# Mansfield Road tunnel, Nottingham - August 09



## ThenewMendoza (Aug 13, 2009)

Visited with Sal and Thompski.

Constructed in 1898 this tunnel only saw 60 years use before it was closed in the late 60s. Several tunnels were employed along the line serving Nottingham's Victoria Station that has sadly disappeared over the years to be replaced with dull and lifeless utilitarian boxes. The more famous of the tunnels, Weekday Cross, now carries heating pipes for the Victoria Shopping Centre, steam of a different variety than the original engineers envisaged.

The tunnel pictured before a car park was constructed (courtesy of Picture the Past)







So we headed in. First thing I noticed was how dry it was, something that seem peculiar to things underground in Nottingham, a make up and result of the sandstone bedrock the city is built upon? Possibly.






The remains of a wooden signal post and rusted ladder, there were two of these along the 1189yds although one was without its accompanying ladder.






We weren't sure what this was but it was the only remaining piece of track (?) we saw.






There were quite a few of these unusual refuges, four or five feet deep with a ledge and various bits of rotten wood.






Even after more than forty years since it has lain disused you can still see where the sleepers would have lay, also in this picture along the wall you can see part of what I assume is the signalling system, made of wood.






Another wooden signal post.






The clear definition between sandstone and engineers brick.






Old school lunch.






And finally the far end, Carrington, concrete with ladder and access manhole above.






M


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## phill.d (Aug 13, 2009)

Mad tunnel with the brick/bed rock linning.
Any portal shots, or has it long since gone?


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## ThenewMendoza (Aug 13, 2009)

Thompski has a pic of one of the portals, I nearly always forget to take 'em. Essentially it's like the first pic I posted but more colourful and has a large wooden hoarding in it.

M


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## phill.d (Aug 13, 2009)

ThenewMendoza said:


> Thompski has a pic of one of the portals, I nearly always forget to take 'em. Essentially it's like the first pic I posted but more colourful and has a large wooden hoarding in it.
> 
> M


Oh right, I was just observing that ladder to make me wonder about the portal lol


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## thompski (Aug 13, 2009)

ThenewMendoza said:


> Thompski has a pic of one of the portals.



I most certainly do...


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## ThenewMendoza (Aug 13, 2009)

It's not as colourful as I remember.

M


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## Black Shuck (Aug 13, 2009)

ThenewMendoza said:


> It's not as colourful as I remember.
> 
> M



Nice one Mendo. Certainly is a very different Tunnel. I love the remains of the Signals, nice touch, actually I am very suprised theyre still down there.


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## sqwasher (Aug 14, 2009)

Cracking shots as always TNM, good to see some original bits & bobs still down there!


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## DigitalNoise (Aug 14, 2009)

Nicely done there mate, looks like a great tunnel.


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## Darkness (Aug 14, 2009)

That;s cool dude! like a massive withcall!
(well, not really, but you know what i mean...)


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## TK421 (Aug 14, 2009)

Excellent explore that Mendoza, a tunnel and station that has always fascinated me. There are a couple of good clips on youtube about this station:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D60XNfJPk8M[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKbzSamVOmI[/ame]

Well done to these people capturing this footage for us young un's to enjoy


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## RichardB (Aug 14, 2009)

Wrong colour packets even then.


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## james.s (Aug 16, 2009)

Here are some photos from when me Thompski and Squiggly first visited:


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## BigLoada (Aug 16, 2009)

Excellent camera work TnM, very dark vibey shots. The one with the stripped cables on the floor is well cool.


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## squiggly (Aug 17, 2009)

Great pics TNM, nice work with the lighting...I was very ill-equipped when I was in there with Thompski & James.s! Here's a couple of shots I got of the vintage 80's rubbish 
Has anyone tried going up through the manhole?


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