Disused railway tunnels

[Philip]

You need to start off with railway tunnels that it's perfectly legal to enter, for example those on the Monsal Trail in the Peak District.

Swainsley Tunnel (on the old Manifold Valley Light Railway) is another I find pretty atmospheric. It's straight so it's not as though it's going to get too dark - but it's narrow-gauge so it's smaller than you'd expect. It's now part of a public road so it's still very much in use!

Harecastle south sounds like a real daredevil and thriller job, but does this still come under 'legal'? It has gates over the portals but this doesn't mean it is trespassing to go in, could be because it is deemed risky.

 

[bramling]

Harecastle south sounds like a real daredevil and thriller job, but does this still come under 'legal'? It has gates over the portals but this doesn't mean it is trespassing to go in, could be because it is deemed risky.

Entering would be trespass, but as this would not involve operational railway land this would be a civil offence not a criminal offence. So as long as you left (in the unlikely event) if asked and don’t cause any damage it isn’t a major issue. Nonetheless it’s against the law, so a personal choice to make.

Harecastle South is one of the more hazardous tunnels. As well as the flooding alluded to, it also has some history of bad air, though not in the very recent past. Some of the side headings are particularly known for this, so if anyone does go in these side headings should very much be avoided. Air quality can deteriorate very quickly upon entering a space that is poorly ventilated.

 

[Kite159]

Combe Down tunnel (near Bath) is an interesting one to walk, especially if the lighting is still dimmed (like it was for me at the start of August)

 

[SargeNpton]

What about Kilsby?

You'd have to ask Robert Stephenson about that.

 

[pdeaves]

Combe Down tunnel (near Bath) is an interesting one to walk, especially if the lighting is still dimmed (like it was for me at the start of August)

But be wary of other users who seem to carry searchlights/laser displays. Entirely unnecessary and can hurt eyes.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

What about Kilsby?

Kilsby is under the quite substantial Cotswold Ridge, so a genuine tunnel I believe.
The shorter Crick tunnel has the same function on the Northampton loop.

Haddon Hall Tunnel (2 sections North/South) on the Matlock-Peak Forest line was built to hide the railway from the Duke of Rutland's pile at Haddon Hall (which is only about 70m distant from the tunnel route).
There are proposals to reopen it and extend the Monsal Trail through it to Rowsley, but the landowner objects.
It was originally built by cut-and-cover.

There's a very good consultants' technical report on the condition of the tunnel linked on the Wiki site:
Haddon Tunnel - Wikipedia
HaddonTunnels_Appendix.pdf (johngrimshawassociates.co.uk)