As i was in the area i thought i'd pay a visit, parked the car up and had a nice stroll along the embankment.
The newer tunnel is easily navigated on foot or by cyclists and is part of the Brampton Valley way and has the beautiful ventilation shaft half way, I visited the old closed one.
Construction work on the LNWR's Northampton-Market Harborough line began in 1856, five years after it was originally proposed. The company's intention was to capitalise on the discovery of local ironstone. Richard Dunkley of Blisworth was awarded the contract to build it.
In March 1858, a landslide occurred at the northern end of Kelmarsh Tunnel - one cause of the line's delayed opening. The first passenger train encountered its gloom on 16th February 1859.
The route - initially just a single line - attracted a large volume of traffic. Twenty years on, a second parallel tunnel was bored at Kelmarsh, this one equipped with a ventilation shaft.
The route was deemed surplus to requirements in 1984. Like nearby Oxendon Tunnel, Kelmarsh's newer bore now accommodates the Brampton Valley Way.
on with the pics
IMG_5234 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5236 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5255 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5261 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5268 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5270 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5274 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5277 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5312 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5292 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5225 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5293 by JSP 77, on Flickr
Thanks for looking
The newer tunnel is easily navigated on foot or by cyclists and is part of the Brampton Valley way and has the beautiful ventilation shaft half way, I visited the old closed one.
Construction work on the LNWR's Northampton-Market Harborough line began in 1856, five years after it was originally proposed. The company's intention was to capitalise on the discovery of local ironstone. Richard Dunkley of Blisworth was awarded the contract to build it.
In March 1858, a landslide occurred at the northern end of Kelmarsh Tunnel - one cause of the line's delayed opening. The first passenger train encountered its gloom on 16th February 1859.
The route - initially just a single line - attracted a large volume of traffic. Twenty years on, a second parallel tunnel was bored at Kelmarsh, this one equipped with a ventilation shaft.
The route was deemed surplus to requirements in 1984. Like nearby Oxendon Tunnel, Kelmarsh's newer bore now accommodates the Brampton Valley Way.
on with the pics
IMG_5234 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5236 by JSP 77, on FlickrIMG_5255 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5261 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5268 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5270 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5274 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5277 by JSP 77, on FlickrIMG_5312 by JSP 77, on FlickrIMG_5292 by JSP 77, on FlickrIMG_5225 by JSP 77, on Flickr
IMG_5293 by JSP 77, on FlickrThanks for looking
