Wet tunnels

[Philip]

On the canals there are some tunnels which are fairly dry but some which are notoriously porous and wet - not just after heavy rain. Are there any notable railway tunnels in this country, either in use or disused, which are well known for being wet?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

On the canals there are some tunnels which are fairly dry but some which are notoriously porous and wet - not just after heavy rain. Are there any notable railway tunnels in this country, either in use or disused, which are well known for being wet?

Severn Tunnel must be one, for starters. Think that because of the 'Great Spring', something like 50 million litres has to be pumped out of there, every day.

 

[Basil Jet]

When I was in a Liverpool station, probably James Street, I could hear and see running water disappearing into a drain beneath the track next to the middle of the platform.

 

[jamesst]

When I was in a Liverpool station, probably James Street, I could hear and see running water disappearing into a drain beneath the track next to the middle of the platform.

The 4 foot on platform 1 looks like it's own river there.

 

[skyhigh]

Are there any notable railway tunnels in this country, either in use or disused, which are well known for being wet?

To be honest I can't really say I've ever seen a completely dry tunnel. Loads of them have water dripping from the roof pretty much all the time.

 

[36270k]

Ipswich Tunnel is usually fairly wet.

 

[Trackman]

Harecastle South WCML. Disused- need wellies.

 

[Ken H]

Arley.

 

[172007]

Ledbury tunnel that I drive through is wet and as an added bonus it's Malvern Water too.

 

[Ploughman]

Bramhope

 

[Spartacus]

Gomersal's a very wet one, and from what I can gather always has been.

 

[5562]

Dove Holes Tunnel has always been wet given the geology it was cut through and I’m pretty sure Cowburn and Totley on the Hope Valley line are bad ones.

 

[tomuk]

Lots of railway tunnels are wet. Can cause real issues in the winter.

https://www.networkrailmediacentre....ilway-workers-clear-huge-icicles-from-tunnels

 

[Taunton]

Sodbury Tunnel, 2.5 miles long, to the east of Bristol Parkway where the London line cuts through an outlier of the Cotswolds, has been a constant issue since it was built around 1900, and still gets closed due to flooding, with diversions round by Bath, despite innumerable attempts at alleviation. There was an issue with the Severn river authority, who refused the outflow to be discharged into adjacent rivers, and at one stage said it would have to be piped to the Severn Estuary, over 10 miles away. The water bursts through different points at different times from the strata, in a way that seems to still not be understood.

 

[Pete_uk]

Severn Tunnel must be one, for starters. Think that because of the 'Great Spring', something like 50 million litres has to be pumped out of there, every day.

The amount of water pumped out of there is phenomenal. I think there's some fact that says if the pumps fail it will be totally flooded in a day or something.
Needs replacing.

 

[Bald Rick]

The amount of water pumped out of there is phenomenal. I think there's some fact that says if the pumps fail it will be totally flooded in a day or something.
Needs replacing.

Some of the water is actually sold, for a tidy sum.

 

[Taunton]

I was always disappointed when the second Severn Bridge was built, at the turn of the century, that being effectively a viaduct there was not provision for a replacing rail line, letting go of the Severn Tunnel. There was an exhibition about it at the planning stage in the Aust motorway services by the previous bridge, and i tackled the engineer in charge about this. As ever in a "public consultation", there was no interest in views contrary to those already planned.

 

[Elecman]

Ledbury tunnel that I drive through is wet and as an added bonus it's Malvern Water too.

Ledbury Signalboxes water comes from a sump by the disused bore

 

[DelW]

Some of the water is actually sold, for a tidy sum.

I recall reading that there are (or at least were then) industries that were located in Sudbrook specifically to take advantage of the volume of fresh water that was available from the tunnel pumping operation.

 

[D821]

When I was in a Liverpool station, probably James Street, I could hear and see running water disappearing into a drain beneath the track next to the middle of the platform.

Moorfields is similar. The noise of running water can be quite disconcerting some days. I've yet to be swept away, though ...

 

[Dougal2345]

By way of comparison, how "dry" are modern tunnels? If one were to stroll through the Crossrail tunnels for example, would one see any evidence of water?

 

[Bald Rick]

I recall reading that there are (or at least were then) industries that were located in Sudbrook specifically to take advantage of the volume of fresh water that was available from the tunnel pumping operation.

Yes, including a brewery.

 

[jopsuk]

the grand daddy of all under-river tunnels, the Thames Tunnel on the East London Line, has four pumps, of which any single pump can deal with the normal level of leaking

 

[The Planner]

I recall reading that there are (or at least were then) industries that were located in Sudbrook specifically to take advantage of the volume of fresh water that was available from the tunnel pumping operation.

Paper mill as well I think, all built on with new houses now.

 

[Jan Mayen]

Sharpthorne tunnel on the Bluebell Railway. Had to have some work done on it to prevent icicles in winter.

 

[whoosh]

By way of comparison, how "dry" are modern tunnels? If one were to stroll through the Crossrail tunnels for example, would one see any evidence of water?

I'm sure I've heard that the Channel Tunnel has water pumped in, to keep the pumps that were installed to pump water out, working.
It's apparently a dry tunnel built through chalk marl.

 

[robert thomas]

The Rhondda Tunnel between Blaengwynfi and Blaenrhondda which is proposed for re-opening as a cycle route. When travelling through it in the front of a DMU it was noticable the thewindscreen wipers would be on for the length of thr tunnel.

 

[HSTEd]

Are newer concrete lined tunnels like those on HS1 wet?

 

[dk1]

Ipswich Tunnel is usually fairly wet.

There is a water course above as far as I’m aware. Was always told it’s normal for it to constantly leak as the pressure could lead to a collapse otherwise. Usually put the wipers on as I pass through especially on the down.

 

[Bald Rick]

Are newer concrete lined tunnels like those on HS1 wet?

it depends what you mean by “wet”

Almost all tunnels can expect to have water flowing through them, and needing draining away, at some point. Even the Channel tunnel is wet in that respect, except for a short stretch on the French side.

however the context of this thread is tunnels that are particularly wet, which I took to mean having water flowing in the tunnel more or less all the time.

my vote is Higham Tunnel. During the prolonged wet period in 2012ish, the water table rose to such an extent that it was above rail level.