Here we are again, report No3 in as many days, it"s like waiting for a bus you wait 6 months or so then loads come along lol
In 1881, plans to extend the Rothbury branch northwards to Cornhill - known as the Central Northumberland Railway - faced vigorous opposition from the traders of Alnwick, fearful that valuable agricultural traffic from Wooler would disappear to rival markets in Rothbury. And so, with some reluctance, the North Eastern Railway was prompted to promote its own 36-mile line from the existing terminus at Alnwick to Cornhill via Wooler. And an enabling Act passed through Parliament on 19th May 1882. Having cost £272,266 to build, communities along the route joined the age of the train on 5th September 1887.
One-and-a-quarter miles north of Edlingham Station, the railway was forced to penetrate a ridge at Hill Head. This involved a tunnel of 351 yards curving slightly westwards at its southern extreme before adopting a straight course. Built for the route's single line, it was lined entirely in red brick which came from a local brickworks, connected to the construction site by a two-mile tramway. Numerous ample refuges were provided as well as two ventilation shafts, 4 feet in diameter. These have concrete rings at their bases. The portals are similar in design - both fashioned from stone, with buttresses and triangular wing walls either side of the entrances.
Passenger services were withdrawn on 22nd September 1930, just 43 years after they started; the section of line through the tunnel closed completely on 2nd March 1953.
Thanks to Forgotten Relics for info & inspiration
Following on from my initial port Mulgrave visit, Ridge Lane tunnel & Grinkle (Easington) Culvert i ventured North on my jollies via a quick trip into Sunderland & meet up with Stranton for a look at the Sunderland tunnels & then i departed for the Alnwick area. Upon reaching where i thought the Hillhead Tunnel would be @11.30pm Unfortunately as star gazers know Northumberland is a very dark place with little to zero light pollution. And some numpty walking around next to a couple of farms with a very bright light seemed to attract unwanted attention from the Farms, i didn"t fancy getting shot as a Poacher or similar so i decided to call back in daylight.
36 hrs later i was back in the same spot rigged up & made the descent into the culvert, which is a novel way of getting down as it"s via a rope down the 60 degree slippery clay banking through trees etc onto terra ferma.
Visit was uneventful & i quite enjoyed what the colourful tunnel had to offer with it"s multiple refuges & deposits. The only thing i have issue with regarding short tunnels is i don"t like them in the daytime, i much prefer to have to light paint them up as it"s a more balanced result rather than having a portal blasting bright light into your face.
The return trip back up the cutting side was made more eventful as it had been raining while i was down in the tunnel & some old bloke trying to drag himself up the incline huffing & puffing like a Steam Engine was quite funny (looking back on the video i did)
Anyway enough of the babble, enjoy
Lit up with a combination of 850Lumen lenser 7 2 P7"s to try & offset the light at the end of the tunnel lol
Eastern Portal.
img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8813/17551096708_c80054c653_o.jpg[/img]
In 1881, plans to extend the Rothbury branch northwards to Cornhill - known as the Central Northumberland Railway - faced vigorous opposition from the traders of Alnwick, fearful that valuable agricultural traffic from Wooler would disappear to rival markets in Rothbury. And so, with some reluctance, the North Eastern Railway was prompted to promote its own 36-mile line from the existing terminus at Alnwick to Cornhill via Wooler. And an enabling Act passed through Parliament on 19th May 1882. Having cost £272,266 to build, communities along the route joined the age of the train on 5th September 1887.
One-and-a-quarter miles north of Edlingham Station, the railway was forced to penetrate a ridge at Hill Head. This involved a tunnel of 351 yards curving slightly westwards at its southern extreme before adopting a straight course. Built for the route's single line, it was lined entirely in red brick which came from a local brickworks, connected to the construction site by a two-mile tramway. Numerous ample refuges were provided as well as two ventilation shafts, 4 feet in diameter. These have concrete rings at their bases. The portals are similar in design - both fashioned from stone, with buttresses and triangular wing walls either side of the entrances.
Passenger services were withdrawn on 22nd September 1930, just 43 years after they started; the section of line through the tunnel closed completely on 2nd March 1953.
Thanks to Forgotten Relics for info & inspiration
Following on from my initial port Mulgrave visit, Ridge Lane tunnel & Grinkle (Easington) Culvert i ventured North on my jollies via a quick trip into Sunderland & meet up with Stranton for a look at the Sunderland tunnels & then i departed for the Alnwick area. Upon reaching where i thought the Hillhead Tunnel would be @11.30pm Unfortunately as star gazers know Northumberland is a very dark place with little to zero light pollution. And some numpty walking around next to a couple of farms with a very bright light seemed to attract unwanted attention from the Farms, i didn"t fancy getting shot as a Poacher or similar so i decided to call back in daylight.
36 hrs later i was back in the same spot rigged up & made the descent into the culvert, which is a novel way of getting down as it"s via a rope down the 60 degree slippery clay banking through trees etc onto terra ferma.
Visit was uneventful & i quite enjoyed what the colourful tunnel had to offer with it"s multiple refuges & deposits. The only thing i have issue with regarding short tunnels is i don"t like them in the daytime, i much prefer to have to light paint them up as it"s a more balanced result rather than having a portal blasting bright light into your face.
The return trip back up the cutting side was made more eventful as it had been raining while i was down in the tunnel & some old bloke trying to drag himself up the incline huffing & puffing like a Steam Engine was quite funny (looking back on the video i did)
Anyway enough of the babble, enjoy
Lit up with a combination of 850Lumen lenser 7 2 P7"s to try & offset the light at the end of the tunnel lol
Eastern Portal.
img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8813/17551096708_c80054c653_o.jpg[/img]
