Leeds World Records

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Fri 17 Dec, 2010 9:49 pm

Had one of those in Newcastle Uni. Going over the top isn't that exciting

jim · Post by **jim** » Fri 17 Dec, 2010 10:47 pm

In reply to Farbank's post:-As the tunnel near Flockton was built between 1790 and 1793 the Marsh Lane one couldn't be the oldest railway tunnel. In addition, as there was a tunnel on the Liverpool and Manchester at the Liverpool end, it can't be the oldest tunnel on a passenger-carrying railway.Possibly Marsh Lane might have been the first locomotive worked tunnel on a passenger-carrying public railway, but I can't be certain!EDIT Just checked, and the Leicester and Swannington Railway Glenfield Tunnel was locomotive worked and predated the Leeds and Selby, who built the Marsh Lane Tunnel by two years, so sorry, not correct.Perhaps you were told it was the first in Leeds, and over the years you have remembered it as in the world?

buffaloskinner · Post by **buffaloskinner** » Fri 17 Dec, 2010 11:04 pm

Leeds Hippo wrote: Leodian wrote: I may be wrong but I seem to recall reading that there is a corridor at Leeds University that is the longest in the World. I rememder that - think it was near the Physics department - had a slight kink in the middleAs a side note the Physics department had a lift device I've never seen any where else - A Paternoster - this was a moving ladder which you jumped on and it took you to the next floor - not sure what would happen if you failed to jump off.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PaternosterChecked the video - so that's how it worked! They also had some in Schofields, as my wife will testify. There is a full thread on Schofields and all its worldly technology somewhere around

Steve Jones · Post by **Steve Jones** » Sat 18 Dec, 2010 12:22 am

largest suit of animal armour in the world is in the Royal Armories in Leeds:http://www.show.me.uk/site/news/STO266.html

Steve Jones · Post by **Steve Jones** » Sat 18 Dec, 2010 12:23 am

Leeds granny held world indoor rowing record:http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... 6491279.jp

jim · Post by **jim** » Sun 19 Jun, 2011 5:17 pm

farbank wrote: Wasn't the worlds first railway tunnel, that from Marsh Lane toEast End Park. I read about it many, many years ago. Where's all those railway buffs, when you need one.?? I think the reference farbank was recalling here may be Tomlinson's North Eastern Railway, a copy of which I have finally discovered at a price I was prepared to pay. (it commands silly money, even as a reprint)On pages 257/9 Tomlinson claims the Marsh Lane tunnel when opened in 1834 as "the only one in the country through which passengers were drawn by a locomotive engine". Unfortunately, although Tomlinson is regarded as the standard work on the NER, in this instance (as in around a dozen others in Ken Hoole's list of errata in the David and Charles 1967 reprint of the book) he was mistaken. (see my earlier post on this thread)I am still ploughing through the book's 820 pages, hoping to locate a mention of the possible proposal to build an extension of the North Midland Railway Hunslet Lane passenger terminus to run up Briggate and to continue along the Meanwood Valley. I wouldn't hold your breath, though, I have't been able to find one by using the comprehensive index.

String o' beads · Post by **String o' beads** » Sun 19 Jun, 2011 7:09 pm

Another claim to "world's first rail tunnel" here:http://www.walesrails.co.uk/trevithick.html'From the Trevithick memorial at Pontmorlais (left and centre above) - National Grid Ref: SO 052068 - the former route passes anonymously through back lanes and along the main road on its way to the world's first railway tunnel near Pentrebach. The northern entrance is lost under an embankment, but at the south end the portal (above right) - National Grid Ref: SO 057046 -has been blocked with a mosaic representation of Trevithick guiding the locomotive on its inaugural run.'There's also that tunnel at Grosmont which you can walk through to see the engine sheds. That was for horse drawn trains though.

jim · Post by **jim** » Sun 19 Jun, 2011 8:41 pm

Hi Geordie exile. The tunnel on the Penydarren Tramway opened in 1802 was certainly the first to be used by a steam locomotive, in 1804, but for a bet rather than for the carraige of farepaying passengers. Minerals may have been carried for a short while, but the engine caused so much damage to the rails that it was quickly turned into a stationary machine.There were, however, several earlier railway tunnels used by horse or manually drawn vehicles. See my post above for a local example, at Flockton near Wakefield which operated for many years, and, as far as I know, is still in existence. There were almost certainly even earlier railway tunnels, but I cannot produce documentary evidence.The Grosmont example was opened in May 1835 and was a comparative latecomer.

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Mon 20 Jun, 2011 8:28 am

Ah well, regardless of who had the first railway tunnel, the Middleton Railway was the world's first.And you can't have a railway tunnel without a railway...

blackprince · Post by **blackprince** » Mon 20 Jun, 2011 12:36 pm

Burtons factory in Harehills was , in its day, the largest clothing factory in Europe , but the canteen, built in 1934, was the largest in the world. It could serve 8000 people in 1 sitting.