if in the area checking out the more traditional stone quarries to change it up a bit, but nothing particularly special.
