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Report - - Darkies Tunnel Plymouth - July 2018 | Underground Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Darkies Tunnel Plymouth - July 2018

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Jack Wilkinson1

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Today I decided to pay darkies tunnel a visit with two non 28D members. I don’t have any pictures of the end as sadly my phone battery got too low, but I thought what I had was still worthy of a report.

Darkies tunnel (otherwise know as devonport and ford) is two disused railway tunnels that made up the London and South Western Railway line. The tunnels were built in the late 1800's. The line was used to continue out from the Northern end of Ford tunnel, across Ford viaduct (which was destroyed in the 1980’s) through to Western Mill and St Budeaux before heading along the Tamar to Lydford via Tavistock. As competing railway companies merged, the line closed in the 1960’s, and the newer Great Western Railway route was adopted. The only things left within the tunnel now is a single sewer pipe (hence the raised bank) and a few piles of litter which boneidle yobs have left there.

So now for a bit about the explore. When I got here today I was surprised to see that they’ve actually made access a lot harder than what it use to be. There is now a row of fences, the first one being the newer one which is large and made of steel. Then the second one which was quite small and presented no problems just climbing over. Thankfully, like most other places in Plymouth the attempt at stopping acces was very much half-assed as there is a path down a bank on the other side of the road which can take you past the first fence.

Darkies tunnels is an interesting place and good for a stroll but my god it stunk like shit. ( I guess that’s to be expected when there’s a sewer pipe there though).



7DCAD4C6-A228-4D67-954E-A5F32C0FB09E.jpeg

First of a few external shots (can see the steel fence)
F460167D-CF4B-4D0D-BC81-4A8031E54485.jpeg

D6C039B0-D53C-4FD4-98B2-E86FA04C2CAF.jpeg
44B43FCF-1C8C-4E93-A6FC-0640E611B258.jpeg

The path down the bank taking us past the first fence.
98D610C9-BE47-458E-830A-1D5B893EFE0E.jpeg

The next fence.
7889F121-5CDA-4392-8250-68B28135FFE8.jpeg

And we’re in! Shot looking out the tunnel
DC4890F0-B65F-40A5-B4D7-090D719187B8.jpeg

Looking down the tunnel.
3749C7AD-927F-4B78-A00E-3BA387F7023A.jpeg
7195153E-D310-4291-9A9D-C24F2B957232.jpeg

Some dodgy items. Things like this are every where at the beginning of the tunnel but after the first 15 metres ish they dissapear.
7603084E-C268-4CD0-B251-20CD30BFB198.jpeg
8C8B1044-3B9D-40B9-AB34-A571EC138591.jpeg
2D9FB6A9-4992-4C94-B612-73AD100A95DF.jpeg

There’s quite a few of these things there. I can’t remember what they’re called though.
780655D2-25A3-47D4-80DC-497A1D329332.jpeg

Shot looking down the tunnel.

And that’s about all the photos I’ve got. After this point my phone battery became too low but there are plenty of other things further down to see.

This is only my second report so I’m still learning the best way to write them, so any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks for reading :)
 

Simon Pykett

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Today I decided to pay darkies tunnel a visit with two non 28D members. I don’t have any pictures of the end as sadly my phone battery got too low, but I thought what I had was still worthy of a report.

Darkies tunnel (otherwise know as devonport and ford) is two disused railway tunnels that made up the London and South Western Railway line. The tunnels were built in the late 1800's. The line was used to continue out from the Northern end of Ford tunnel, across Ford viaduct (which was destroyed in the 1980’s) through to Western Mill and St Budeaux before heading along the Tamar to Lydford via Tavistock. As competing railway companies merged, the line closed in the 1960’s, and the newer Great Western Railway route was adopted. The only things left within the tunnel now is a single sewer pipe (hence the raised bank) and a few piles of litter which boneidle yobs have left there.

So now for a bit about the explore. When I got here today I was surprised to see that they’ve actually made access a lot harder than what it use to be. There is now a row of fences, the first one being the newer one which is large and made of steel. Then the second one which was quite small and presented no problems just climbing over. Thankfully, like most other places in Plymouth the attempt at stopping acces was very much half-assed as there is a path down a bank on the other side of the road which can take you past the first fence.

Darkies tunnels is an interesting place and good for a stroll but my god it stunk like shit. ( I guess that’s to be expected when there’s a sewer pipe there though).



7DCAD4C6-A228-4D67-954E-A5F32C0FB09E.jpeg

First of a few external shots (can see the steel fence)
F460167D-CF4B-4D0D-BC81-4A8031E54485.jpeg

D6C039B0-D53C-4FD4-98B2-E86FA04C2CAF.jpeg
44B43FCF-1C8C-4E93-A6FC-0640E611B258.jpeg

The path down the bank taking us past the first fence.
98D610C9-BE47-458E-830A-1D5B893EFE0E.jpeg

The next fence.
7889F121-5CDA-4392-8250-68B28135FFE8.jpeg

And we’re in! Shot looking out the tunnel
DC4890F0-B65F-40A5-B4D7-090D719187B8.jpeg

Looking down the tunnel.
3749C7AD-927F-4B78-A00E-3BA387F7023A.jpeg
7195153E-D310-4291-9A9D-C24F2B957232.jpeg

Some dodgy items. Things like this are every where at the beginning of the tunnel but after the first 15 metres ish they dissapear.
7603084E-C268-4CD0-B251-20CD30BFB198.jpeg
8C8B1044-3B9D-40B9-AB34-A571EC138591.jpeg
2D9FB6A9-4992-4C94-B612-73AD100A95DF.jpeg

There’s quite a few of these things there. I can’t remember what they’re called though.
780655D2-25A3-47D4-80DC-497A1D329332.jpeg

Shot looking down the tunnel.

And that’s about all the photos I’ve got. After this point my phone battery became too low but there are plenty of other things further down to see.

This is only my second report so I’m still learning the best way to write them, so any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks for reading :)
I’d be really interested in seeing this. I live in Ford and don’t know where this is.
 

Twr

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
I grew up in Plymouth in the 90s, we used to play down their as kids. It was much easier to access then because the housing development that now overlooks it was not there. Great memories. Thanks for sharing.
 

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