The
Sheffield,
Ashton-under-Lyne & Manchester Railway is probably best known for
not only crossing the Pennines but for the massive Woodhead tunnels.
Other bores exist along the way and these are the south portals of
the two at Thurgoland, a short distance NW of Sheffield.
The
part-backfilled one in the foreground is Thurgoland Old, opening
1845, and 315 yards / 288 metres in length. In the 1930s, the
decision was taken to electrify the Woodhead route, so a new bore was
dug to the south, Thurgoland New, opening in 1948, the year of
railway nationalisation.
New
is slightly longer at 339 yards / 310 metres, and is concrete lined.
The portals display two datestones to show the change of ownership
that took lace during construction - started in 1947 by LNER, the
tunnel opened under BR in 1948, thus two datestones (the 1947 one is
visible in the background). New is open, lit and in use as part of
the Trans Pennine Trail.
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