Difference between revisions of "Bridgnorth Tunnel"

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The first plans drawn up for the Severn Valley Railway and authorised in the [[The Severn Valley Railway under GWR/BR ownership#Before construction: 1845-1858 | 1853 Act of Parliament]] showed the course of the line deviating to the right shortly after [[Sterns]] to cross the River Severn near Danesford, with the station being situated in Low Town east of the river.  Beyond Bridgnorth a second bridge would have returned the line across the Severn to re-join its eventual route. However the potential cost of the bridges, allied to difficulties in raising funds for construction of the line, resulted in the line remaining west of the Severn, requiring a tunnel under Bridgnorth High Town immediately north of [[Bridgnorth | Bridgnorth Station]].
 
The first plans drawn up for the Severn Valley Railway and authorised in the [[The Severn Valley Railway under GWR/BR ownership#Before construction: 1845-1858 | 1853 Act of Parliament]] showed the course of the line deviating to the right shortly after [[Sterns]] to cross the River Severn near Danesford, with the station being situated in Low Town east of the river.  Beyond Bridgnorth a second bridge would have returned the line across the Severn to re-join its eventual route. However the potential cost of the bridges, allied to difficulties in raising funds for construction of the line, resulted in the line remaining west of the Severn, requiring a tunnel under Bridgnorth High Town immediately north of [[Bridgnorth | Bridgnorth Station]].
  
The tunnel was 550 yards long (in comparison, [[Bewdley Tunnel]] is 480 yards), with a double curve right and left. The original bore varied between 19ft width at the north end and 16ft 8in width at the south end, substantially less than the 24ft width which Chief Engineer [[John Fowler]] specified as necessary for [[Double track|double track working]]. The tunnel was re-lined in 1911, further reducing the width to 15ft.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Marshall (1989)]] pp. 40/107.</ref>
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The tunnel was 550 yards long (in comparison, [[Bewdley Tunnel]] is 480 yards), with a double curve right and left. The original bore varied between 19ft width at the north end and 16ft 8in width at the south end, substantially less than the 24ft width which Chief Engineer [[John Fowler]] specified as necessary for [[Double track|double track working]]. The tunnel was re-lined in 1911, further reducing the width to 15ft.<ref>[[Bibliography#Books|Marshall (1989)]] pp. 40/107.</ref> In April and November 1860, during construction, [[Railway Navvies of the SVR|partial collapses of the unfinished tunnel]] unfortunately lead to fatal injury to a navvie, and contributed to delays in the opening of the line.
  
 
==History since closure of the line==
 
==History since closure of the line==
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== See also ==
 
== See also ==
 
*[[Maps#Schematic maps of the pre-closure SVR | Pre-1963 map]]
 
*[[Maps#Schematic maps of the pre-closure SVR | Pre-1963 map]]
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*[[Railway Navvies of the SVR]]
  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==

Revision as of 09:59, 15 October 2019

'Bridgnorth Tunnel allowed the Severn Valley Railway to pass under Bridgnorth High Town north of Bridgnorth Station.

Construction

The first plans drawn up for the Severn Valley Railway and authorised in the 1853 Act of Parliament showed the course of the line deviating to the right shortly after Sterns to cross the River Severn near Danesford, with the station being situated in Low Town east of the river. Beyond Bridgnorth a second bridge would have returned the line across the Severn to re-join its eventual route. However the potential cost of the bridges, allied to difficulties in raising funds for construction of the line, resulted in the line remaining west of the Severn, requiring a tunnel under Bridgnorth High Town immediately north of Bridgnorth Station.

The tunnel was 550 yards long (in comparison, Bewdley Tunnel is 480 yards), with a double curve right and left. The original bore varied between 19ft width at the north end and 16ft 8in width at the south end, substantially less than the 24ft width which Chief Engineer John Fowler specified as necessary for double track working. The tunnel was re-lined in 1911, further reducing the width to 15ft.[1] In April and November 1860, during construction, partial collapses of the unfinished tunnel unfortunately lead to fatal injury to a navvie, and contributed to delays in the opening of the line.

History since closure of the line

Following closure of the line north of Bridgnorth in 1963, ballast from the tunnel was recovered by SVRSevern Valley Railway volunteers in July 1965, with the permission of BRBritish Rail or British Railways.[2] In the same month, BRBritish Rail or British Railways announced that Hollybush Road railway bridge was to be demolished, severing the connection between Bridgnorth station and the tunnel.[3]

In summer 2003, SVRSevern Valley Railway News noted that BRB (Residuary) Ltd (BRBR) had put Bridgnorth tunnel up for sale. The SVRSevern Valley Railway having been offered first refusal, the structure was unsold and was transferred to Highways England Historical Railways Estate when BRBR was abolished from 30 September 2013.[4][5] In December 2017 a Freedom of Information request was submitted to Highways England asking for details of all former railway tunnels that are inspected and maintained by Highways England.[6] The list produced in response included Bridgnorth Tunnel.[7]

See also

References

  1. Marshall (1989) pp. 40/107.
  2. BBC article
  3. Magner (1997) p. 44.
  4. David Rostance, 'Bridgnorth Tunnel', Forgotten Relics website, September 2016 (Retrieved 20 April 2017)
  5. 'BRB (Residuary) Ltd has been abolished', Gov.uk, 30 September 2013 (Retrieved 20 April 2017)
  6. FOI request to Highways England, 19 December 2017 (Retrieved 16 May 2019)
  7. FOI response from Highways England, 3 January 2018 (Retrieved 16 May 2019)

Links