Ingarsby Tunnel - 516yards*
March 2020.
Ingarsby Tunnel sometimes referred to as Thurnby tunnel or Square Spinney tunnel although I’ve only ever known it as Ingarsby, lies to the east of Leicester. Opened in 1882, and closed in 1964. It has been infilled at the eastern portal, but the western end is still accessible, an enormous sheet of steel has been installed over the portal to create a bat refuge, and the the local youths have left their mark both inside and out. There was 2 airshafts, but only one still stands today, the other is just visible where the infill starts hopefully this can be seen in the images attached,
So the explore... having been to East Norton Tunnel we’d driven up and parked on the nearest road (Covert Lane) which basically sits on top of the tunnel, heading through the trees & undergrowth we followed our nose and eventually found the deep cutting of which sat the tunnel portal, after navigating the slip ‘n’ slide muddy assault course to get down to track level we used the nicely cut hole to gain access into the tunnel, we walked as far as possible and I decided that there’d be a nice photograph from the top of the infill looking back... we both ended up stuck at various stages!! All part of the fun though we managed several shots including the the air shaft just visible at the infilled end and the open(capped) air shaft, some brackets on the wall and just a general overview of the tunnel bore itself. Hopefully these images are acceptable and maybe of use for reference...
looking west of the top of the spoil infill.
Just make out No.2 Air Shaft in the spoil.
Some signalling / cabling bracket
Air Shaft No.1 looking west.
Air shaft No.1 looking East towards the infill.
Western portal - inside.
Western portal - outside.
Thanks for looking!
Hopefully of some use or reference...
March 2020.
Ingarsby Tunnel sometimes referred to as Thurnby tunnel or Square Spinney tunnel although I’ve only ever known it as Ingarsby, lies to the east of Leicester. Opened in 1882, and closed in 1964. It has been infilled at the eastern portal, but the western end is still accessible, an enormous sheet of steel has been installed over the portal to create a bat refuge, and the the local youths have left their mark both inside and out. There was 2 airshafts, but only one still stands today, the other is just visible where the infill starts hopefully this can be seen in the images attached,
So the explore... having been to East Norton Tunnel we’d driven up and parked on the nearest road (Covert Lane) which basically sits on top of the tunnel, heading through the trees & undergrowth we followed our nose and eventually found the deep cutting of which sat the tunnel portal, after navigating the slip ‘n’ slide muddy assault course to get down to track level we used the nicely cut hole to gain access into the tunnel, we walked as far as possible and I decided that there’d be a nice photograph from the top of the infill looking back... we both ended up stuck at various stages!! All part of the fun though we managed several shots including the the air shaft just visible at the infilled end and the open(capped) air shaft, some brackets on the wall and just a general overview of the tunnel bore itself. Hopefully these images are acceptable and maybe of use for reference...
looking west of the top of the spoil infill.
Just make out No.2 Air Shaft in the spoil.
Some signalling / cabling bracket
Air shaft No.1 looking East towards the infill.
Western portal - inside.
Western portal - outside.
Thanks for looking!
Hopefully of some use or reference...