Bramhope Tunnel

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Fri 16 Nov, 2007 1:35 pm

I only got a few worth putting on flickr..This is the Leeds end portal It was one of those days were nothing worked.. Gildersome on the other hand was excellent.. We did this last night & it was a right job finding the tunnel & getting there by night

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Fri 16 Nov, 2007 1:40 pm

Gomersal curves to the left & right at both ends at 819yds. I kept burning torch scorch marks on the brickwork but this is about the best i got. Gomersal was on the same Leeds 'new line' a few miles from Gildersome with no comparison condition wise.. this is in excellent nick.

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Fri 16 Nov, 2007 1:44 pm

Picture up the only air shaft in there.

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Fri 16 Nov, 2007 1:51 pm

The only reason i wanted this tunnel was for the burnt out car which has sadly dwindled in size In 2004 arsonists set fire to a car in Gomersal tunnel filling the whole area with smoke.Firefighters were called to to the tunnel at 9.20pm after a Dahaitsu car had been driven inside it close to Farnwood campsite.It was set alight, filling the half-mile tunnel and surrounding area with thick acrid bellowing smoke.

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Fri 16 Nov, 2007 1:56 pm

Nocturnal West portal built of blue engineering brick with stone portals, Gomersal's 819-yard tunnel was cut in 1899 as part of the Leeds 'new line'. On the surface, above its centre, is the Shoulder of Mutton pub which was bought by the LNWR in case it fell into the workings. Now, when draymen use the barrel drop, the noise echoes around the tunnel and vibrations are felt in the cottage next door. The odd brick structure at the western end would have allowed access for inspections after the approach cutting was infilled. But, at the last moment, Railtrack and Kirklees Council dithered and, in 1997, decided to stop any further tipping on the site.

Si · Post by Si » Fri 16 Nov, 2007 3:36 pm

It looks like the Daihatsu's headlights still work, then!

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Fri 16 Nov, 2007 3:39 pm

Yeah i put a few of our torches in stratetigic positions but it wasn't the effect i was after

Si · Post by Si » Fri 16 Nov, 2007 3:46 pm

Phill - do you know how the engineering works in those tunnels? The stonework around the bottom of the airshaft looks to defy the laws of gravity!!!A couple of Bramhope's shafts can be seen from the back road to the airport (Otley Old Road.) They are surrounded by spoil, so I assume they dug down to the line of the tunnel, and worked out from the base, as opposed to just digging from either end?Cheers Si

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Fri 16 Nov, 2007 3:58 pm

Well thats a tough one... A lot of tunnels were cut & shut method (or a similar name) were a huge cutting was dug and the stone/brickwork was fomed on tempary timber arches. The soil was then covered back over the tunnel structure. A lot of air shafts were also construction shafts for lowering man & material into the tunnel on donkey/ steam driven cages, some were filled back in & others were left for smoke shafts. The whole tunnel is held together by the wedged shape arch. The air shaft stone does appear to be held up by gravity but they'll be on a wedge cut keyed together. Clayton & Queensbury were bored through sheer rock & these methods appear to have been the poorest methods in terms of stability as both i've been in have had major roof collapse!

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Fri 16 Nov, 2007 4:04 pm

Clayton tunnel with a large section of Roof collapse 5 brick course thick with part of the black rock above caving in too. It's a bit frightening to think that one day in the last 50 years all of a sudden this lot crashed in without warning.