Philip
On Moderation
What is the longest tunnel each DMU class and EMU class passes through when in regular passenger service currently?
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Longest tunnel for DMUs/EMUs
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PG
Established Member
I'll hazard a guess at the Severn tunnel (both types) - 4.3 miles.
List of tunnels in the United Kingdom - Wikipedia
Distances as quoted, feel free to correct them!
Longest tunnels (first by each arbitrary category)
1) Channel Tunnel - 50,459m
(If you allow eurostar)
2) Northern line (Morden to East Finchley via Bank) - 27,800m
(If you allow underground trains)
3) Crossrail Royal Oak Portal to Victoria Dock portal - 15,390m
(If you allow Elizabeth line)
4) Part of the High Speed 1 railway from Dagenham to Stratford - 10,120m
(HS1 is surely included, given use of Class 395)
5) Severn Tunnel - 7,012m
Longest tunnel on "ordinary" network
Philip
On Moderation
I'm asking about each individual DMU and EMU class; ie. longest tunnel 150s and 323s go through in their regular workings.
DanNCL
Established Member
How would you count lines that are entirely in a tunnel? The Victoria and Waterloo & City Lines on LU as well as the Glasgow Subway come to mind here, the stock for all of those only come out of the tunnel for depot access, or not even for that on the Waterloo & City!
Disregarding the HS1 and Crossrail examples that have already been mentioned, going for individual classes I have the following (there are omissions here and likely errors too):
Disregarding the HS1 and Crossrail examples that have already been mentioned, going for individual classes I have the following (there are omissions here and likely errors too):
43+Mk3 - Severn Tunnel, 7012m
67+Mk4 - Dinmore Tunnel (Marches Line), 970m
68+Mk3 - St John's Wood Tunnel, 1469m
68+Mk5A - Totley Tunnel, 5700m
91+Mk4 - In normal service: Potters Bar Tunnel, 1110m. During diversions: Ponsbourne Tunnel (Hertford Loop), 2454m
150 - Severn Tunnel, 7012m
155 - Bramhope Tunnel, 3439m
156 - Totley Tunnel, 5700m
158 - Severn Tunnel, 7012m
165 - Severn Tunnel, 7012m
166 - Severn Tunnel, 7012m
168 - St John's Wood Tunnel, 1469m
170 - Totley Tunnel, 5700m
171 - Oxted Tunnel, 2067m
172 - Colwall New Tunnel, 1433m
175 - Dinmore Tunnel (Marches Line), 970m
180 - In normal service: Wymington Tunnel (MML), 1690m. During diversons: Ponsbourne Tunnel (Hertford Loop), 2454m
185 - Totley Tunnel, 5700m
195 - Totley Tunnel, 5700m
220 - Bradway Tunnel (MML), 1853m
221 - Kilsby Tunnel (WCML), 2218m
222 - Bradway Tunnel (MML), 1853m
319 - South Hampstead Tunnel, 1328m
331 - Thackley Tunnel (Airedale Line), 1200m
333 - Thackley Tunnel (Airedale Line), 1200m
350 - Kilsby Tunnel (WCML), 2218m
360 - Current: Wymington Tunnel (MML), 1690m. Historic: Stockley Farm-Heathrow Terminal 4, 6800m
375 - Sevenoaks Tunnel, 3156m
377 - Oxted Tunnel, 2067m
378 - South Hampstead Tunnel, 1328m
387 - Severn Tunnel, 7012m
390 - Kilsby Tunnel (WCML), 2218m
465/466 - Sevenoaks Tunnel, 3156m
484 - Ryde Tunnel, 357m
507/508 - Mersey Railway (Wirral Line), 3820m
700 - Oxted Tunnel, 2067m
717 - Ponsbourne Tunnel (Hertford Loop), 2454m
745 - Stansted Airport Tunnel, 1778m
755 - Stansted Airport Tunnel, 1778m
800 - Severn Tunnel, 7012m
801 - In normal service: Potters Bar Tunnel, 1110m. During diversions: Ponsbourne Tunnel (Hertford Loop), 2454m
802 - Severn Tunnel, 7012m
803 - In normal service: Potters Bar Tunnel, 1110m. During diversions: Ponsbourne Tunnel (Hertford Loop), 2454m
67+Mk4 - Dinmore Tunnel (Marches Line), 970m
68+Mk3 - St John's Wood Tunnel, 1469m
68+Mk5A - Totley Tunnel, 5700m
91+Mk4 - In normal service: Potters Bar Tunnel, 1110m. During diversions: Ponsbourne Tunnel (Hertford Loop), 2454m
150 - Severn Tunnel, 7012m
155 - Bramhope Tunnel, 3439m
156 - Totley Tunnel, 5700m
158 - Severn Tunnel, 7012m
165 - Severn Tunnel, 7012m
166 - Severn Tunnel, 7012m
168 - St John's Wood Tunnel, 1469m
170 - Totley Tunnel, 5700m
171 - Oxted Tunnel, 2067m
172 - Colwall New Tunnel, 1433m
175 - Dinmore Tunnel (Marches Line), 970m
180 - In normal service: Wymington Tunnel (MML), 1690m. During diversons: Ponsbourne Tunnel (Hertford Loop), 2454m
185 - Totley Tunnel, 5700m
195 - Totley Tunnel, 5700m
220 - Bradway Tunnel (MML), 1853m
221 - Kilsby Tunnel (WCML), 2218m
222 - Bradway Tunnel (MML), 1853m
319 - South Hampstead Tunnel, 1328m
331 - Thackley Tunnel (Airedale Line), 1200m
333 - Thackley Tunnel (Airedale Line), 1200m
350 - Kilsby Tunnel (WCML), 2218m
360 - Current: Wymington Tunnel (MML), 1690m. Historic: Stockley Farm-Heathrow Terminal 4, 6800m
375 - Sevenoaks Tunnel, 3156m
377 - Oxted Tunnel, 2067m
378 - South Hampstead Tunnel, 1328m
387 - Severn Tunnel, 7012m
390 - Kilsby Tunnel (WCML), 2218m
465/466 - Sevenoaks Tunnel, 3156m
484 - Ryde Tunnel, 357m
507/508 - Mersey Railway (Wirral Line), 3820m
700 - Oxted Tunnel, 2067m
717 - Ponsbourne Tunnel (Hertford Loop), 2454m
745 - Stansted Airport Tunnel, 1778m
755 - Stansted Airport Tunnel, 1778m
800 - Severn Tunnel, 7012m
801 - In normal service: Potters Bar Tunnel, 1110m. During diversions: Ponsbourne Tunnel (Hertford Loop), 2454m
802 - Severn Tunnel, 7012m
803 - In normal service: Potters Bar Tunnel, 1110m. During diversions: Ponsbourne Tunnel (Hertford Loop), 2454m
158747
Member
For GWR 158s it is the Severn Tunnel.
Philip
On Moderation
Thanks for compiling this, excellent! The 175s do still work some Manchester-North Wales services and these go through Sutton Tunnel, which is over a mile. There is also a tunnel on the Swansea avoiding line which is over a mile long - anyone know if 175s ever work this way during diversions?
Snow1964
Established Member
Probably Sevenoaks tunnel (3156m) for third rail EMUs in the South
Although Drayton Park - Moorgate is further, not sure if any third rail (rather than dual voltage) EMUs have ever operated it.
The Merseyrail third rail EMUs also operate in long tunnels, but again won't have anything like number of classes of EMU that Sevenoaks has.
Although Drayton Park - Moorgate is further, not sure if any third rail (rather than dual voltage) EMUs have ever operated it.
The Merseyrail third rail EMUs also operate in long tunnels, but again won't have anything like number of classes of EMU that Sevenoaks has.
Kite159
Veteran Member
You could probably have both as Severn Tunnel during diversions
Also for 170s with this service:
0520 Bristol Temple Meads to Cardiff Central.
I think GWR don't run any 150s via the tunnel anymore, not since they relocated to Exeter.
Shaw S Hunter
Established Member
One rather obvious error concerns Class 155. Since reallocation to Hull they no longer run through Bramhope Tunnel, indeed by now almost all of the crews who work that route will surely have lost their traction knowledge. This thread is asking for a snapshot view which for today looks like a completely tunnel-free day for the class: from RTT of the 7 units 4 are in service, all working York-Selby-Hull-Bridlington trains. I would guess the longest tunnel they might still pass through is Conisbrough, all 217m of it!
OTOH when new the units which were later rebuilt as 153s (ie excluding the remaining members of the class) covered many services on the Cardiff-Portsmouth route so passing through Severn Tunnel. And what does the OP think about weekends when services are affected by route closures? For example it would appear that last weekend EMR didn't turn out any of its 180s so the longest tunnel would have been Potters Bar for the Hull Trains units. Even more stark has been the number of days recently when there were no 175s in service at all.
Similarly the picture is going to change each time new stock displaces old and sometimes timetable changes will have an impact. Where do we draw the line on this question?
Silver Cobra
Member
Looking at the Class 80x series, I would surmise that for the 800 and 802* it would be the Severn tunnel, while for the 801 and 803 it would be the Potters Bar tunnel.
* This is assuming that GWR have run 802s through to Wales.
[EDIT] Seems I missed that these had already been mentioned.
* This is assuming that GWR have run 802s through to Wales.
[EDIT] Seems I missed that these had already been mentioned.
Western 52
Member
That will be Llangyfelach Tunnel, 1 mile 192 yards long. 175s normally have booked turns on the District Line, but not many.
I think outside London the longest tunnels have to be in the Liverpool City Region including the 3.12mile Mersey Rail tunnel (linking the first deep level underground railway stations in the world) which was extended in thev1970's by the 2 mile Wirral loop line around Liverpool City Centre, Plus you've got tunnels into Lime St, the docks (many disused) Also the Northern line (an early crossrail) that links 2 former mainline station (Liverpool exchange and central). Detail of old tunnels can be found at
Pinus contorta
Member
Where does the tunnel to Blaenau Ffestiniog fit into the list for DMU's?
jonesy3001
Established Member
Bramhope tunnel on the Harrogate line for 150s,158s,170s and the LNER services.
johnnychips
Established Member
I haven’t seen a 155 between Doncaster and Sheffield since I moved to Sheffield in 2019. If Hull are short of 170s, they send a 158.
alxndr
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The Anderston Tunnel in Glasgow is the longest (2800yards) for 318s, 320s, and 334s.
Mcr Warrior
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It's something like 2 miles 333 yds long. (3523 metres).
Totally Tunnel at 3.54mi is longer.
norbitonflyer
Established Member
Since you've included other loco hauled stock, we should add the sleepers
Mark 3 + Class 57 Whiteball Tunnel (990m): Box Tunnel (2937m) if diverted via Bristol
Mark 5 + Class 66/73 Charing Cross Tunnel 1006m (when routed via Glasgow Queen Street Low level)
Mark 5 + Class 92 Kilsby Tunnel 2218m
Mark 3 + Class 57 Whiteball Tunnel (990m): Box Tunnel (2937m) if diverted via Bristol
Mark 5 + Class 66/73 Charing Cross Tunnel 1006m (when routed via Glasgow Queen Street Low level)
Mark 5 + Class 92 Kilsby Tunnel 2218m
Last edited:
155’s still work through Bramhope Tunnel. The first train from Leeds to York at 06.05 is booked for a 155. From where it picks up services to Hull.
Deepgreen
Established Member
As a slight aside, the longest seeming tunnel (in my experience) in days of yore used to be from Glasgow Queen Street on a class 101 (with the windows open)! The crawl up the 1 in 45 seemed interminable!
Mcr Warrior
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Or proceeding down the incline, and being held, for a wee while, still inside the tunnel, awaiting a spare platform. BTW, how long is Queen Street High Level Tunnel? Something like just over 1000 yds / 920 metres?
Deepgreen
Established Member
Coming down wasn't so bad because there was far less noise and fumes. I used to go up to the highlands a lot and recall being in the coach right behind a class 27 crawling up many times - deafening!
You missed out Class 444s and 450s! I’m guessing the longest for these is the Southampton Tunnel?
MadMarsupial
Member
Longest tunnel on a single track line. Longest unlined tunnel.
alxndr
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1006 yards.
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