Word of warning before I start, it looks like someones dumped something noxious, possibly asbestos, in the tunnel at the uni end. Im going to have to report it to environmental health when they are open.
The Miley Tunnel was built in 1840 as part of a project to connect Preston to Longridge via rail, and the line would remain in use in this capacity until 1930 when the growing popularity of the bus spelled the end to the use of the line as public transport. However this was not to be the end of the line itself and it would continue in use through to 1980, transporting goods and even the odd crowd of football fans until it was eventually deemed obsolete and closed down. The line itself remains, stretching from the main train trunk by Leighton carpark through to Grimscargh, although the original track does not seem to extend past Preston as far as google maps shows, and the original route can clearly be traced on google maps right through to Longridge. There was talk of reopening part of the line, and the tunnel, as part of a scheme to reintroduce inter-city trams, but this seems to have been dropped. Despite the name, the tunnel runs for about half a mile under Preston.
Occasionally there are official trips down the tunnel, the most recent being in 2021, but for the most part it is abandoned and closed off. Access is pretty easy once you know, and it is rather sadly frequented by youths and the occasional flytipper. The line itself, especially at the deepdale end, is used as a rubbish dump by some of the less savoury residents.
Now, there are a couple of ghost stories surrounding the tunnel. In 1866 a 15 year old girl, apparently named Margaret, was pushed or fell from a coach and went under the wheels, dying a brutal and tragic death. Orbs of light have been reported, and some say you can hear the whispering of the dead girl down there. There are also reports of a Grey Lady who walks the tunnel and welcomes explorers in, although I cannot say I saw her. Finally, there have been reports of phantom trains down there, never seen but heard and sometimes felt. I can say that on my trip I did hear the distinctive sound of a steamwhistle behind me as though a train was approaching the tunnel, though when I looked back there was nothing.
Approach
I began my approach from the Deepdale end, about half a mile out, jumping the wall by the base of an old victorian bridge
As can be seen, it still stands.
On my way down I passed what looked to be an old station platform, possibly used to drop footy fans off by the stadium. The line is still present, although terribly overgrown and buried in garbage.
Another tunnel, this one sporting a mattress and some unusual brickwork in the arch. This one passes under Deepdale road.
Stone siding wall
Inspite of the junk and waste, nature blooms in the old line. The bees were very militant in defending this rose.
St Pauls Road bridge features this pipe that breaks through the arch on its route.
And a first look at the dread tunnel. As per expectations the gate is open, usually its either this or a post or two is removed. Sadly the locals see it as a dumping ground, although its not as bad as further back.
Immediately inside there is evidence of human presence including the remains of a fire, and numerous wrappers and bits of junk. The tunnel has a semi-cylindrical construction with the walls notably wider a few feet off the ground before they pull close again for the arch.
An inset in the wall. There are many at regular intervals, they were to provide refuge for rail workers if a train should come by. Interestingly there seems to be no need for them as the tunnel is wide and as can bee seen in the previous photo, the track only runs down one side. I imagine the tunnel was intended to service two tracks, and one has either been removed or was never installed for some reason. The other bridges and the entire cut is the same width though.
Looking back. It was around here that I heard the whistle and turned back to see what could possibly be making it, but there was nothing there.
The further in I went the less junk there was. This ancient and twisted bike frame did catch my eye though.... an artefact of the Zone maybe?
Damage to one of the sleepers. This appears to be natural, or from a very old fire as I could not see any scorching at the edges.
Around 1/3 of the way in I noticed brick dust around the track side of the tunnel, and some fragments.
An examination of the ceiling above it revealed nothing though. How bizarre.
With my torch off I turned to see the last of the light fade, and then the darkness took me. The tunnel has a distinctly creepy feel to it, and I can see why the tunnel is said to be haunted. It sure feels it.
It was around here that I began to notice small collapses in the floor of the tunnel, little holes where the floor has fallen in. Why? Who knows.
Just some lime streaking
Some evidence of other humans. By this point bar some old electrical cables from when they rigged up lights for journalists back in 2019, there had been no evidence of others.
Fire damage to some of the sleepers.
Here (where?) there was once a break in the tunnel. It has since been covered over in more modern times, leaving a miniature chamber in the tunnel about 1/3 in from the Uni end. Also, daylight!
A better look at the modern roof
The tunnel back
And onwards. You can see the distinctive horseshoe shape of the tunnels structure.
"Rizzo the Dizzo" was apparently here in this railside refuge at some point, many years back.
There are several cracks in the wall, most of the marked with white spray. I assume this was done during the survey looking into reopening the tunnel.
This wooden box, running along the rail side, seems, from further research, to have been the cable box from back when the tunnel was rigged with lights for journos.
Apparently it went down and round the refuges. Its only present at the uni end.
Blessed light! (or so I thought, more on that later)
Heh, found the rest of that bike from earlier.
More to come, this 30 file limit is annoying.
The Miley Tunnel was built in 1840 as part of a project to connect Preston to Longridge via rail, and the line would remain in use in this capacity until 1930 when the growing popularity of the bus spelled the end to the use of the line as public transport. However this was not to be the end of the line itself and it would continue in use through to 1980, transporting goods and even the odd crowd of football fans until it was eventually deemed obsolete and closed down. The line itself remains, stretching from the main train trunk by Leighton carpark through to Grimscargh, although the original track does not seem to extend past Preston as far as google maps shows, and the original route can clearly be traced on google maps right through to Longridge. There was talk of reopening part of the line, and the tunnel, as part of a scheme to reintroduce inter-city trams, but this seems to have been dropped. Despite the name, the tunnel runs for about half a mile under Preston.
Occasionally there are official trips down the tunnel, the most recent being in 2021, but for the most part it is abandoned and closed off. Access is pretty easy once you know, and it is rather sadly frequented by youths and the occasional flytipper. The line itself, especially at the deepdale end, is used as a rubbish dump by some of the less savoury residents.
Now, there are a couple of ghost stories surrounding the tunnel. In 1866 a 15 year old girl, apparently named Margaret, was pushed or fell from a coach and went under the wheels, dying a brutal and tragic death. Orbs of light have been reported, and some say you can hear the whispering of the dead girl down there. There are also reports of a Grey Lady who walks the tunnel and welcomes explorers in, although I cannot say I saw her. Finally, there have been reports of phantom trains down there, never seen but heard and sometimes felt. I can say that on my trip I did hear the distinctive sound of a steamwhistle behind me as though a train was approaching the tunnel, though when I looked back there was nothing.
Approach
I began my approach from the Deepdale end, about half a mile out, jumping the wall by the base of an old victorian bridge
As can be seen, it still stands.
On my way down I passed what looked to be an old station platform, possibly used to drop footy fans off by the stadium. The line is still present, although terribly overgrown and buried in garbage.
Another tunnel, this one sporting a mattress and some unusual brickwork in the arch. This one passes under Deepdale road.
Stone siding wall
Inspite of the junk and waste, nature blooms in the old line. The bees were very militant in defending this rose.
St Pauls Road bridge features this pipe that breaks through the arch on its route.
And a first look at the dread tunnel. As per expectations the gate is open, usually its either this or a post or two is removed. Sadly the locals see it as a dumping ground, although its not as bad as further back.
Immediately inside there is evidence of human presence including the remains of a fire, and numerous wrappers and bits of junk. The tunnel has a semi-cylindrical construction with the walls notably wider a few feet off the ground before they pull close again for the arch.
An inset in the wall. There are many at regular intervals, they were to provide refuge for rail workers if a train should come by. Interestingly there seems to be no need for them as the tunnel is wide and as can bee seen in the previous photo, the track only runs down one side. I imagine the tunnel was intended to service two tracks, and one has either been removed or was never installed for some reason. The other bridges and the entire cut is the same width though.
Looking back. It was around here that I heard the whistle and turned back to see what could possibly be making it, but there was nothing there.
The further in I went the less junk there was. This ancient and twisted bike frame did catch my eye though.... an artefact of the Zone maybe?
Damage to one of the sleepers. This appears to be natural, or from a very old fire as I could not see any scorching at the edges.
Around 1/3 of the way in I noticed brick dust around the track side of the tunnel, and some fragments.
An examination of the ceiling above it revealed nothing though. How bizarre.
With my torch off I turned to see the last of the light fade, and then the darkness took me. The tunnel has a distinctly creepy feel to it, and I can see why the tunnel is said to be haunted. It sure feels it.
It was around here that I began to notice small collapses in the floor of the tunnel, little holes where the floor has fallen in. Why? Who knows.
Just some lime streaking
Some evidence of other humans. By this point bar some old electrical cables from when they rigged up lights for journalists back in 2019, there had been no evidence of others.
Fire damage to some of the sleepers.
Here (where?) there was once a break in the tunnel. It has since been covered over in more modern times, leaving a miniature chamber in the tunnel about 1/3 in from the Uni end. Also, daylight!
A better look at the modern roof
The tunnel back
And onwards. You can see the distinctive horseshoe shape of the tunnels structure.
"Rizzo the Dizzo" was apparently here in this railside refuge at some point, many years back.
There are several cracks in the wall, most of the marked with white spray. I assume this was done during the survey looking into reopening the tunnel.
This wooden box, running along the rail side, seems, from further research, to have been the cable box from back when the tunnel was rigged with lights for journos.
Apparently it went down and round the refuges. Its only present at the uni end.
Blessed light! (or so I thought, more on that later)
Heh, found the rest of that bike from earlier.
More to come, this 30 file limit is annoying.
