Report - Miley Tunnel (from Deepdale end) Preston April 2014

[Paradox]

So to my final report from our Preston meet, the Miley Tunnel - left till last because, well as Albino-jay said in his report, it is,

literally just a tunnel

.

I have lived in the area for several years and have never been down the Miley Tunnel. I have heard the stories of how its haunted and how some of my friends used to dare each other to go in it without getting caught by whatever may allegedly be down there. Im fairly sure that on a rainy day or late at night that's most likely to be tramps and rats rather than ghosts and ghouls!

A brief history of Miley Tunnel

Miley tunnel is 862yds long (half mile approx) and is on an S bend. A surprising feature half way in the tunnel is what appears to have been a short open air section with 2 portals. The top has now been covered over with reinforced concrete beams.

The Preston and Longridge Railway (P&LR) was a branch line in Lancashire. Originally designed to carry quarried stone in horse-drawn wagons, it became part of an ambitious plan to link the Lancashire coast to the heart of Yorkshire. The plan failed, and the line closed to passengers in 1930 and to goods in 1967.

The Preston and Longridge Railway Company was set up in 1836 to build a tramway from the newly opened Tootle Heights Quarry in Longridge to Preston.

The 6½-mile single-track line was opened in 1840, with crude passenger facilities at Longridge, Grimsargh and Deepdale Street in Preston.

In June 1889, a private branch line was opened northwards from Grimsargh to Whittingham Asylum two miles away. As well as supplies, hospital staff and visitors were carried free of charge in converted goods brake vans. Trains were timed to connect with passenger trains at Grimsargh.

By 1930 the popularity of bus travel caused the line to close to passengers. The line to Longridge remained open to goods traffic until November 1967.

Goods traffic continued to use part of the line as far as the Courtaulds factory at Red Scar, until its closure in 1980, after which the Gamull Lane bridge over the line at Ribbleton was removed. All that now remained of the whole line was a triangle spur link between the West Coast Main Line and coal yards at the site of the original Deepdale Street terminus. This, too, was closed in the 1990s, although the tracks for this section were never taken up.

Anyway me Bigjobs, Idle Hands, Albino-jay and two of his friends took a drive over and went for a wander. After scrambling down the embankment, stepping over the mass of litter and managing to avoid getting caught up in hideous amounts of brambles we set off down the track towards the entrance.

Randomly there is a bath lying in the entrance to the tunnel - I did take a picture but as Bigjobs blurrily photobombed me it got filed under delete!

So we wandered through it and then we wandered back through it. Nothing happened, no-one died and funnily there was not a spook in sight! As you may have already seen in Albino-jays and Idle Hands pictures, we did find wire wool and spent a good half hour playing around lighting it with the assistance of a can of deoderant kindly donated by one of our non member friends.

I took a few shots and whilst the Miley Tunnel is nothing amazing it was a bit of fun

Thanks for looking

 

[Idle Hands]

Very nice pictures there Paradox! Your tripod definitely paid dividends here... this was where I discovered mine was useless under the weight of the camera. Still, at least it attracted Bigjobs' attention at the cafe I didn't even bother with a report on this one... think you and Albino-jay have it covered!

 

[Will Knot]

Nice report.

 

[Xan_Asmodi]

Some really nice photos here, Paradox. Nice one!

 

[albino-jay]

Very nice pictures there Paradox! Your tripod definitely paid dividends here... this was where I discovered mine was useless under the weight of the camera. Still, at least it attracted Bigjobs' attention at the cafe I didn't even bother with a report on this one... think you and Albino-jay have it covered!

haha thats why i text and said i was outside smoking myself to death im a bit crap at introductions and stuff although the tripod was my thought for noticing who was there for the meet,



Great pics Paradox, top report.

when we next out?

 

[Paradox]

Thanks for your comments everyone they are much appreciated

when we next out?

We will have to sort something out