# Charmouth Tunnel A35 Dorset



## tonyque2 (Dec 2, 2007)

Hi
I joined this forum several months ago and have enjoyed viewing all your photos from some super explorations. Thought it about time I contributed some pics too. Although this is rather mundane I hope you find them interesting. 
This tunnel used to span the A35 trunk road between Charmouth and Axminster until the road was rebuilt to bypass it in 1990. It's a grade 2 listed structure and has been used for some years as a camp site for travellers until it was sold about 3 yrs ago and they were moved on. These pics were taken just after the site was cleaned up ready to lease to anyone interested. No takers so far to my knowledge. You can imagine the chaos on this section of road during the summer months with caravans coming and going to Devon and Cornwall for the holiday season !! 
Cheers Tony







West entrance 










Notice the To Let board on the wall




















East entrance





View of old A35 road looking east from tunnel entrance


Here is a link to the The Tunnel website for more info if anyones interested

http://www.thetunnel.co.uk/



First time posted pics so hope all OK


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## Foxylady (Dec 2, 2007)

Hiya Tony
Enjoyed your first report...nice one!  Excellent photos.
I hadn't heard of this place before. Amazing what there is to find locally when you start to look around.
A good link there. I liked reading the suggestions put forward for it, especially these two, one after the other. Rather telling, don't you think! 

Animal sanctuary for Moles, Badgers and Rabbits (YR5 Charmouth School)

Land fill site (WDDC-Planning Office)

Cheers


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## Simon-G (Dec 2, 2007)

Hi Tony

Your pictures are not mundane at all, I thought they were excellent. One of the attractions of Derelict places for me is to see a place vacant and crumbling and imagine that at one time the places were buzzing with activity. That tunnel certainly falls into that category. When I looked at that first picture I got the strangest feeling you know like the one you get when you feel you have seen a place before but know you have not. !spooky! 

Simon-G


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## King Al (Dec 3, 2007)

Always time for a tunnel, nice one


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## smileysal (Dec 7, 2007)

Like seeing pictures of tunnels, all different shapes and sizes, you can't believe that it used to be the main road till the bypass was built. 

also prefer the schools idea for the tunnel, Animal sanctuary for Moles, Badgers and Rabbits (YR5 Charmouth School)

but this one says it all - Land fill site (WDDC-Planning Office)

That's all they ever think to do with something. Fill it in grrrrrrr!!!! if I had to make a decision, the schools idea would win.

Cheers,

 Sal


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## tonyque2 (Dec 8, 2007)

Thanks for your positive comments. Perhaps next time I can find something a bit more interesting to explore. I'm not very adventurous when it comes to entering empty buildings !!
CheersTony


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## smileysal (Dec 8, 2007)

I love looking at anything derelict. Like anything and everything. Had a walk through the rail tunnel at silverdale, much prefer this one tho, its smaller. Hated the middle of silverdale when we switched the lights off  there's a few tunnels around my area that i haven't got the guts to go into. 

I do like this one. Is the new bypass dual carriageway now instead of one lane each way? bet it must have been crazily busy when it was open. Do you have any pics of when it was open? Its nice to get a comparison.

Thanks again.

 Sal

ps. i particularly like just looking at the entrances seeing the different styles etc. they always interest me.


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## Foxylady (Dec 8, 2007)

tonyque2 said:


> I'm not very adventurous when it comes to entering empty buildings !!



I know what you mean...for all my brave talking on the reports, it takes me a lot of psyching up (and time spent listening out for people) before I venture in somewhere. Even then I don't always get all the pics I want 'cause I get spooked! 
If you want company on an explore anytime just give me a pm.


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