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1. The History
Haddon Tunnel is located in the English county of Derbyshire. It was built by the Midland Railway in 1863 as an extension of its Buxton branch-line, into the Peaks, linking the afore-mentioned Buxton with Matlock. The line was born out of the Midland Railway’s rivalry with the London & North Western (LNW) to secure a strategic rail route between London and Manchester. The first section was the 15-mile extension of the Rowsley line into Buxton, authorised in May 1860. The 1,058-yard long tunnel was constructed to hide the railway from the view of the Duke of Rutland where the line passed Haddon Hall. The tunnel is close to the surface and was, in the main, built by the 'cut and cover' method. So much so that towards its southern end, it is now possible to walk alongside the tunnel at track level, such is the shallowness of the fill and gradient of the slope. It included five ventilation shafts with one being the full width of the double-track tunnel. Shortly after the headings met on Tuesday 2nd July 1861, an arch collapsed killing three men and a boy, wounding another so seriously that he died the following day (see picture below). John Millington, George Buckley, James Bird, James Clarke and the young Alfred Plank are honoured by a simple memorial in the churchyard at Rowsley. The railway paid £100 (equivalent to £8,781 in 2016) compensation to each of their families.
haddon-5 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Unsurprisingly the 1963 Beeching Report saw the withdrawal of the local Matlock-Buxton/Manchester services. The line’s complete closure to through traffic was determined by a confidential 1964 study into ‘duplicate’ trans-Pennine routes (April 1966, saw the introduction of electric haulage for Manchester-Euston services on the West Coast Main Line). From October that year freight and parcels were diverted instead via the Hope Valley line. The announcement about the cessation of passenger expresses followed soon after and on Saturday 29th June 1968 the last passed through Haddon Tunnel. The Up line was lifted just a year later in June 1969 and the recovery of the Down line the following summer. Following closure, the track-bed and tunnel was reincorporated into the Haddon Estate.
A southbound ‘Peak’ Class 45-hauled passenger train emerges from the tunnel in August 1961 (photo credit: J R Morten).
haddon old pic by HughieDW, on Flickr
A long campaign by Peak Rail and others culminated in a feasibility study by Derbyshire County Council in 2004, the Haddon Estate being a major opponent of the plan.
Peak Rail still plans to extend their heritage rail services via both "Rowsley railway station" and a proposed "Haddon" Halt towards Bakewell. This would require additional restoration of the old tunnel itself and both Rowsley and Coombes Road Viaducts, plus reinstating the Bakewell station site to its original condition by the year 2016.
2. The Explore
Can’t beat a bit of tunnel action! This place only comes up know and again due to its rural location (see Mikeymutt’s excellent recent report). I have had this place on my radar for a while so when a chance to explore it in the excellent company of Tarkovsky (and his multiple torch assault!) came up, we both headed over to this beautiful corner of God’s county. It really is a superb tunnel. It’s got everything: length, open sections, portals. The only thing it doesn’t have is the grand entrances some other tunnels offer.
Entry has always traditionally been from the Northern portal, so this is where we headed. Having parked up it was a pleasant mile long walk from the viaduct at Coombe’s Road along the former track bed. We spent a good hour and a half in the tunnel itself. When we reached the end much to our surprise the iron door on the south portal was wide open, affording us a view of the southern tunnel’s façade.
Overall a superb explore in the good company in beautiful countryside.
3. The Pictures
The viaduct that heralds the start of our adventure:
img3974 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img3970 by HughieDW, on Flickr
It’s a lovely walk along the course of the former track-bed:
img3965 by HughieDW, on Flickr
This old track-side worker’s hut was worth a quick shufty:
img3956 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img3954 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img3952 by HughieDW, on Flickr
There’s also what appears to be an empty estate house too:
img3964 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And just for good measure, there’s a bit of farm abandonment:
img3961 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img3959 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The northern portal comes into sight:
img3949 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And the entry point is open!
img3829 by HughieDW, on Flickr
View towards the north-west direction:
img3833 by HughieDW, on Flickr
One of the many drainage windows:
img3837 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Onward we push:
img3842 by HughieDW, on Flickr
A square worker’s recess:
img3846 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Portal no.1:
img3854 by HughieDW, on Flickr
A hint of Autumn through the same portal:
img3859 by HughieDW, on Flickr
One of the only sleepers still in situ in the whole tunnel:
img3869 by HughieDW, on Flickr
A very wet portal number 2:
img3879 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Portal No. 3 – but more of an open-air section:
img3896 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Where nature has been able to get a grip:
img3905 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The famous tree in the open section:
img3909 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And more than a hint of Autumn here:
img3913 by HughieDW, on Flickr
A brick-lined worker’s recess:
img3917 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Onward we go:
img3927 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Trying out a bit of black and white:
img3933bw by HughieDW, on Flickr
img3934 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And out we pop!
img3946 by HughieDW, on Flickr
A track-side hut outside the southern portal:
img3944 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Now for the long walk back!
Thanks for looking.
Haddon Tunnel is located in the English county of Derbyshire. It was built by the Midland Railway in 1863 as an extension of its Buxton branch-line, into the Peaks, linking the afore-mentioned Buxton with Matlock. The line was born out of the Midland Railway’s rivalry with the London & North Western (LNW) to secure a strategic rail route between London and Manchester. The first section was the 15-mile extension of the Rowsley line into Buxton, authorised in May 1860. The 1,058-yard long tunnel was constructed to hide the railway from the view of the Duke of Rutland where the line passed Haddon Hall. The tunnel is close to the surface and was, in the main, built by the 'cut and cover' method. So much so that towards its southern end, it is now possible to walk alongside the tunnel at track level, such is the shallowness of the fill and gradient of the slope. It included five ventilation shafts with one being the full width of the double-track tunnel. Shortly after the headings met on Tuesday 2nd July 1861, an arch collapsed killing three men and a boy, wounding another so seriously that he died the following day (see picture below). John Millington, George Buckley, James Bird, James Clarke and the young Alfred Plank are honoured by a simple memorial in the churchyard at Rowsley. The railway paid £100 (equivalent to £8,781 in 2016) compensation to each of their families.
haddon-5 by HughieDW, on FlickrUnsurprisingly the 1963 Beeching Report saw the withdrawal of the local Matlock-Buxton/Manchester services. The line’s complete closure to through traffic was determined by a confidential 1964 study into ‘duplicate’ trans-Pennine routes (April 1966, saw the introduction of electric haulage for Manchester-Euston services on the West Coast Main Line). From October that year freight and parcels were diverted instead via the Hope Valley line. The announcement about the cessation of passenger expresses followed soon after and on Saturday 29th June 1968 the last passed through Haddon Tunnel. The Up line was lifted just a year later in June 1969 and the recovery of the Down line the following summer. Following closure, the track-bed and tunnel was reincorporated into the Haddon Estate.
A southbound ‘Peak’ Class 45-hauled passenger train emerges from the tunnel in August 1961 (photo credit: J R Morten).
haddon old pic by HughieDW, on FlickrA long campaign by Peak Rail and others culminated in a feasibility study by Derbyshire County Council in 2004, the Haddon Estate being a major opponent of the plan.
Peak Rail still plans to extend their heritage rail services via both "Rowsley railway station" and a proposed "Haddon" Halt towards Bakewell. This would require additional restoration of the old tunnel itself and both Rowsley and Coombes Road Viaducts, plus reinstating the Bakewell station site to its original condition by the year 2016.
2. The Explore
Can’t beat a bit of tunnel action! This place only comes up know and again due to its rural location (see Mikeymutt’s excellent recent report). I have had this place on my radar for a while so when a chance to explore it in the excellent company of Tarkovsky (and his multiple torch assault!) came up, we both headed over to this beautiful corner of God’s county. It really is a superb tunnel. It’s got everything: length, open sections, portals. The only thing it doesn’t have is the grand entrances some other tunnels offer.
Entry has always traditionally been from the Northern portal, so this is where we headed. Having parked up it was a pleasant mile long walk from the viaduct at Coombe’s Road along the former track bed. We spent a good hour and a half in the tunnel itself. When we reached the end much to our surprise the iron door on the south portal was wide open, affording us a view of the southern tunnel’s façade.
Overall a superb explore in the good company in beautiful countryside.
3. The Pictures
The viaduct that heralds the start of our adventure:
img3974 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg3970 by HughieDW, on FlickrIt’s a lovely walk along the course of the former track-bed:
img3965 by HughieDW, on FlickrThis old track-side worker’s hut was worth a quick shufty:
img3956 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg3954 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg3952 by HughieDW, on FlickrThere’s also what appears to be an empty estate house too:
img3964 by HughieDW, on FlickrAnd just for good measure, there’s a bit of farm abandonment:
img3961 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg3959 by HughieDW, on FlickrThe northern portal comes into sight:
img3949 by HughieDW, on FlickrAnd the entry point is open!
img3829 by HughieDW, on FlickrView towards the north-west direction:
img3833 by HughieDW, on FlickrOne of the many drainage windows:
img3837 by HughieDW, on FlickrOnward we push:
img3842 by HughieDW, on FlickrA square worker’s recess:
img3846 by HughieDW, on FlickrPortal no.1:
img3854 by HughieDW, on FlickrA hint of Autumn through the same portal:
img3859 by HughieDW, on FlickrOne of the only sleepers still in situ in the whole tunnel:
img3869 by HughieDW, on FlickrA very wet portal number 2:
img3879 by HughieDW, on FlickrPortal No. 3 – but more of an open-air section:
img3896 by HughieDW, on FlickrWhere nature has been able to get a grip:
img3905 by HughieDW, on FlickrThe famous tree in the open section:
img3909 by HughieDW, on FlickrAnd more than a hint of Autumn here:
img3913 by HughieDW, on FlickrA brick-lined worker’s recess:
img3917 by HughieDW, on FlickrOnward we go:
img3927 by HughieDW, on FlickrTrying out a bit of black and white:
img3933bw by HughieDW, on Flickrimg3934 by HughieDW, on FlickrAnd out we pop!
img3946 by HughieDW, on FlickrA track-side hut outside the southern portal:
img3944 by HughieDW, on FlickrNow for the long walk back!
Thanks for looking.
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