Report - woodhead tunnel 12/01/09

[frainey]

Its been a while since i have been here so i thought i would post something new i give you The 'Woodhead Route', having taken its name from the small hamlet of Woodhead through which the railway passed. It was home to the notorious, three mile long, Woodhead Tunnel and its castellated station. The tunnel was of a twin bore design and its construction had proved very difficult. During the excavation of the first bore by the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne & Manchester Railway (precursor to the MSLR), thirty-two navvies were killed and a further two hundred and fifty were seriously injured. It was said that a soldier at the Battle of Waterloo had a better chance of survival than a navvy working on the Woodhead Tunnel construction.

Visited with mr kennedy 12/01/09

after a quick recce it was off to the shop for relentless and sherbert flying saucers access was very easy to the south portal although a bit damp and muddy once inside. from this tunnel you can access the north bore which carries a hell of a lot of electricity and a narrow guage railway. although a fun place to visit not very exciting at 3 1/2 miles long you see the first 100 metres you've seen them all i apologise for the crap flash photography but heres some pics.

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View attachment 130564 These power cables that come from the pylons outside are oil cooled and are leaking all over the place


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