Harecastle railway tunnel

Harecastle Tunnels

A diesel unit heads towards Stoke-on-Trent through the new tunnel on the diversionary route c1965. The old line from the 3 original tunnels can be clearly seen on the right
Overview
Location Kidsgrove, Staffs, England
Operation
Rebuilt 1965
Technical
Construction 1848
Length 3 old tunnels totaled over 1 1⁄4 mi (2.0 km)
1965 tunnel 220 yd (200 m)[1]

The Harecastle railway tunnels are two railway tunnels on the North Staffordshire Railway at Kidsgrove in Staffordshire. They have been disused since 1965[2] as their size made them unsuitable for electrification. In early 2013 they were put up for sale.[3]

Originally bored in 1848, there were three tunnels on the line between Tunstall and Kidsgrove; North, Middle and South Tunnels. When the West Coast Main line was electrified in the 1960s, although the North tunnel was opened out, the South and Middle tunnels were unsuitable for electrification. This resulted in the line being diverted to the west, with a new tunnel being bored on this diversion.[4] The diversion started about 300 meters south of Kidsgrove railway station, and rejoined the original line just to the west of Tunstall (roughly where the A527 crosses the line).

References

  1. ↑ Railway Magazine July 1964 p. 602
  2. ↑ Staffordshire Past Track
  3. ↑ Harecastle tunnel offered for sale by the government
  4. ↑ Forgotten Relics - Harecastle Tunnel

External links


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