OK here is my first attempt.
After Bovine's sucessful explore of the Whitrope Tunnel (It was still shut tight when I visited it last year) I thought I'd go for an explore of it's little cousin on the former Waverley Line, the Bowshank Tunnel.
The Bowshank Tunnel is 249 yards long and is cut through a promontory of land around which a bow of the Gala Water flows.
Although the tunnel is currently empty the local farmer would appear to use it for wintering his cattle and storing various bits of machinery.
As plans are in place to partially reopen the Waverley Line trains should once again be running through the tunnel, although many think that the estimated completion date of 2014 is rather optimistic.
The Northern Portal.
The Southern Portal
The profile of the tunnel widens near the centre and a false wall has been built to provide a platelayers bothy/storeroom.
Although a fairly short tunnel due to it curving to the west you cannot quite see straight through it.
In a couple of sections the brickwork appears to have been removed and the tunnel enlarged. This may be the reason why there aren't any refuges built into this section.
There is some evidence of repair work to the walls.
My co-explorer for the day NayNay2003
After Bovine's sucessful explore of the Whitrope Tunnel (It was still shut tight when I visited it last year) I thought I'd go for an explore of it's little cousin on the former Waverley Line, the Bowshank Tunnel.
The Bowshank Tunnel is 249 yards long and is cut through a promontory of land around which a bow of the Gala Water flows.
Although the tunnel is currently empty the local farmer would appear to use it for wintering his cattle and storing various bits of machinery.
As plans are in place to partially reopen the Waverley Line trains should once again be running through the tunnel, although many think that the estimated completion date of 2014 is rather optimistic.
The Northern Portal.
The Southern Portal
The profile of the tunnel widens near the centre and a false wall has been built to provide a platelayers bothy/storeroom.
Although a fairly short tunnel due to it curving to the west you cannot quite see straight through it.
In a couple of sections the brickwork appears to have been removed and the tunnel enlarged. This may be the reason why there aren't any refuges built into this section.
There is some evidence of repair work to the walls.
My co-explorer for the day NayNay2003
