List of tunnels in the United Kingdom
This is a list of road, railway, waterway, and other tunnels in the United Kingdom.
A tunnel is an underground passageway with no defined minimum length, though it may be considered to be at least twice as long as wide. Some civic planners define a tunnel as 0.1 miles (160 m) in length or longer.
A tunnel may be for pedestrians or cyclists, for general road traffic, for motor vehicles only, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some are aqueducts, constructed purely for carrying water—for consumption, for hydroelectric purposes or as sewers—while others carry other services such as telecommunications cables. There are even tunnels designed as wildlife crossings for European badgers and other endangered species.
The longest tunnel in the United Kingdom is the Northern line at 27,800 metres (91,200 ft). Standedge Tunnel at 5,029 metres (3.125 mi) is the longest canal tunnel in the United Kingdom.
England
County | Tunnel | Type | Length (Metres) | Length (Yards) | Construction method / Notes | Date of opening | Coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bedfordshire | Ampthill Tunnel | Railway | 654 | 715 | 4 tracks in 2 bores | 1859 | 52°02′01″N 0°30′48″W / 52.03361°N 0.51333°W |
Bedfordshire | Linslade Tunnel | Railway | 249 | 272 | 4 tracks in 3 bores | 1837, 1859, 1876 | 51°55′32″N 0°40′34″W / 51.92544°N 0.67611°W |
Bedfordshire | Old Warden Tunnel | Railway | 807 | 883 | Brick construction, Carried the Bedford to Hitchin line. | 1853 | 52°05′18″N 0°22′33″W / 52.08835°N 0.37581°W |
Bedfordshire | Wymington Tunnel | Railway | 1,690 | 1,850 | 1859 | 52°15′06″N 0°34′58″W / 52.25166°N 0.58266°W | |
Bristol | Clifton Down Tunnel | Railway | 1,601 | 1751 | Part of the Clifton Extension Railway built jointly by the MR and GWR | 1874 | 51°28′02″N 2°37′31″W / 51.46720°N 2.62531°W |
Cambridgeshire | Wansford Tunnel | Railway | 563 | 616 | Now on preserved Nene Valley Railway | 1847 | 52°33′55″N 0°23′58″W / 52.56518°N 0.39956°W |
Cheshire | Disley Tunnel | Railway | 3535 | 3865 | Bored tunnel[1] | 1901 | 53°22′18″N 2°05′09″W / 53.37172°N 2.08576°W |
Cheshire | Prestbury Tunnel | Railway | 250 | 273 | [2] Brick[3] | 1845 | 53°17′44″N 2°08′40″W / 53.29551°N 2.14447°W |
Cheshire | Sutton Tunnel | Railway | 1724 | 1885 | [4] See also Sutton Tunnel railway accident | 1848 | 53°19′13″N 2°40′40″W / 53.32020°N 2.67790°W |
Cornwall | Saltash Tunnel | Road | 410 | 448 | Carries the A38 | 1988 | 50°24′42″N 4°12′54″W / 50.41161°N 4.21496°W |
Cornwall | Brownqueen Tunnel | Railway | 80 | 88 | 1859 | 50°26′05″N 4°40′51″W / 50.43466°N 4.68092°W | |
Cornwall | Toldish Tunnel | Railway (for horse-drawn trams) | 460 | 500 | disused (closed 1874) | 1849 | 50°24′11″N 4°55′31″W / 50.40311°N 4.92533°W |
Cornwall | Trelill Tunnel | Railway | 304 | 333 | disused (closed 1966) | 1895 | 50°34′08″N 4°45′46″W / 50.56886°N 4.76268°W |
Cornwall | Shillingham Tunnel | Railway | 412 | 451 | aka Wivelscombe | 1908 | 50°23′43″N 4°15′51″W / 50.39539°N 4.26427°W |
Cornwall | Treverrin Tunnel | Railway | 516 | 564 | 1859 | 50°22′58″N 4°40′34″W / 50.38281°N 4.67616°W | |
Cornwall | Polperrow Tunnel | Railway | 348 | 381 [5] | 1859 | 50°17′10″N 5°00′41″W / 50.28615°N 5.01136°W | |
Cornwall | Buckshead Tunnel | Railway | 290 | 320 [6] | 1859 | 50°16′46″N 5°02′27″W / 50.27936°N 5.04071°W | |
Cornwall | Sparnick Tunnel | Railway | 449 | 491 | 1863 | 50°14′25″N 5°05′41″W / 50.24026°N 5.09462°W | |
Cornwall | Pinnock Tunnel | Railway, now converted to private road | 1,073 | 1173 [7] | 1874 | 50°21′05″N 4°39′44″W / 50.35125°N 4.66219°W | |
Derbyshire | Alfreton Tunnel | Railway | 770 | 840 | 1862 | 53°05′31″N 1°21′41″W / 53.09200°N 1.36136°W | |
Derbyshire | Ashbourne Tunnel | Railway (now a cycleway) | 350 | 383 | 1899 | 53°00′57″N 1°44′05″W / 53.01571°N 1.73483°W | |
Derbyshire | Ashwood Dale Tunnel | Railway | 91 | 100 | 1863 | 53°15′09″N 1°49′13″W / 53.25252°N 1.82034°W | |
Derbyshire | Barmoor Clough Tunnel | Railway | 101 | 111 | 1863 | 53°18′57″N 1°53′49″W / 53.31590°N 1.89683°W | |
Derbyshire | Bolsover Tunnel | Railway | 2,399 | 2624 | Infilled with coal waste 1966-7 | 1897 | 53°13′00″N 1°16′36″W / 53.21662°N 1.27669°W |
Derbyshire | Bradway Tunnel | Railway | 1,853 | 2026 | 1870 | 53°19′02″N 1°29′53″W / 53.31721°N 1.49813°W | |
Derbyshire | Breadsall Tunnel (also Morley) | Railway | 218 | 238 | 1878 | 52°57′21″N 1°24′32″W / 52.95597°N 1.40889°W | |
Derbyshire | Burbage Tunnel | Railway | 530 | 580 [8] | 1830 | 53°15′42″N 1°57′11″W / 53.26168°N 1.95300°W | |
Derbyshire | Butterley Tunnel | Canal (disused) | 2,712 | 2966 | 1794 | 53°03′34″N 1°23′42″W / 53.05936°N 1.39487°W | |
Derbyshire | Chee Tor Tunnel (1) | Railway | 390 | 430 [8] | 1863 | 53°15′21″N 1°48′38″W / 53.25584°N 1.81063°W | |
Derbyshire | Chee Tor Tunnel (2) | Railway | 86 | 94 | [8] | 1863 | 53°15′17″N 1°48′52″W / 53.25468°N 1.81452°W |
Derbyshire | Clay Cross Tunnel | Railway | 1,631 | 1784 | Brick[9] | 1839 | 53°10′04″N 1°24′49″W / 53.16790°N 1.41363°W |
Derbyshire | Cowburn Tunnel | Railway | 3,385 | 3702 | 1892 | 53°21′07″N 1°52′00″W / 53.35200°N 1.86680°W | |
Derbyshire | Cressbrook Tunnel | Railway | 431 | 471 | [8] | 1863 | 53°14′58″N 1°44′49″W / 53.24949°N 1.74688°W |
Derbyshire | Dove Holes Tunnel | Railway (freight) | 2,729 | 2984 | Closed to passenger traffic in 1967 | 1865 | 53°18′11″N 1°53′19″W / 53.30293°N 1.88853°W |
Derbyshire | Duckmanton Tunnel | Railway | 458 | 501 | Closed to passenger traffic in 1951, closed completely 1957, infilled 1970s | 1897 | 53°13′44.2″N 1°22′1.3″W / 53.228944°N 1.367028°W |
Derbyshire | Duffield Tunnel | Railway | 48 | 52 | 1867 | ||
Derbyshire | Eaves Tunnel | Railway | 394 | 431 | 1863 | ||
Derbyshire | Great Rocks Tunnel | Railway | 147 | 161 | 1863 | ||
Derbyshire | Gregory Tunnel | Canal | 69 | 76 | 1794 | ||
Derbyshire | Haddon Tunnel | Railway | 967 | 1058 | Constructed with cut and cover methods. Closed in 1967 | 1863 | 53°11′47″N 1°39′07″W / 53.19644°N 1.65207°W |
Derbyshire | Hag Tunnel | Canal (disused) | 85 | 93 | [10] | 1794 | |
Derbyshire | Headstone Tunnel | Railway | 487 | 533 | 1863 | ||
Derbyshire | High Tor Tunnel 1 | Railway | 294 | 321 | [11] | 1849 | |
Derbyshire | High Tor Tunnel 1A | Railway | 53 | 58 | 1849 | ||
Derbyshire | High Tor Tunnel 2 | Railway | 346 | 378 | 1849 | ||
Derbyshire | Holt Lane Tunnel | Railway | 115 | 126 | 1849 | ||
Derbyshire | Hopton Tunnel | Railway | 103 | 113 | 1830 | ||
Derbyshire | Hindlow Tunnel | Railway (now a cycleway) | 470 | 514 | 1832 | ||
Derbyshire | Hollingwood Common Tunnel | Canal (disused) | 2,820 | 3080 | Coalmine canal joining with Chesterfield Canal[12] | 1777 | |
Derbyshire | Lea Wood Tunnel | Railway | 288 | 315 | 1849 | ||
Derbyshire | Litton Tunnel | Railway | 472 | 516 | 1863 | 53°15′07″N 1°45′19″W / 53.25204°N 1.75534°W | |
Derbyshire | Mickleover Tunnel | Railway | 424 | 464 | 1878 | ||
Derbyshire | Milford Tunnel | Railway | 782 | 855 | 1839 | 53°00′06″N 1°29′12″W / 53.00177°N 1.48672°W | |
Derbyshire | Morley Tunnel | Railway | 218 | 238 | 1878 | ||
Derbyshire | Newhaven Tunnel | Railway | 47 | 51 | 1830 | ||
Derbyshire | New Mills Tunnel | Railway | 112 | 123 | 1867 | ||
Derbyshire | Newtown Tunnel | Railway | 82 | 90 | 1902 | ||
Derbyshire | Norwood Tunnel | Canal | 2,637 | 2884 | Collapsed 1907 | 1775 | W. 53°19′57″N 1°17′21″W / 53.33253°N 1.28921°W
C. 53°20′06″N 1°16′11″W / 53.33501°N 1.26971°W E. 53°20′15″N 1°15′01″W / 53.33744°N 1.25022°W |
Derbyshire | Norwood End Tunnel No. 10 | Railway | 270[13] | 300 | Parallel to Norwood Tunnel | 1878 | |
Derbyshire | Peak Forest Tunnel | Railway | 27 | 29 | 1863 | ||
Derbyshire | Pic Tor Tunnel | Railway | 175 | 191 | 1863 | ||
Derbyshire | Redhill Tunnel 1 | Railway | 141 | 154 | 1839 | ||
Derbyshire | Redhill Tunnel 2 | Railway | 160 | 170 | 1839 | ||
Derbyshire | Rowthorn Tunnel | Railway | 849 | 929 | closed 1930 | 1890 | |
Derbyshire | Rusher Cutting Tunnel | Railway | 111 | 121 | [14] | 1863 | |
Derbyshire | Shirland Tunnel | Railway | 173 | 189 | |||
Derbyshire | Spinkhill Tunnel | Railway | 458 | 501 | Closed 9 January 1967 and subsequently lifted | 1897 | |
Derbyshire | Stodhart Tunnel | Tramway | 92 | 101 | 1796 | ||
Derbyshire | Toadmoor Tunnel | Railway | 118 | 129 | 1839 | ||
Derbyshire | Totley Tunnel | Railway | 5,700 | 6230 | 1892 | ||
Derbyshire | Whatstandwell Tunnel | Railway | 136 | 149 | 1849 | ||
Derbyshire | Whitwell Tunnel | Railway | 497 | 544 | |||
Derbyshire | Willersley Tunnel | Railway | 699 | 764 | 1849 | ||
Derbyshire | Wingfield Tunnel | Railway | 239 | 261 | 1839 | ||
Derbyshire | Woodhead Tunnel | Railway | 4,840 | 5293 | |||
Devon | Aller Tunnel | Railway | 270 | 295 | Built using 110 concrete bridge beams. Also carries the A380 road. | 2014 | |
Devon | Dainton Tunnel | Railway | 266 | 291 | 1847 | ||
Devon | Devonport Leat Tunnel | Leat | 500 | 547 | 1790s | ||
Devon | Marley Tunnel | Railway | 795 | 869 | |||
Devon | Parson's Tunnel | Railway | 554 | 606 | Well Known for the Legend of the Parson and Clerk. | ||
Dorset | Beaminster Tunnel | Road (A3066) | 105 | 115 | Carries the A3066. Brick lined construction. | 1832 | |
Dorset | Buckhorn Weston Tunnel | Railway | 678 | 742 | |||
Dorset | Bincombe Tunnel (North) | Railway | 749 | 819 | |||
Dorset | Bincombe Tunnel (South) | Railway | 44 | 48 | |||
Dorset | Evershot Tunnel | Railway | 282 | 308 | |||
Dorset | Frampton Tunnel | Railway | 595 | 651 | |||
Dorset | Middlebere Plateway Tunnels | Railway | Built in two stages | 1807/1825[15] | |||
Dorset | Poundbury Tunnel | Railway | 244 | 267 | |||
East Sussex | Cuilfail Tunnel | Road | 430 | 470 | 1980 | ||
East Sussex | Argos Hill Tunnel | Railway | 64 | 70 | closed 1965 | 1880 | |
East Sussex | Bopeep Tunnel | Railway | 1,205 | 1318 | 1846 | ||
East Sussex | Crowborough Tunnel | Railway | 935 | 1022 | 1868 | ||
East Sussex | Culver Tunnel | Railway | 227 | 289 | closed 1958 | 1882 | |
East Sussex | Falmer Tunnel | Railway | 450 | 490 | 1846 | ||
East Sussex | Hastings Tunnel | Railway | 700 | 770 | 1846 | ||
East Sussex | Heathfield Tunnel | Railway | 242 | 265 | closed 1965 now cycleway/footpath | 1880 | |
East Sussex | Kingston Tunnel | Railway | 98 | 107 | 1846 | ||
East Sussex | Lewes Tunnel | Railway | 362 | 396 | 1847 | ||
East Sussex | Mayfield Tunnel | Railway | 83 | 91 | closed 1965 now infilled | 1880 | |
East Sussex | Mountfield Tunnel | Railway | 481 | 526 | Reduced from double track to single track in the 1970s | 1851 | |
East Sussex | Mount Pleasant Tunnel | Railway | 131 | 143 | 1851 | ||
East Sussex | Patcham Tunnel | Railway | 446 | 488 | 1841 | ||
East Sussex | Wadhurst Tunnel | Railway | 1,102 | 1205 | Originally built for double track but reduced to single track in 1985 | 1851 | |
Essex | Dartford Tunnel | Road | 1436 | 1570 | 1963 | ||
Essex | Bell Common Tunnel | Road | 470 | 514 | Cut and Cover on the M25 motorway | 1984 | |
Gloucestershire | Chipping Sodbury Tunnel | Railway | 4064 | 4444 | |||
Gloucestershire | Patchway old tunnel | Railway | 1140[16] | 1246 | In use for Westbound trains | ||
Gloucestershire | Patchway new tunnel | Railway | 1609 | 1760 | In use for Eastbound trains | 1886 | |
Gloucestershire | Sapperton Canal Tunnel | Canal | 1,873 | 2048 | 1789 | ||
Gloucestershire | Larger Sapperton railway tunnel | Railway | 1,704 | 1864 | Consists two tunnels. Tunnels are on the Golden Valley Line from Stroud to Swindon | ||
Gloucestershire | Smaller Sapperton railway tunnel | Railway | 323 | 353 | Consists two tunnels. Tunnels are on the Golden Valley Line from Stroud to Swindon | ||
Gloucestershire | Severn tunnel (1810) | tramroad | 126 | 138 | Abandoned uncompleted in 1812 after flooding | 51°47′16″N 2°26′46″W / 51.78770°N 2.44598°W | |
Gloucestershire | Severn Tunnel | Railway | 7012 | 7668 | 1886 | ||
Gloucestershire | Micheldean Tunnel | Railway | 715 | 782 | portals bricked up | ||
Greater Manchester | Clifton Hall Tunnel | Railway | 1,187 | 1298 | 1850 | ||
Greater Manchester | Disley Tunnel | Railway | 3535 | 3866 | 1902 | ||
Greater Manchester | Farnworth Tunnel | Railway | 270 | 295 | Built around 1832 by the Manchester and Bolton Railway[17] | 1832 | |
Greater Manchester | Guardian Exchange | Telephone | 1300 | 1422 | Concrete and brick[18] | 1954 | |
Greater Manchester | Standedge Tunnels | Canal | 5029 | 5500 | Disused 1945; reopened 2001. Longest and highest canal tunnel in UK. Eastern portal located in West Yorkshire | 1811 | |
Greater Manchester | Standedge Tunnels – Central tunnel | Railway | 4803 | 5337 | First of the 3 rail tunnels to be opened. Used for emergency access. Eastern portal located in West Yorkshire | 1848 | |
Greater Manchester | Standedge Tunnels – South tunnel | Railway | 4803 | 5337 | Second single track tunnel, now disused. Eastern portal located in West Yorkshire | 1871 | |
Greater Manchester | Standedge Tunnels – Live tunnel | Railway | 4806 | 5340 | Third tunnel, double track, in use. Eastern portal located in West Yorkshire | 1894 | |
Greater Manchester | Summit Tunnel | Railway | 2638 | 2885 | 1841 | ||
Hampshire | Fareham Tunnel No. 1 | Railway | 134 | 147 | Also known as Funtley No.1; also include M27 bridge | ||
Hampshire | Fareham Tunnel No. 2 | Railway | 506 | 553 | Also known as Funtley No.2 | ||
Hampshire | Greywell Tunnel | Canal | 1125 | 1230 | Brick construction | ||
Hampshire | Micheldever Tunnel | Railway | 181 | 198 | [19] Also known as Litchfield Tunnel | 1840[20] | |
Hampshire | Midhurst Tunnel | Railway | 252 | 276 | |||
Hampshire | Popham No 1 Tunnel | Railway | 242 | 265 | |||
Hampshire | Popham No 2 Tunnel | Railway | 182 | 199 | |||
Hampshire | Privett Tunnel | Railway | 967 | 1058 | Closed 1955 | 1903 | |
Hampshire | Southampton Civic Centre Tunnel | Railway | 483 | 528 [19] | Allows the South Western Main Line to pass under the Civic Centre in Southampton | 1847 | |
Hampshire | Wallers' Ash Tunnel | Railway | 458 | 501 | |||
Hampshire | Winchester Tunnel (also St Giles or Chesil) | Railway | 422 | 461 | |||
Hertfordshire | Hatfield Tunnel | Road | 1147 | 1531 | Cut and Cover A1 motorway between J3 and J4 | 1/12/1986 | |
Hertfordshire | Holmesdale Tunnel | Road | 600 | 656 | Cut and Cover M25 motorway between J25 and J26 | 1984 | |
Hertfordshire | Ponsbourne Tunnel | Railway | 2,454 | 2684 | Part of the Hertford Loop Line, it was the last tunnel constructed using traditional means | 1918 | |
Hertfordshire | Potters Bar Tunnel | Railway | 1110 | 1214 | Bores: Down slow & fast / Up slow & fast | 1849 | 51°41′07″N 0°11′06″W / 51.6854°N 0.1849°W |
Hertfordshire | Welwyn North Tunnel | Railway | 956 | 1046 | Welwyn North tunnel was the scene of a major accident in 1866 – three freight trains collided and burned | 1850 | |
Hertfordshire | Welwyn South Tunnel | Railway | 408 | 446 | 1850 | ||
Hertfordshire | Weston Hills Tunnel | Road | 230 | 250 yd | Cut and Cover[21][22] | 2006 | |
Isle of Wight | Ryde Tunnel | Railway | 358 | 391 | |||
Isle of Wight | Ventnor Tunnel | Railway | 1,201 | 1313 | Closed 1966 | 1866 | |
Kent | Channel Tunnel | Railway | 50,470 | 55195 | 31 miles 635 yd (Comprised approximately 50% each side of the International British/French boundary). | 1994 | |
Kent | Dartford Tunnel | Road | 1436 | 1570 | 1963, 1980 | ||
Kent | Medway Tunnel | Road | 240 | 260 | For A289 road | 1996 | |
Kent | Royal Harbour Tunnel | Road | 800 | 875 | |||
Kent | Roundhill Tunnel | Road | 380 | 416 | For A20 road | 2001 | |
Kent | Abbotscliffe Tunnel South Eastern Main Line | Railway | 1800 | 1969 | Twin track (i.e. single bore).[23] | 1844 | |
Kent | Badgers Oak Tunnel | Railway | 163 | 178 | closed 1961 | 1893 | |
Kent | Bourne Park Tunnel | Railway | 370 | 400 | Used to hide a giant railway borne artillery piece in World War Two.[24] Closed 16 June 1947. | 1887 | |
Kent | Charlton Tunnel | Railway | 138 | 154 | |||
Kent | Chatham Tunnel | Railway | 272 | 297 | Twin track (i.e. single bore) | ||
Kent | Chelsfield Tunnel[25] | Railway | 545 | 597 | Single Bore/Twin track | 1868 | 51°20′55″N 0°07′04″E / 51.3487°N 0.1178°E |
Kent | Dover Harbour Tunnel | Railway | 625 | 684 | 1861 | ||
Kent | Edenbridge Tunnel | Railway | 180 | 197 | 1888 | ||
Kent | Eynsford Tunnel | Railway | 757 | 828 | 1862 | ||
Kent | Fort Pitt Tunnel | Railway | 391 | 428 | Twin track (i.e. single bore) | ||
Kent | Golgotha Tunnel | Railway | 436 | 477 | Single track but partly constructed for double track | 1911 | |
Kent | Greenhithe Tunnel | Railway | 228 | 253 | 1849 | ||
Kent | Grove Tunnel Cuckoo Line / Wealden Line | Railway | Closed on 6 July 1985 with the rest of the Tunbridge Wells West branch, but was not reopened when Spa Valley Railway reopened much of the line. Single track. | ||||
Kent | Grove Hill Tunnel | Railway | 262 | 287 | 1851 | ||
Kent | Guston Tunnel | Railway | 1287 | 1408 | 1881 | ||
Kent | Hayne Tunnel | Railway | 86 | 94 | closed 1951- since closure has been flooded | 1874 | |
Kent | Higham and Strood tunnel | Railway | 3595 | 3931 | It was built between 1819 and 1824 for the Thames and Medway Canal. A single track railway was laid on the tow-path in 1845, and was soon doubled by infilling the canal. A 100-yard air vent was cut into the middle when the tunnel. | 1824 | |
Kent | Horsmonden Tunnel | Railway | 79 | 86 | closed 1961 | 1892 | |
Kent | Little Browns Tunnel | Railway | 111 | 121 | 1888 | ||
Kent | Lydden Tunnel | Railway | 2166 | 2369 | 1861 | ||
Kent | Mark Beech Tunnel | Railway | 1226 | 1341 | 1888 | ||
Kent | Martello Tunnel | Railway | 500 | 547 | Twin track (i.e. single bore).[23] | 1844 | |
Kent | North Downs Tunnel High Speed 1 | Railway | 3200 | 3500 | Under Blue Bell Hill, this line is to the UIC GB gauge (i.e. height) rather than the smaller gauges of other, older British railway lines. It is twin track (i.e. single bore), but due to air pressure of opposing trains at high speed, trains are scheduled not to pass at the high speed (the line is 186 mph).[26] | ||
Kent | Polhill Tunnel | Railway | 2387 | 2610 | Single bore / Twin track | 1868 | 51°19′30″N 0°09′45″E / 51.3250°N 0.1626°E |
Kent | Priory Tunnel | Railway | 142 | 155 | 1861 | ||
Kent | Ramsgate Harbour Tunnel | Railway | 1,028 | 1124 | closed 1926 | 1863 | |
Kent | Saltwood Tunnel | Railway | 872 | 954 | 1843 | ||
Kent | Sandling Tunnel | Railway | 91 | 99 | 1843 | ||
Kent | Sevenoaks Tunnel | Railway | 3156 | 3520 | Single bore / Twin track | 1868 | |
Kent | Shakespeare Tunnel | Railway | 1260 | 1387 | Two individual single bore tunnels.[23][27] | 1844 | |
Kent | Shepherd's Well Tunnel | Railway | 2138 | 2376 | |||
Kent | Somerhill Tunnel | Railway | 370 | 410 | Originally double track but reduced to single track in 1985 for standard width stock. | 1845 | |
Kent | Strawberry Hill Tunnel | Railway | 262 | 286 | Originally built for double track reduced to single track in 1985 | 1851 | |
Kent | Tyler Hill Tunnel | Railway | 757 | 828 | Underneath the main site of the University of Kent, Canterbury.[28] The line was closed 1953, and part of the tunnel collapsed in July 1974 | 1830 | |
Kent | Week Street Tunnel | Railway | 90 | 98 | Twin track | 1884 | |
Kent | Wells Tunnel | Railway | 753 | 823 | Twin track | 1846 | |
Kent | Wheeler Street Tunnel | Railway | 327 | 358 | Twin track | 1884 | |
Lancashire | Blackburn Tunnel | Railway | 398 | 435 | [29] | ||
Lancashire | Foulridge Tunnel | Canal | 1,487 | 1626 | [30] | ||
Lancashire | Gannow Tunnel | Canal | 509 | 557 | [30] | ||
Lancashire | Gisburn Tunnel | Railway | 144 | 157 | |||
Lancashire | Haslingden (North Hag) Tunnel | Railway | 134 | 146 | [31] Closed in 1966 | 1848 | |
Lancashire | Holme Tunnel | Railway | 242 | 265 | |||
Lancashire | Melling Tunnel | Railway | 1,120 | 1230 | [32] | ||
Lancashire | Rishton Tunnel | Railway | 62 | 68 | [29] | ||
Lancashire | Sough Tunnel | Railway | 1,843 | 2015 | [29] | ||
Lancashire | Upholland Tunnel | Railway | 877 | 959 | |||
Lancashire | Wilpshire Tunnel | Railway | 297 | 325 | [29] | ||
Lancashire | Thrutch Tunnel | Railway | 541 | 592 | 1 track top section brick lined lower section stone, closed 1966 | 1880 | 53°41′29″N 2°14′55″W / 53.691300°N 2.248735°W |
Lancashire | Newchurch No.1 Tunnel | Railway | 148 | 162 | 1 track top section brick lined lower section stone, closed 1966 | 1852 | 53°41′29″N 2°14′55″W / 53.691400°N 2.248659°W |
Lancashire | Newchurch No.2 Tunnel | Railway | 270 | 290 | 1 track top section brick lined lower section stone, closed 1966 | 1852 | 53°41′26″N 2°14′42″W / 53.690653°N 2.244961°W |
Leicestershire | Ashby de la Zouch Tunnel | Railway | 282 | 308 | Also known as Old Parks or Ashby Tunnel | ||
Leicestershire | Clawson Tunnel | Railway | 763 | 834 | Also known as Hose Tunnel | ||
Leicestershire | Husbands Bosworth Tunnel | Canal | 1066 | 1166 | 1813 | ||
Leicestershire | Saddington Tunnel | Canal | 805 | 880 | 1797 | ||
Leicestershire | Glenfield Tunnel | Railway | 1,633 | 1786 | Closed 1966. | 1832 | |
Lincolnshire | Kirton-in-Lindsey | Railway | 1200 | 1312 | |||
Lincolnshire | Stamford Tunnel | Railway | 312 | 341 | |||
London | Northern line (Morden to East Finchley via Bank) | Railway | 27,800 | 30402 | Deep level 'tube' lines constructed between 1886 and 1939 | 1890-1939 | |
London | Piccadilly line (Bounds Green to Barons Court) | Railway | 19,610 | 21446 | Deep level 'tube' lines constructed between 1902 and 1932 | 1906–32 | |
London | Piccadilly line (Hounslow Central to Heathrow Terminal 5) | Railway | 8,760 | 9580 | Deep Level tunnel beyond Hatton Cross | 1975-2008 | |
London | Victoria line (Brixton to Walthamstow Central) | Railway | 22,040 | 24103 | Deep level 'tube' lines constructed between 1962 and 1972 | 1968–72 | |
London | Central line (Stratford to White City) | Railway | 17,390 | 19018 | Deep level 'tube' lines constructed between 1896 and 1940 | 1900–46 | |
London | Northern line (Kennington to Golders Green via Charing Cross) | Railway | 11,940 | 13058 | Deep level 'tube' lines constructed between 1902 and 1926 | 1907–26 | |
London | Bakerloo line (Elephant & Castle to Queen's Park) | Railway | 10,900 | 11920 | Deep level 'tube' lines constructed between 1898 and 1915 | 1906–15 | |
London | Waterloo & City line (Waterloo to Bank) | Railway | 2,226 | 2434 | Deep level 'tube' lines constructed between 1894 and 1898 | 1898 | |
London | Barnet Tunnel | Railway | 553 | 607 | 3 Bores: Down slow / Centre / Up Slow | 1849 | 51°37′46″N 0°09′30″W / 51.6295°N 0.1582°W |
London | Blackwall Tunnel (Eastern bore) | Road | 1,174[33] | 1284 | 1967 | ||
London | Blackwall Tunnel (Western bore) | Road | 1,350[33] | 1476 | Built using tunnelling shields. | 1897 | |
London | Canal Tunnels | Railway | 688 | 628 | 2 Bores: both bidirectional. Up Line 688y/628m, Down Line 723y/681m | 2016 | 51°32′24″N 0°07′25″W / 51.5400°N 0.1236°W |
London | Crossrail Royal Oak to Farringdon | Railway | 6,400 | 6999 | Twin tunnels 6.2m in diameter | Due to open 2017 | |
London | Crossrail Limmo Peninsula to Farringdon | Railway | 8,300 | 9077 | Twin tunnels 6.2m in diameter | Due to open 2017 | |
London | Crossrail Pudding Mill Lane to Stepney Green | Railway | 2,700 | 2953 | Twin tunnels 6.2m in diameter | Due to open 2017 | |
London | Crossrail Plumstead to North Woolwich (Thames tunnel section) | Railway | 2600 | 2843 | Twin tunnels 6.2m in diameter | Due to open 2017 | |
London | Crossrail Limmo Peninsula (Royal Docks) to Victoria Dock portal | Railway | 900 | 984 | Twin tunnels 6.2m in diameter | Due to open 2017 | |
London | East India Dock Link | Road | 350 | 383 | 1993 | ||
London | Fore Street tunnel | Road | A406 North Circular Road under Edmonton town centre. Refurbished 2014. | 1998 | |||
London | Greenwich foot tunnel | Pedestrian | 371 | 406 | Runs beneath River Thames; being refurbished until 2014 | 1902 | |
London | Islington Tunnel, Regent's Canal | Canal | 878 | 976 | 1818 | ||
London | Maida Hill Tunnel, Regent's Canal | Canal | 251 | 272 | 1816 | ||
London | Eyre's tunnel, Regent's Canal | Canal | 48 | 52 | 1816 | ||
London | Kingsway Exchange | Telephone (disused) | Originally part of the Holborn deep shelter, it was used for telephone exchanges until closure in the 1990s due to asbestos | 1954 | |||
London | Kingsway tramway subway | Tramway (disused) | Constructed using 'cut and cover' method. Abandoned in 1952 with the rest of the tram network, and now partially used as the Strand Underpass | 1906 | |||
London | Limehouse Link tunnel | Road | 1800 | 1969 | Constructed with cut and cover methods. Used by the A1203 | 1993 | |
London | London Deep Level Shelters | Air Raid Shelter | 370 | 405 | Eight built in total | 1942 | |
London | Heathrow link road | Road | Part of the airport link road which tunnels from M4/A4 roads to terminals 1,2 and 3 | 1955 | |||
London | Heathrow ART | Road | 1420 | 1553 | Links the airside roads at terminals 1,2 & 3 with the new terminal 5. Only open to vehicles with security clearance | 2005 | W. 51°28′06″N 0°29′26″W / 51.46834°N 0.49059°W |
London | Heathrow Cargo Tunnel | Road | 885 | 968 | Links terminals 1,2 & 3 with terminal 4 | 1968 | 51°27′51″N 0°27′20″W / 51.46426°N 0.45555°W |
London | London Post Office Railway | Railway (decommissioned) | 10,500 | 11483 | Narrow gauge railway built to transport mail between sorting offices. Now decommissioned but still kept in working order.[34] | 1927 | |
London | Rotherhithe Tunnel | Road | 1481 | 1619 | 1908[35] | ||
London | Snow Hill tunnel | Railway | 1866 | ||||
London | Strand Underpass | Road | 365 | 399 | Formed from the disused Kingsway Tramway Subway | 1964 | |
London | Sydenham Hill (also Penge) | Railway | 1958 | 2141 | The tunnel was disliked by Queen Victoria. The brick lining was made from the clay extracted from the tunnel itself. | 1863 | |
London | Thames Tunnel | Railway | 396 | 433 | Built by Marc Brunel and originally opened as a pedestrian link between Rotherhithe and Wapping. Taken over by the East London Railway and now part of the London Overground | 1843 | |
London | Tower Subway | Pedestrian (disused) | 411 | 450 | Built using Tunnelling shields. Closed in 1898 due to the opening of the Tower Bridge. Now used for water mains only | 1870 | |
London | Wood Green Tunnel | Railway | 645 | 705 | 3 Bores: Down slow / Centre / Up Slow | 1848 | 51°36′18″N 0°08′02″W / 51.6050°N 0.1340°W |
Merseyside | Kingsway Tunnel | Road | 2483 | 2715 | Also called Wallasey Tunnel | 1971 | |
Merseyside | Mersey Railway | Railway | 3820 | 4180 | Length of tunnel under the river. | 1886–1892 | |
Merseyside | Queensway Tunnel | Road | 3237 | 3540 | 1934 | ||
Merseyside | Scholes Tunnel | Railway | 73 | 80 | South of Thatto Heath | 1871 | |
Merseyside | Victoria Tunnel & Waterloo Tunnel | Railway | 3254 | 3559 | The Victoria and Waterloo tunnels - 2,475 metres (2,707 yd) and 862 metres (943 yd) - form a single tunnel divided by an air shaft, and having different names on each side of the shaft. | 1849 | |
Merseyside | Wapping Tunnel | Railway | 2030 | 2220 | Originally static steam engine haulage because of the steep gradient, then locomotive hauled. Closed on 15 May 1972 | 1829 | |
Merseyside | Williamson Tunnels | Folly | 3000 | 3281 | 1800–40 | ||
Norfolk | Aylsham Bypass Tunnel | Railway | 166 | 182 | On narrow gauge Bure Valley Railway | 1990 | |
Norfolk | Cromer Tunnel | Railway | 56 | 61 | 1888 | ||
Northamptonshire | Blisworth Tunnel | Canal | 2794 | 3056 | Grand Union Canal | 1805 | |
Northamptonshire | Braunston Tunnel | Canal | 1887 | 2064 | Grand Union Canal | 1796 | |
Northamptonshire | Corby Tunnel | Railway | 1,760 | 1920 | 1878 | ||
Northamptonshire | Crick Tunnel | Canal | 1397 | 1528 | 1814 | ||
Northamptonshire | Hunsbury Hill Tunnel | Railway | 1053 | 1152 | 1881 | ||
Northamptonshire | Kelmarsh Tunnel | Railway | 294 | 322 | Was single bore, but doubled. Now pedestrian | 1859 | |
Northamptonshire | Kilsby Tunnel | Railway | 2218 | 2426 | 1838 | ||
Northamptonshire | Oxendon Tunnel | Railway | 422 | 462 | Was single bore, but doubled. Now pedestrian | 1859 | |
Northamptonshire | Stowe Hill tunnel | Railway | 449 | 491 | Single bore, twin tracks. West coast main line | 1838 | |
Northumberland | Hillhead Tunnel | Railway | 321 | 351 | Single Bore, brick lined. | 1887 | 55°23′32″N 1°49′56″W / 55.39217°N 1.83236°W |
Nottinghamshire | Annesley Tunnel | Railway | 915 | 1001 | 1892 | ||
Nottinghamshire | Barnstone Tunnel | Railway | 90 | 98 | 1899 | ||
Nottinghamshire | Ashwell Tunnel | Railway | 64 | 70 | 1889 | ||
Nottinghamshire | Drakeholes Tunnel | Canal | 141 | 154 | [36] | 1777 | |
Nottinghamshire | Mapperley Tunnel | Railway | 1,035 | 1132 | 1875 | ||
Nottinghamshire | Park Tunnel | Horsedrawn carriages | |||||
Nottinghamshire | Redhill Tunnel | ||||||
Nottinghamshire | Sherwood Tunnel | Railway | 404 | 442 | 1889 | ||
Nottinghamshire | Sherwood Rise Tunnel | Railway | 605 | 662 | 1899 | ||
Nottinghamshire | Sneinton Tunnel | Railway | 117 | 128 | 1889 | ||
Nottinghamshire | Stanton Tunnel, Railway Test Track, Stanton on the Wolds | Railway | 1,220 | 1330 | 1879 | ||
Nottinghamshire | Thorneywood Tunnel | Railway | 373 | 408 | 1889 | ||
Nottinghamshire | Victoria Street Tunnel also known as Weekday Cross Tunnel | Railway | 266 | 291 | 1897 | ||
Nottinghamshire | Watnall Tunnel | Railway | 245 | 268 | |||
Nottinghamshire | Mansfield Road Tunnel | Railway | 1,087 | 1189 | 1898 [37] | ||
Oxfordshire | Bodleian Library Tunnel | Library | |||||
Rutland | Glaston Tunnel | Railway | 1,684 | 1842 | 1878 | ||
Rutland | Manton Tunnel | Railway | 685 | 749 | 1846 | ||
Rutland | Seaton Tunnel | Railway | 188 | 206 | 1878 | ||
Rutland | Wing Tunnel | Railway | 323 | 353 | 1878 | ||
Shropshire | Knowlesands Tunnel | Railway | 40 | 44 | Severn Valley Railway | 1862 | |
Shropshire | Oakengates Tunnel | Railway | 430 | 471 | 1849 | ||
Somerset | Chilcompton Tunnel | Railway | 59 | 64 | Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, north of Chilcompton- closed in 1966 | 1874 | |
Somerset | Combe Down Tunnel | Railway | 1,672 | 1829 | Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, between Devonshire Tunnel and Midford- closed in 1966 | 1874 | |
Somerset | Devonshire Tunnel | Railway | 409 | 447 | Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway between Bath Green Park and Combe Down Tunnel; Closed in 1966 now a cycle path | 1874 | |
Somerset | Somerton Tunnel | Railway | 963 | 1053 | Built as part of the Langport and Castle Cary Railway. Part of the Berks and Hants Line between Taunton and Castle Cary | 1906 | 51°02′36″N 2°45′27″W / 51.04344°N 2.75761°W |
Somerset | White Ball Tunnel | Railway | 990 | 1092 | Bristol to Exeter line between Taunton and Tiverton Junction on Somerset–Devon border | 1844 | |
Somerset | Winsor Hill Down Tunnel | Railway | 219 | 239 | Brick-lined Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway between Masbury and Shepton Mallet[38] Rail service closed in 1966 and the tunnel was closed to walkers until the late 1990s.[39] | 1874 | |
Somerset | Winsor Hill Up Tunnel | Railway | 115 | 126 | Brick-lined Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway between Masbury and Shepton Mallet[38] Rail service closed in 1966 and the tunnel opened to walkers.[39] | 1892 | |
Staffordshire | Birchall Tunnel | Railway | 63 | 69 | disused since 1970, though plans are afoot to relay the line and reopen the tunnel | 1849 | |
Staffordshire | Bradnop Tunnel | Railway | 33 | 36 | Churnet Valley Railway | 1905 | |
Staffordshire | Cheddleton Tunnel | Railway | 486 | 531 | Churnet Valley Railway | 1849 | |
Staffordshire | Harecastle Tunnel(Brindley) | Canal | 2,630 | 2880 | Closed in 1914 due to subsidence | 1777 | |
Staffordshire | Harecastle Tunnel(Telford) | Canal | 2,676 | 2926 | 1827 | ||
Staffordshire | Harecastle railway tunnel | Railway | 200 | 243 | On new diversion replacing three Victorian tunnels | 1965 | |
Staffordshire | Leek Tunnel | Railway | 432 | 472 | disused since 1964 | 1849 | |
Staffordshire | Meir Tunnel | Railway | 744 | 814 | 1894 | ||
Staffordshire | Meir Tunnel | Road | 260 | 284 | On A50 road | 1997 | |
Staffordshire | Oakamoor Tunnel | Railway | 454 | 497 | disused since 1965, though plans are afoot to relay the line and reopen the tunnel | 1849 | |
Staffordshire | Shugborough Tunnel | Railway | 710 | 777 | 1847 | ||
Staffordshire | Stockton Brook Tunnel | Railway | 66 | 72 | disused since 1988, though plans are afoot re-open the line and tunnel | 1867 | |
Staffordshire | Swainsley Tunnel | Road | 150 | 164 | former railway tunnel on the Leek and Manifold Light Railway | 1904 | |
Suffolk | Stoke Tunnel | Railway | 330 | 361 | 1846 | ||
Surrey | Betchworth Tunnel | Railway | 352 | 385 | South of Dorking station.[40] | 1867 | |
Surrey | Bletchingley Tunnel | Railway | 1,213 | 1327 | 1842 | ||
Surrey | Hindhead Tunnel | Road | 1830 | 2001 | Part of the A3 | 2011 | |
Surrey | Limpsfield Tunnel | Railway | 504 | 551 | 1884 | ||
Surrey | Merstham Tunnel | Railway | 1,674 | 1831 | 1841 | ||
Surrey | Mickleham Tunnel | Railway | 479 | 524 | Runs under the eastern side of Norbury Park between Leatherhead and Dorking.[41] | 1867 | |
Surrey | Oxted Tunnel | Railway | 2,067 | 2261 | 1884 | ||
Surrey | Quarry Tunnel[42] | Railway | 1,932 | 2113 | 1899 | ||
Surrey | Redhill Tunnel | Railway | 593 | 649 | 1899 | ||
Surrey | Reigate Tunnel | Horsedrawn carriages | 91 | 100 | Brick. Length is approximate. Said to be the first road tunnel.[43] | 1823 | |
Surrey | St Catherine's Tunnel | Railway | 121 | 132 | Built by the London and South Western Railway. Runs under St Catherine's Hill south of Guildford. Also known as the Guildford Sand Tunnel.[44] | 1849 | |
Tyne and Wear | Tyne Tunnel | Road | 1,676 | 1833 | Also pedestrian tunnel | 1967 | |
Tyne and Wear | Victoria Tunnel | Wagonway | 1842 | ||||
Warwickshire | Shrewley Tunnel | Canal | 396 | 433 | 1799 | ||
West Midlands | Anchor Exchange | Telephone | 52°28′58″N 1°54′15″W / 52.4829°N 1.9042°W | ||||
West Midlands | Snow Hill Tunnel | Railway | 581 | 635 | 1852 | 52°28′51″N 1°53′46″W / 52.48095°N 1.89615°W | |
West Midlands | Black Lake Tunnel | Railway | 377 | 412 | Closed 1972, but now reopen for light rail use | ? | |
West Midlands | Dudley Tunnel | Canal | 2884 | 3154 | 1792 | 52°31′03″N 2°05′12″W / 52.517544°N 2.086741°W | |
West Midlands | Dudley Railway Tunnel | Railway | 867 | 948 | 1850 | 52°30′30″N 2°04′43″W / 52.508392°N 2.078701°W | |
West Midlands | Hockley Tunnel 1 | Railway | 124 | 136 | Closed 1972 but later reopened for light rail use | ? | |
West Midlands | Hockley Tunnel 2 | Railway | 150 | 160 | Closed 1972 but later reopened for light rail use | ? | |
West Midlands | Lapal Tunnel | Canal | 3470 | 3795 | Disused since 1917 | 1798 | 52°26′42″N 2°00′06″W / 52.4450°N 2.0017°W |
West Midlands | Netherton Canal Tunnel | Canal | 2768 | 3027 | 1858 | 52°30′16″N 2°03′34″W / 52.50435°N 2.05932°W | |
West Midlands | Queensway (Birmingham) | Road | 548 | 600 | 52°28′59″N 1°54′09″W / 52.4830°N 1.9026°W | ||
West Sussex | Balcombe tunnel | Railway | 1036 | 1133 | 1841 | ||
West Sussex | Clayton Tunnel | Railway | 2066 | 2259 | |||
West Sussex | Haywards Heath Tunnel | Railway | 228 | 249 | |||
West Sussex | Lywood Tunnel | Railway | 197 | 215 | closed 1963 | 1883 | |
West Sussex | Midhurst Tunnel | Railway | 252 | 276 | closed 1964 | 1866 | |
West Sussex | North Stoke Tunnel | Railway | 76 | 83 | |||
West Sussex | Sharpthorne Tunnel | Railway | 668 | 731 | closed 1965 reopened 1994 | 1882 | |
West Sussex | Southwick Hill Tunnel | Road | 490 | 536 | Twin-bore tunnel, part of A27 Brighton bypass | 1996 | |
Wiltshire | Box Tunnel | Railway | 2937 | 3212 | 1841 | ||
Wiltshire | Bruce Tunnel | Canal | 459 | 502 | Kennet and Avon Canal | 1809 | |
Wiltshire | Alderton Tunnel | Railway | 463 | 506 | South Wales main line | 1903 | |
Worcestershire and Herefordshire | Colwall Old Tunnel | Railway | 1,433 | 1567 | Closed 1926 | 1861 | |
Worcestershire and Herefordshire | Colwall New Tunnel | Railway | 1,433 | 1567 | In service on the Cotswold Line | 1926 | |
Herefordshire | Ledbury Tunnel | Railway | 1,205 | 1318 | In service | 1861 | |
Herefordshire | Dinmore Tunnel | Railway | 970 | 1060 | In service on Welsh Marches Line | 1853 Up Line and 1891 Down Line | |
Worcestershire | Redditch Tunnel | Railway | 300 | 330 | Closed 1980s[45] | 1868 | |
Yorkshire – East | Drewton Tunnel | Railway | 1,933 | 2114 | Hull & Barnsley Closed 1959 | 1885 | |
Yorkshire – East | Sugar Loaf Tunnel | Railway | 121 | 132 | Hull & Barnsley Closed 1959 | 1885 | |
Yorkshire – East | Weedley Tunnel | Railway | 121 | 132 | Hull & Barnsley Closed 1959 | 1885 | |
Yorkshire – North | Burdale Tunnel | Railway | 1,597 | 1746 | 1853 | ||
Yorkshire – North | Blea Moor Tunnel | Railway | 2,404 | 2929 | Settle & Carlisle Main Line | 1876 | |
Yorkshire – North | Prospect Tunnel, Crimple, Harrogate | Railway | 754 | 825 | 1848 | ||
Yorkshire – North | Falsgrave Tunnel | Railway | 240 | 260 | 1885 | 54°16′35.9″N 0°24′33.8″W / 54.276639°N 0.409389°W | |
Yorkshire – North | Kettleness Tunnel | Railway | 282 | 308 | 1883 | ||
Yorkshire – North | Ravenscar Tunnel | Railway | 255 | 279 | Also Peak Tunnel | 1885 | |
Yorkshire – North | Sandsend Tunnel | Railway | 1,511 | 1652 | 1883 | ||
Yorkshire – South | Bradway Tunnel | Railway | 1853 | 2027 | 1870 | ||
Yorkshire – South | Cat Hill Tunnel | Railway | 141 | 154 | 1840 | ||
Yorkshire – South | Norwood Tunnel | Canal | 2637 | 2884 | Disused since 1907 | 1775 | |
Yorkshire – South | Thurgoland Tunnel (old) | Railway | 288 | 315 [19] | Down line from 1952 – Closed 1983 | 1845 | |
Yorkshire – South | Thurgoland Tunnel (new) | Railway | 310 | 339 [19] | Second single-track bore (up line)opened 1952 due to clearance problems on curves. Closed 1983 | 1953 | |
Yorkshire – South | Totley Tunnel | Railway | 5697 | 6230 | 1893 | ||
Yorkshire – South | Woodhead Tunnel 1 | Railway | 4840 | 5293 | First of 3 tunnels | 1845 | |
Yorkshire – South | Woodhead Tunnel 2 | Railway | 4840 | 5293 | Second of 3 tunnels | 1853 | |
Yorkshire – South | Woodhead Tunnel 3 | Railway | 4871 | 5340 | Third tunnel built using electric trains. Currently used by National Grid | 1953 | |
Yorkshire – West | Bingley Tunnel | Railway | 138 | 151 | Airedale Line | 1847 | |
Yorkshire – West | Bramhope Tunnel | Railway | 3439 | 3761 | 1849 | ||
Yorkshire - West | Lees Moor Tunnel | Railway | 1,402 | 1282 | 1884 | 53°50′11.9″N 1°55′32″W / 53.836639°N 1.92556°W | |
Yorkshire – West | Morley Tunnel | Railway | 3081 | 3369 | 1848 | ||
Yorkshire – West | Standedge Tunnels | Canal | 5029 | 5500 | Disused 1945; reopened 2001. Longest and highest canal tunnel in UK (Huddersfield Narrow Canal). Western portal located in Greater Manchester | 1811 | |
Yorkshire – West | Standedge Tunnels – Central tunnel | Railway | 4880 | 5337 | First of the 3 rail tunnels to be opened. Used for emergency access. Western portal located in Greater Manchester | 1848 | |
Yorkshire – West | Standedge Tunnels – South tunnel | Railway | 4880 | 5337 | Second single track tunnel. Western portal located in Greater Manchester | 1871 | |
Yorkshire – West | Standedge Tunnels – live tunnel | Railway | 4883 | 5340 | Third tunnel, double track, in use. Western Portal located in Greater Manchester | 1894 | |
Yorkshire – West | Summit Tunnel | Railway | 2638 | 2885 | Manchester and Leeds Railway | 1841 | |
Yorkshire – West | Thackley Tunnel | Railway | 1200 | 1300 | Airedale Line | 1845 | |
Yorkshire – West | Victoria Avenue Tunnel | Road (A658) | 237 | 258 | Under the runway of Leeds Bradford International Airport | 1982/3 |
Wales
County | Tunnel | Type | Length (Metres) | Length (Yards) | Construction method / Notes | Date of opening |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anglesey | Bodorgan Tunnel | Railway | 530 | 580 | Two sections of tunnel (approx. 80m and 375m long) separated by open cut | 1849 |
Bridgend | Nottage, Porthcawl | Railway | 58 | 63 | Single track. Short, south portal relandscaped. Length[2] | 1829? |
Caerphilly | Penar Tunnel | Railway | 219 | 239 | On Halls Road Branch between Risca and Markham | |
Caerphilly | Glyn Tunnel, Hafodyrynys | Railway | 260 | 280 | Taff Vale Extension. Single track. Closed 1964. Portals now backfilled | 1857 |
Caerphilly | Caerphilly Tunnel | Railway | 1,768 | 1933 | In use between Thornhill, Cardiff and Caerphilly. On the Rhymney Railway | 1871 |
Cardiff | Queensgate Tunnel | Road | 715 | 782 | Part of the A4232 Butetown link road | 1995 |
Cardigan | Bryn Teify Tunnel | Railway | 92 | 101 | Closed 1970s and portals bricked up | ? |
Carmarthenshire | Pencader Tunnel | Railway | 901 | 985 | Built for broad gauge | 1861 |
Conwy | Conwy Road Tunnel[46] | Road | 1,080 | 1181 | Carries the A55 road around Conwy | 1991 |
Conwy | Penmaenbach Westbound Tunnel[46] | Road | 658 | 720 | Carries the Westbound A55 road through the Penmaenbach headland | 1989 |
Conwy | Penmaenbach Eastbound Headland Tunnel[46] | Road | 172 | 188 | Carries the Eastbound A55 road through the Penmaenbach headland | 1932 |
Conwy | Pen-y-Clip Westbound Tunnel[46] | Road | 930 | 1017 | Carries the Westbound A55 road through the Pen-y-Clip headland | 1994 |
Gwynedd | Penhelig Tunnels (Aberdovey No. 1, Fron-gôch) | Railway | 180 | 200 | One of four tunnels on the Cambrian Coast Railway. | 1867 |
Gwynedd | Penhelig Tunnels (Aberdovey No. 2, Morfa Bach) | Railway | 200 | 219 | One of four tunnels on the Cambrian Coast Railway. | 1867 |
Gwynedd | Penhelig Tunnels (Aberdovey No. 3) | Railway | 175 | 191 | One of four tunnels on the Cambrian Coast Railway. | 1867 |
Gwynedd | Penhelig Tunnels (Aberdovey No. 4, Craig-y-Don) | Railway | 487 | 533 | One of four tunnels on the Cambrian Coast Railway. | 1867 |
Gwynedd | Ffestiniog Tunnel | Railway | 3,407 | 3726 | UK's longest single-track tunnel, in use on the Conwy Valley Line | |
Monmouthshire | Severn Tunnel | Railway | 7,012 | 7668 | Longest mainline tunnel in UK until Channel Tunnel opened | 1886 |
Monmouthshire | Gibraltar Tunnel | Road | 185 | 202 | Twin bore on A40 dual carriageway | 1968 |
Monmouthshire | Bryn Tunnel, Hengoed | Railway | 364 | 398 | On Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway from Pontllanfraith to Hengoed. Portals now buried | |
Monmouthshire | Clydach Tunnels | Railway | 250 | 273 | Between Nantyglo and Govilon. Closed 1958 | 1862, doubled 1877 |
Monmouthshire | Gelli-felen Tunnels | Railway | 230 | 352 | Co-located with Clydach. On a continuous curve of approximately 120 degrees | 1862 |
Monmouthshire | Monmouth Troy | Railway | 130 | 142 | Disused and blocked | |
Monmouthshire | Usk | Railway | 234 | 256 | Disused but walkable | 1857 |
Neath Port Talbot | Cymmer, Afan Valley | Railway | 1,458 | 1595 | Built by the Great Western Railway. Single track. Straight. North end relandscaped | |
Neath Port Talbot | Gelli, Afan Valley | Railway | 153 | 167 [2] | Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway. Single track. Stone and brick. Closed 1964. | 1882 |
Neath Port Talbot | Gyfylchi Tunnel, Tonmawr / Afan Valley | Railway (disused) | 932 | 1019 | Single track. North end collapsed 1947. South Wales Mineral Railway. | 1863 |
Neath Port Talbot | Cwmcerwyn, Maesteg | Railway | 920 | 1010 | Built by the Port Talbot Railway and Docks Company. Single track, curved. | 1964 |
Newport | Hillfield Tunnels, Newport | Railway | 700 | 770 | Mainline tunnel west of Newport railway station. | |
Newport | Gaer Tunnel, Newport | Railway | 369 | 403 | Line to Bassaleg west of Hillfield Tunnels. | |
Newport | Brynglas Tunnels | Road | 370 | 400 | Twin-bore, two-lane tunnels on M4. | 1967 |
Pembrokeshire | Castle Tunnel, Maenclochog | Railway | 91 | 99 | Used for target practice in WWII. Closed 1949. | 1867 |
Pembrokeshire | Saundersfoot Railway | Railway | 450 | 490 | 3 short Coppet Hall Tunnels on the shoreline plus the longer Hill Tunnel inland | |
Powys | Torpantau Tunnel | Railway | 610 | 666 | Brecon and Merthyr Railway. Also called Summit or Beacons Tunnel. Highest rail tunnel in UK at 1,313 feet (400 m) | 1863 |
Powys | Tal-y-llyn Tunnel | Railway | 616 | 674 | Brecon and Merthyr Railway | 1864 |
Powys | Ashford Tunnel | Canal | 343 | 375 | Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal | 1800 |
Powys | Rhayader Tunnel | Railway | 270 | 290 | Mid Wales Railway. Closed 1963. Now a nature reserve | 1864 |
Powys | Marteg Tunnel | Railway | 340 | 372 | Mid Wales Railway. Closed 1963. North-west of Rhayader | 1864 |
Merthyr Tydfil CBC | Abernant / Merthyr | Railway | 2,283 | 2497 | Single track bore, curved at west end and with double-track portal. | 1853 |
Rhondda Cynon Tâf | Garth or Walnut Tree Tunnel | Railway | 410 | 490 [8] | Barry Railway Company Penrhos branch to Llanbradach. Double track. Closed 1963. Partly breached by Garth Quarry. | 1905 |
Merthyr Tydfil CBC | Morlais Tunnel, Merthyr Tydfil | Railway | 948 | 1040 | Double track, curved at west end. 3 airshafts. Closed 6 January 1958. Linked LNWR with Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway at Morlais Junction. | 1 June 1879 |
Merthyr Tydfil CBC | Quaker's Yard or Cefn-Glas Tunnel, Abercynon | Railway | 643 | 703 [47] | Vale of Neath / West Midland Railway GWR. Closed to traffic in 1964. | 1851 |
Rhondda Cynon Tâf | Rhondda or Treherbert Tunnel | Railway | 3,148 | 3443 | Single track. Closed due to subsidence in the 1960s. | 1890 |
Rhondda Cynon Tâf | Tinworks, Treforest | Water | 140 | 150 | Mill race "feeder" for Crawshays Tinworks. Tunnel made when embankment was constructed | 1907 |
Rhondda Cynon Tâf | Pontypridd | Railway | 1,210 | 1323 | Barry Railway Company Closed and bricked up | 1889 |
Rhondda Cynon Tâf | Tongwynlais | Railway | 160 | 180 | Cardiff Railway through the Taffs Well gorge. Closed 1938. Removed in constructing A470 dual carriageway at Tongwynlais. | 1907 |
Swansea | Penllergaer Tunnel | Railway | 267 | 292 | Active freight and sometimes passenger line on Swansea District Line | 1912 |
Swansea | Llangyfelach Tunnel | Railway | 1,785 | 1952 | Active freight and sometimes passenger line on Swansea District Line | 1912 |
Swansea | Peniel Green Tunnel (Lônlas) | Railway | 845 | 924 | Active freight and sometimes passenger line on Swansea District Line | 1912 |
Swansea | Cockett Tunnel | Railway | 721 | 788 | South Wales Main Line | |
Vale of Glamorgan | Wenvoe Tunnel | Railway | 1,707 | 1867 | Barry Railway. Closed 1964 | 1898 |
Vale of Glamorgan | Cogan Tunnel | Railway | 203 | 222 | Barry Railway. | 1886 |
Vale of Glamorgan | Barry Island Tunnel. Also called "Pier Tunnel" | Railway | 260 | 280 | Barry Railway. Closed in the 1970s bricked up but part of bore used as a rifle range from west portal access. | 1897 |
Vale of Glamorgan | Porthkerry No.1 Tunnel | Railway | 498 | 545 | Vale of Glamorgan Railway. | 1898 |
Vale of Glamorgan | Porthkerry No.2 Tunnel | Railway | 65 | 71 | Vale of Glamorgan Railway. | 1898 |
Wrexham | Chirk Tunnel | Canal | 420 | 459 | First in UK to have a towpath | 1802 |
Northern Ireland
County | Tunnel | Type | Length (Metres) | Length (Yards) | Construction method / Notes | Date of opening |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Londonderry | Castlerock | Rail | 611 | 668 | Brick | 1845–1853[48] |
Londonderry | Downhill | Rail | 281 | 307 | 1845–1846[49] | |
Armagh | Lissummon | Rail | 1,608 | 1759 | Stone with some brick | early 1860s[50] |
Down | Binnian Tunnel | Aqueduct | 4,000 | 4400 | Stone | 1948–1952 |
Antrim | Whitehead | Rail | 159 | 145 | Closed in 1994 until further notice. | 1862–1994[51] |
Tyrone | Dungannon | Rail | 870 | 800 | 1862 [52] | |
Scotland
County | Tunnel | Type | Length (Metres) | Length (Yards) | Construction method / Notes | Date of opening |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dundee | Marketgait Tunnel | Road | 230 | 250 | Cut and cover. Length[53] | |
Midlothian | Broomieknowe Tunnel | Railway | 393 | 430 | Closed 1951 | 1877 |
Glasgow | Clyde Tunnel | Road | 762 | 833 | 1964 | |
Glasgow | M8 Motorway, Charing Cross. | Road | Cut and cover, short sections | |||
Glasgow | Glasgow Subway | Railway | 10,500 | 11440 | ||
Scottish Borders | Whitrope Tunnel | Railway | 1,105 | 1208 | Closed 1969 | 1862 |
Scottish Borders | Penmanshiel Tunnel | Railway | 244 | 267 | Original tunnel closed in 1979 after collapse and new cutting constructed adjacent to old tunnel. | 1979 |
Scottish Highlands | Nevis Tunnel | Water | 24,000 | 26400 | hydroelectric scheme | |
Stirling | A9, City Centre Tunnel | Road | Cut and cover | |||
Edinburgh | Scotland Street Tunnel | Railway | 910 | 1000 | 1847 | |
Edinburgh | Bowshank Tunnel | Railway | 226 | 247 | ||
Edinburgh | Innocent Tunnel, also St Leonard's Tunnel | Railway | 518 | 566 | Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway. Closed 1968. Now a footpath and cyclepath. | 1831 |
Glasgow | Kelvingrove Tunnel | Railway | 870 | 950 | Glasgow Central Railway. Closed 1964 | 1896 |
Glasgow | Cowlairs Tunnel | Railway | 914 | 1000 | 1842 | |
Glasgow | Glasgow Harbour Tunnel | Vehicle and pedestrian | 213 | 233 | 3 bores. Vehicles hoisted to tunnel level. Closed 1987 | 1895 |
Renfrewshire | Newton Street Tunnel | Railway | 1,930 | 2110 | Longest bored railway tunnel in Scotland, linking Greenock to Gourock | 1889 |
See also
References
Notes
- ↑ "VII. Marple By-Passed 1898-191". www.marple-uk.com. Retrieved 2008-08-26
- 1 2 3 "UK railway tunnel lengths G-P"
- ↑ Historic England. "Details from image database (413849)". Images of England. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ↑ "Cheshire Magazine". www.cc-publishing.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-08-27
- ↑ "Cornwall & Scilly HER". English Heritage. Retrieved 2011-06-26.
- ↑ "Cornwall & Scilly HER". English Heritage. Retrieved 2011-06-26.
- ↑ "SX0853 : Former Railway Trackbed used as Private Road". Geograph – photograph every grid square. GeoGraph. Retrieved 2011-06-26.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "UK railway tunnel lengths A-F"
- ↑ Driving the Clay Cross Tunnel, Cliff Williams, Scarthin Books, Cromford
- ↑ "UK canal tunnel lengths". Archived from the original on 12 October 2007
- ↑ "Railway Tunnel lengths G-P"
- ↑ The History of Chesterfield: With … - Google Book Search. books.google.co.uk. 1839. Retrieved 2008-08-28.
- ↑ Killamarsh Branch & Extension: via kivetonwaleshistory
- ↑ "UK railway tunnels lengths Q-Z"
- ↑ "Middlebere railway history"
- ↑ Hidden internet link
N’Kaoua, J; Pope, CW; Henson, DA. "A parametric study into the factors affecting the development and alleviation of micro-pressure waves in railway tunnels". Mott MacDonald Ltd. - ↑ Bardsley 1960, p. 7.
- ↑ Cold-War History in Manchester
- 1 2 3 4 Phil Deaves (Subeditor of The Railway Observer). "Railway tunnel lengths". Retrieved 8 April 2012.
- ↑ Nick Hurrell. "The Railway through Micheldever". Retrieved 8 April 2012.
- ↑ "BBC – Beds Herts and Bucks – Read This - Baldock bypass: it's open!". bbc.co.uk.
- ↑ LocalDetails.co.uk
- 1 2 3 Railway People article on the repair work to the 3 tunnels, accessed 15 May 2008
- ↑ Barham Kent, accessed 15 May 2008
- ↑ Network Rail (2015-06-06). Kent Sussex Wessex Route Sectional Appendix. Module KSW2. p. 274.
- ↑ Page on construction of tunnel, accessed 15 May 2008
- ↑ Kent Rail's page on Shakespeare Cliff Halt, accessed 15 May 2008
- ↑ Graham Martin, From Vision to Reality: the Making of the University of Kent at Canterbury (University of Kent at Canterbury, 1990) pages 225-231 ISBN 0-904938-03-4
- 1 2 3 4 "East Lancashire Historical Community Railways" (PDF). East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership. 2007-08-08. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
- 1 2 Clarke, Mike (1994). The Leeds & Liverpool Canal: A History and Guide. Lancaster: Carnegie Publishing. p. 175. ISBN 1-85936-013-0.
- ↑ "Forgotten Relics of an Enterprising Age". Retrieved 2012-05-03.
- ↑ Williams, Michael (2011). On the Slow Train Again: Twelve Great British Railway Journeys. Preface Publishing. p. 70. ISBN 978-1-84809-285-3.
- 1 2 "The Road Tunnel Operator Association – Participants". The Road Tunnel Operator Association. Retrieved 2011-11-29.
- ↑ "Mail Rail unofficial website". Retrieved 2009-03-04
- ↑ "Rotherhithe Tunnel Traffic". LondonTrafic. Retrieved 2011-07-28.
- ↑ "Chesterfield Canal Trust – Official website". www.chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk. Retrieved 2008-08-28
- ↑ "Mansfield Road Tunnel". forgottenrelics.co.uk.
- 1 2 Calpcott, Kevin (10 August 2007). "Windsor Hill". Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. Retrieved 2011-09-25.
- 1 2 "Bowlish, Spring Walk – 3.5 mls". Shepton Mallett Town Council. Retrieved 2011-09-25.
- ↑ Capper I (2010). "Betchworth Tunnel". TQ1849. Geograph Britain and Ireland. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
- ↑ Beechcroft G (2009). "Mickleham Tunnel". Railway Structures. Southern E-Group. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
- ↑ Quail Map Company (2002-09-01). Railway Track diagrams. 5 England South. p. 15A.
- ↑ "Source CRDB website".
- ↑ Williams G (2011). "Railway Stations and Church Names". Glyn's Trains. sinfin.net. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
- ↑ "Redditch Raily History". Redditch Model Railway Club. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
- 1 2 3 4 "Tunnels". North Wales Trunk Road Agency. 2011. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 2011-09-04.
- ↑ "UK railway tunnels lengths Q-Z"
- ↑ "History of the Railway". Castlerock Community Association. Retrieved 2010-09-23.
- ↑ "1845–1861 Londonderry and Coleraine Railway". Retrieved 2010-09-23.
- ↑ "Lissummon Railway tunnel". Retrieved 2013-06-30.
- ↑ "Ireland's Disused Tunnels". Retrieved 2013-08-19.
- ↑ "Closure of the 'Derry Road' a great loss to Ireland – Derry Journal". Retrieved 2013-08-20.
- ↑ "Sabre Road Lists".
Bibliography
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tunnels in the United Kingdom. |
- Alan Blower, British Railway Tunnels, (Ian Allan Ltd, 1964).
- J.C. Gagg, Book of Canal Tunnels, (J.Gagg, 1976), ISBN 0-9504226-2-2
- David Jacobs, Bridges, canals & tunnels, (Princeton, N.J, 1968).
- David J. Appleby, Allan C. Gilbert, and Stephen P. Samuel, Canal Tunnels of England and Wales, (Aylestone, 2001), ISBN 0-9540382-0-7
- Bardsley, James Rodney (1960). The railways of Bolton, 1824–1959. J.R.Bardsley. ASIN B0000CKNFN