Stodhart Tunnel
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Stodhart Tunnel on the Peak Forest Tramway is situated between Stodhart Lodge and Stodhart Farm at Chapel Milton, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire. At this point on the proposed line of the tramway there is a gritstone ridge and in 1795 Benjamin Outram and Thomas Brown were faced with the problem of either making an open cutting or a narrow-bore tunnel through it. In the end the owners of Stodhart Lodge, who had no desire to have an open tramway so close to their property, made the choice for them.
The civil engineering work involved was well understood by this time and it was common practice on canals and in mines but this tunnel is one of the earliest features of its kind on a feeder tramway to a canal. The design of the tunnel was similar to the designs used on canal tunnels of the era with elliptical side walls, constructed of dressed gritstone. The portals at both ends were slightly younger than the interior of the tunnel, a situation brought about by the owners of Stodhart Lodge who wanted it made longer in order to improve their privacy from the tramway.
The completed length of the tunnel was approximately 101 yards (92.6m) and it accommodated one track only. By 1803, due to an increase in trade, the tramway track was converted from single to double-track operation but the tunnel was never widened. Because of this the owners, the Peak Forest Canal Company, introduced special regulations for the passage of waggons through it. These caused hold-ups and, as a result, waggoners began to ignore them. As a consequence, one of the first recorded railway accidents happened here shortly afterwards. A gang of six loaded waggons were being hauled up the tramway in the direction of Chapel-en-le-Frith when they broke loose from the horse team and rolled back into the tunnel. Here they struck a two-horse team hauling empty waggons in the same direction. Both horses were killed and the nipper (apprentice) in charge was seriously injured. It took several days to clear the tunnel and re-open the tramway. The canal company held an enquiry into the causes of this accident and the nipper was held responsible for causing the accident as he had failed to comply with the correct time interval between waggon gangs going through the tunnel.
In 1949, Hayfield Road (A624), which passes above the tunnel, was re-aligned in a road improvement scheme and this resulted in the loss of the northern portal and part of the tunnel. Nevertheless, the southern portal and a length of tunnel survived, together with its approach cutting.
Because of its importance as part of the country's industrial heritage, the remains of this tunnel were listed by English Heritage as Grade II* but it is presently on their Buildings at Risk Register. It is now blocked beyond approximately 20 feet (6m) and some of the lining stones are missing. Repair and re-pointing work is needed but vegetation would need to be removed before this could be done. Water is also penetrating the roof and the walls are bowing due to tree roots. A programme of repair and presentation work is currently in preparation and it is understood that a viewing platform with interpretation panels will be provided.
