I visited the tunnel three times this past week. Long an 'easy' favourite with passers-by, it offers a short venture 'underground' without the need for anything much other than a decent torch. Or so you would hope.
The purpose of the visits was a volunteer survey to determine the route and to capture reasonable image records.
We all accept a certain degree of risk in entering tunnels and the like, but the reality for this site, which is both Scheduled and Listed, is that it has reached the end of its life. Fairly safe and almost inviting for the first half from the entrance, things quickly deteriorate, especially from around 2/3 of the way in (the total measured length is 167m, much shorter than most assert it to be). At this far end, the walls, which were hurriedly and badly buttressed and a secondary arch fitted during its active life, are beginning to collapse, with clear evidence of recent movement. A very rainy winter has seen extensive damage across north Wales, be it to structures like this or much more mundane things like drystone walls.
Because this site is so easily accessible to the public, where families with young children (such as I saw yesterday) will regularly enter with no awareness of the danger they are in, I've today recommended the site owner immediately seals the tunnel from further access. They will need to consult with Cadw, the Welsh heritage body, to ensure no damage or defacement occurs during this work, regardless of the precarious situation within. Those with the idea that they are somehow able to withstand a few tens of thousands of tonnes of slate waste collapsing in on them should take a long, hard think before ignoring this situation and going in before it is sealed; the overlying tip welcomes you on the way to the eastern access.
If you find yourself being a bit cross, it's a lot better than some kids being crushed to death. A rescue or body recovery mission would be essentially impossible under the conditions that exist here.
So these are likely to be the last shots before at least a good part of the tunnel collapses, together with a reasonably accurate 'first stab' at the route plotted onto the surface - where you can see why the last 1/3 or so of the tunnel is giving way.
The purpose of the visits was a volunteer survey to determine the route and to capture reasonable image records.
We all accept a certain degree of risk in entering tunnels and the like, but the reality for this site, which is both Scheduled and Listed, is that it has reached the end of its life. Fairly safe and almost inviting for the first half from the entrance, things quickly deteriorate, especially from around 2/3 of the way in (the total measured length is 167m, much shorter than most assert it to be). At this far end, the walls, which were hurriedly and badly buttressed and a secondary arch fitted during its active life, are beginning to collapse, with clear evidence of recent movement. A very rainy winter has seen extensive damage across north Wales, be it to structures like this or much more mundane things like drystone walls.
Because this site is so easily accessible to the public, where families with young children (such as I saw yesterday) will regularly enter with no awareness of the danger they are in, I've today recommended the site owner immediately seals the tunnel from further access. They will need to consult with Cadw, the Welsh heritage body, to ensure no damage or defacement occurs during this work, regardless of the precarious situation within. Those with the idea that they are somehow able to withstand a few tens of thousands of tonnes of slate waste collapsing in on them should take a long, hard think before ignoring this situation and going in before it is sealed; the overlying tip welcomes you on the way to the eastern access.
If you find yourself being a bit cross, it's a lot better than some kids being crushed to death. A rescue or body recovery mission would be essentially impossible under the conditions that exist here.
So these are likely to be the last shots before at least a good part of the tunnel collapses, together with a reasonably accurate 'first stab' at the route plotted onto the surface - where you can see why the last 1/3 or so of the tunnel is giving way.
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