I have never seen a railway tunnel in such a mess yet so alluring! This is Lydgate Tunnel in the UK. Closed since 1964
The London & North Western Railway's connection between Oldham and Greenfield breached a ridge on which the small community of Lydgate is found by means of a 1,332-yard double track tunnel. The climb to the eastern portal was up a gradient of 1:75. The first train made it on 4th July 1856, then enjoying a downhill gradient having exited at the western end.
The tunnel has a span of 25'0" feet and a southerly curve towards its western end. It was masonry lined throughout but later repair work has been undertaken in brick. Six shafts are thought to have been driven during construction - two were filled whilst the other four, two either side of the hill, were retained for ventilation purposes. These have depths of 140, 210, 220 and 135 feet; all are now capped.
The approach on this occasion was a right old mess. Once inside it would be mainly dry throughout with occasional lakes of gloop.
#disused #railway #tunnel
The London & North Western Railway's connection between Oldham and Greenfield breached a ridge on which the small community of Lydgate is found by means of a 1,332-yard double track tunnel. The climb to the eastern portal was up a gradient of 1:75. The first train made it on 4th July 1856, then enjoying a downhill gradient having exited at the western end.
The tunnel has a span of 25'0" feet and a southerly curve towards its western end. It was masonry lined throughout but later repair work has been undertaken in brick. Six shafts are thought to have been driven during construction - two were filled whilst the other four, two either side of the hill, were retained for ventilation purposes. These have depths of 140, 210, 220 and 135 feet; all are now capped.
The approach on this occasion was a right old mess. Once inside it would be mainly dry throughout with occasional lakes of gloop.
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