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 Ws (51)

Tunnel Name(s)	Company	Yards	Trks	Open	Closed	Portal		Link
Woodhead New
Woodhead New	BR	5346	2	1954	1981
Woodhead New includes a stope connecting it with Shaft No.5 of the adjacent Victorian tunnels, creating a second source of intermediate ventilation.
Woodhead Down
Woodhead Down	SA&M	5302	1	1845	1954
Woodhead Up
Woodhead Up	MS&L	5302	1	1852	1954
Wapping
Wapping	L&M	2111	2	1830	1972
Wapping Tunnel was originally 2,250yds long but was opened out close to its west end to create a junction for the three Wapping Goods tunnels.
Wenvoe
Wenvoe	Barry	1868	2	1889	1963
Whitrope
Whitrope	Nth Brt	1208	2	1862	1969
Withcall (Donnington)
Withcall (Donnington)	L&L	971	1	1876	1956
Warden
Warden	Mid	880	2	1857	1964
Waterloo No.1
Waterloo No.1	LNW	852	2	1849	1972
Wheatley
Wheatley	HHL	819	2	1890	1960
West Wemyss (Lochhead)
West Wemyss (Lochhead)	Wem	794~	1	~1875	1918
Well Heads
Well Heads	GN	662	2	1882	1963
Well Heads Tunnel could be reopened as part of the Great Northern Trail footpath/cycleway.
Walton-on-the-Hill No.2
Walton-on-the-Hill No.2	CLC	643	2	1880	1975
Also known as Bedford Road Tunnel
Woodside (Birkenhead)
Woodside (Birkenhead)	GW/LNW	565	2	1878	1967
West Meon
West Meon	LSW	538	2	1903	1955
Walnut Tree (Garth)
Walnut Tree (Garth)	Barry	490	2	1901	1963
The central section of Walnut Tree Tunnel has been breached by quarrying.
Werneth
Werneth	L&Y	471	2	1847	2014
Having first closed in 2009, Werneth Tunnel reopened temporarily in 2012 as part of the Rochdale extension of Manchester Metrolink but closed again in January 2014.
West Egerton Street
West Egerton Street	L&Y	471	2	1898	1964
West Dean
West Dean	LBSC	445	1	1881	1953
Whitfield (Pitts Hill)
Whitfield (Pitts Hill)	Cht Wht	404	1	1876	1964
Wolverhampton Down
Wolverhampton Down	GW	377	1	1854	1983
Wolverhampton Up
Wolverhampton Up	GW	377	1	1854	1983
Woodville
Woodville	Mid	307	1	1884	1964
Watnall (Kimberley)
Watnall (Kimberley)	GN	268	2	1875	1968
Walton-on-the-Hill No.3
Walton-on-the-Hill No.3	CLC	247	2	1880	1975
Also known as Hawthorne Road/Selwyn Street Tunnel
Wellington Road
Wellington Road	CLC	246	2	1865	1980
Wellington Road Tunnel was mostly demolished in 2018 to make way for a new link road.
Windsor Hill Down
Windsor Hill Down	S&D	242	1	1874	1966
Walton-on-the-Hill No.1
Walton-on-the-Hill No.1	CLC	229	2	1880	1975
Also known as Breeze Hill Tunnel
Winscombe Hill (Shuteshelf)
Winscombe Hill (Shuteshelf)	B&E	198	1	1869	1964
Walker
Walker	NE	182	2	1879	1986
West Park Street
West Park Street	L&Y	172	2	1898	1964
Willsbridge
Willsbridge	A&G	156	1	1831	1906
Watnall (Cantelupe)
Watnall (Cantelupe)	Mid	151	2	1879	1954
Wormit
Wormit	Nth Brt	148	1	1879	1969
West Cannock No.3 Clry
West Cannock No.3 Clry	WCCol	134(g)	2	<1900	<1954
Weedley
Weedley	HB&WRJ	132	2	1885	1959
Windsor Hill Up
Windsor Hill Up	S&D	132	1	1892	1966
Wapping Goods Centre
Wapping Goods Centre	L&M	112	2	1830	1965
This was originally part of Wapping Tunnel.
Whitecross Street Goods
Whitecross Street Goods	Mid	100~	2	1866	1936
Wapping Goods North
Wapping Goods North	L&M	77	2	1896	1965
Waleswood
Waleswood	MS&L	64	2	1893	1967
Wath Road
Wath Road	S&K	62	2	1879	1965
Waterloo No.2
Waterloo No.2	LNW	59(g)	2	1849	1972
Whitecliff
Whitecliff	Cole	55	1	1883	1967
Wormald Green
Wormald Green	L&T	50	2	1848	1969
Whitchurch
Whitchurch	DN&S	45(g)	2	1885	1964
Whitworth Road
Whitworth Road	L&Y	43(g)	1	1870	1967
West Dean No.2
West Dean No.2	LBSC	42(g)	1	1881	1953
Withnell Mill
Withnell Mill	LU/L&Y	36(g)	2	1869	1966
Whaley Bridge
Whaley Bridge	C&HP	27(g)	1	1831	1952
Wapping Goods South
Wapping Goods South	L&M	26	2	1896	1965
Winkhill
Winkhill	Nth Stf	22(g)	1	1905	1989
Winkhill Tunnel became operational again with the reopening of the Leekbrook-Cauldon Low line in 2010.