Disused rail tunnels

[lewislewis]

I read the other day that a Plaid candidate in the Cynon Valley, Dafydd Trystan Davies (now there's a name), is campaigning for the old railway tunnels that criss cross the Valleys to be re-opened as walking and cycling routes. Alot of the tunnels are still in good condition and accessible (though not strictly legally) and apparently the cost would not be that substantial.

I certainly think it's a great idea and although not from the Valleys i'm familiar with alot of the most well-known tunnels. Re-opening them would spoil the personal enjoyment of the clandestine tunneling community, but would be great for the community. I like the idea of bringing our industrial heritage back under our own control. The tunnels are miracles of engineering and it is disgusting that they're being left neglected.

 

[editor]

It's a shame that the 2 mile Blaengwynfi tunnel has little chance of being repaired.

This guys seems to have walked a few:

One of the best and longest we have been through is the one from methyr to aberdare, 1.6 miles long and exellent condition, also a small odd kind of platform/station about 300 yds from the aberdare mouth. 2 good tunnel's on the brynmawr to clydach railway, out of solid rock too. Torpantau and also the one in the beacons are very good condition. Not been through quakersyard one yet,we stood at the entrance though but did not have wellies. One which has got away from us all though is the 2 mile tunnel from blaenrhondda to blaengwynfy

http://www.welshcoalmines.co.uk/forum/read.php?4,95,page=2

 

[Mrs Magpie]

There's a disused railway tunnel somewhere in Dulwich that is an important site for bats....hopefully these Welsh tunnels are full of bats too....

 

[lewislewis]

None of the tunnels i've walked in south Wales have had bats, rats or any other animals you'd expect to see in them. I suppose the conditions just aren't right?

In a way it's for the best as it's one less obstacle to getting them opened but of course they'd all be fully surveyed. My stance would be any bats there, leave them alone.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

If you're not actually looking for bats you wouldn't notice them.

 

[davesgcr]

A good idea , but they would need maintenance , checks and public liability insurance etc - sort of thing the WAG could consider (if it had money !) - if left abandoned and secured up part from a yearly check by the British Railways Board (which still exists BTW as "landowner" of disused lines) - things are much easier.

There is a disused tunnel near Pontardawe which never had a train through it which I have in my sites for exploration ! - the line was never opened as the First World War intervened .......

 

[1927]

My local tunnel some great pics on there.

 

[davesgcr]

Brilliant web site - many thanks indeed !

 

[seven samurai]

There's a disused railway tunnel near my parent home that I used to go to all the time when I was younger, I loved it! It's an amazing place and is now a nature reserve. I took my sister there a year or two ago as she was doing a photography project for uni, and the frontage blocking the entrance had been graffitied and there was an abandoned car there that nature had well and truly reclaimed, all coated with ice and snow, she took some great shots. I'll ask if she minds me posting a pic on here.

I now work in Pembrokeshire, does anyone know of any in that area? Or any other cool disused sites, buildings, anything at all that I can explore!? Here's the one near my parents, it's a long way from Wales but if you're ever in the area well worth a visit... http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=old warden tunnel&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=iw