Disused tunnels database

Disused tunnels database

Research to expand our database of disused tunnels continues to pay dividends. Many thanks to those of you who have sent in contributions. If you can help with any details, omissions or corrections, please click the ‘contact us’ link in the sidebar to get in touch.

By clicking on the relevant column header, the database can be sorted by name, yardage, company or opening/closure dates. Hover over the abbreviated company name to see the full version. New tunnels are highlighted by a red tip; modified entries are in orange. More information or pictures – where available – is provided via the Link button.

Tunnels which were opened out either during or after the railway’s period of operation are excluded. Only those that still exist – even if now buried – are listed.

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• (g) length determined using historical maps and Google Earth’s measuring tool
• ~ scaled length/approximate year
• ? evidence uncertain
• < earlier than/less than
• > later than/more than

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Click here to search the database by map. Each tunnel is marked at the midpoint of a straight line drawn between its portals (which can prove deceptive if the tunnel is curved). No buried tunnels are shown.

Most of the tunnels on the database can be viewed in GoogleEarth by opening a .kml file developed by Antony Badsey-Ellis. Download the ZIP to your hard disk by clicking here, then extract the .kml and open it using GoogleEarth.

Current total: 628

The Bs (71)

Tunnel Name(s)	Company	Yards	Trks	Open	Closed	Portal		Link
Bolsover (Scarcliffe)
Bolsover (Scarcliffe)	LD&EC	2624	2	1897	1951
Burdale
Burdale	M&DJ	1744	1	1853	1958
Burdale Tunnel was built with both one and two-track width sections.
Boniface Down (Ventnor)
Boniface Down (Ventnor)	IoW	1313	1	1866	1966
Barnsdale
Barnsdale	HB&WRJ	1226	2	1885	1959
Ballingham
Ballingham	GW	1208	1	1855	1964
Balgray
Balgray	L&D	696	2	1896	1966
Barbican
Barbican	MetWL	690	2	1868	2009
As built, the section of line between Barbican and Moorgate featured three separate tunnels totalling ~259 yards but development in the latter half of the 20th century joined these structures together to form Barbican Tunnel.
Brierley
Brierley	HB&WRJ	684	2	1885	1967
Burbage
Burbage	C&HP	580	1	1832	1892
Burham
Burham	BBL&C	573(g)	1	1870s?	1930?
Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth	SV	559	1	1862	1963
Boulby Ironstone Mine
Boulby Ironstone Mine	Boul	509(g)	1	1904?	1933?
Bootle
Bootle	Mid	481	2	1885	1968
Bootle Tunnel comprises two single bores.
Bathealton
Bathealton	Dv&Sm	447	1	1873	1966
Brymbo (Moss Hill)
Brymbo (Moss Hill)	S&C	437(g)	1	1847	1862
Buchanan Street
Buchanan Street	Cal	430	2	1849	1966
Bryn
Bryn	NA&H	398	2	1858	1964
Baynards
Baynards	LBSC	381	1	1865	1965
Boughton Brake
Boughton Brake	BR	350	1	1961	1993
Boughton Brake Tunnel became operational again with the partial reopening of the Bevercotes branch as part of a Network Rail test track in the summer of 2012.
Bourne Park
Bourne Park	SE&C	330	2	1889	1940
Butterhouse (Ryefield)
Butterhouse (Ryefield)	LNW	329	2	1885	1966
Bolton (Lever Street)
Bolton (Lever Street)	LNW	326	2	1874	1965
Bromshall (Loxley)
Bromshall (Loxley)	S&U	321	1	1867	1951
Bradley Hill
Bradley Hill	SW	299	1	1854	1967
Bedford Basin
Bedford Basin	JF&O	296	1	1861?	1952?
Barry Island (Barry Pier)
Barry Island (Barry Pier)	Barry	280	2	1899	1975
Bellgrove Goods
Bellgrove Goods	Nth Brt	270	2	1904?	1982?
Bridgeman St (High St)
Bridgeman St (High St)	LNW	259	2	1885	1967
Butternab
Butternab	L&Y	256	1	1868	1965
Balwhirley No.1
Balwhirley No.1	G&A	254	1	1869	1991
Bowshank
Bowshank	Nth Brt	249	2	1849	1969
Bowshank Tunnel was shortened at its southern end in the late 1950s, giving a new length of ~218 yards. The tunnel regained its operational status in June 2015 when the Borders Railway was commissioned.
Botanic Gardens (Kirklee)
Botanic Gardens (Kirklee)	Cal	220	2	1896	1964
Bridgeton Cross No.2
Bridgeton Cross No.2	GC&D	210(g)	2	1892	1987
Balwhirley No.2
Balwhirley No.2	G&A	184	1	1869	1966
Badger's Oak (Hawkhurst)
Badger's Oak (Hawkhurst)	C&PW	178	1	1893	1961
Brinnington
Brinnington	CLC	168	2	1880	1982
Burdon Road
Burdon Road	BR	167(g)	2	~1967	1984
Bredbury Low Level
Bredbury Low Level	S&M	162	2	1875	1967
Barrack Street (St John St)
Barrack Street (St John St)	G&SW	161(g)	2	1893	1913
Batley Carr (Crackenedge)
Batley Carr (Crackenedge)	GN	161	2	1880	1965
Barren Clough
Barren Clough	MS&L	158~	1	~1850	1924
Byker
Byker	NE	150	2	1879	1987
Britannia (Newline)
Britannia (Newline)	L&Y	144	2	1881	1947
Blackhill No.1
Blackhill No.1	NE	135	1	1953	1982
Burnbank (Blantyre)
Burnbank (Blantyre)	GBH&C	120~	2	1877	1963
Bacup (Stubbylee)
Bacup (Stubbylee)	L&Y	114	2	1852	1966
Burrell Street
Burrell Street	Cr&Co	110~	1	1893	1964
Blue Rock (Soudley)
Blue Rock (Soudley)	SW	109	1	1854	1967
Bath Row Goods
Bath Row Goods	Mid	108	1	1876	1967
Birkenshaw
Birkenshaw	GN	106	2	1856	1968
Bryn Teify (Cross Inn)
Bryn Teify (Cross Inn)	M&M	101	1	1866	1973
Bondgate
Bondgate	NE	93	2	1856	1968
Big (Brigham Forge)
Big (Brigham Forge)	CK&P	92	1	1865	1972
Basford
Basford	GN	90	1	1900	1968?
Birchenwood (Kidsgrove)
Birchenwood (Kidsgrove)	Nth Stf	88	3	1875	1976
Birchenwood is a rare example of a tunnel built to accommodate three tracks.
Barry West Breakwater
Barry West Breakwater	Barry	74(g)	1	~1910	<1991
Bridgeton Cross No.1
Bridgeton Cross No.1	GC&D	74	2	1892	1987
Birchall
Birchall	Nth Stf	69	2	1849	1965
Brasenose Road
Brasenose Road	L&Y	67	2	1887	1965
Beaufort
Beaufort	MT&A	66	2	1864	1958
Blists Hill
Blists Hill	LNW	66	2	1861	1960
Boleyn Road (Goods)
Boleyn Road (Goods)	Nth Lnd	64(g)	1	1868	1969
Beamish East
Beamish East	NE	62	2	1893	1983
Blackheath Hill
Blackheath Hill	LC&D	55	2	1888	1917
Blackhill No.2
Blackhill No.2	NE	52	1	1867	1963
Basfords Hill
Basfords Hill	TT	51(g)	1	1802	1915
Balchriston
Balchriston	G&SW	47~	2	1906	1955
Blorenge
Blorenge	Hill's	45~	1	1819
Bedford Place
Bedford Place	AW	38(g)	1	1768	1924
The two short tunnels on the Alloa Waggonway are thought to be Scotland's oldest railway tunnels.
Bradnop
Bradnop	Nth Stf	36	1	1905	1989
Bradnop Tunnel became operational again with the reopening of the Leekbrook-Cauldon Low line in 2010.
Beamish West
Beamish West	NE	35(g)	2	1893	1983
Baileycroft Quarry No.1
Baileycroft Quarry No.1	WS&M	31(g)	1	~1880	1906
Bowling
Bowling	L&D	25	2	1896	1964
Baileycroft Quarry No.2
Baileycroft Quarry No.2	WS&M	23(g)	1	~1880	1906