Old Warden Tunnel, Beds, U.K. Feb 2010

[manof2worlds]

Team MO2W took a trip to the Old Warden Tunnel in Bedfordshire, not far from the Cardington Airship Hangars (more on that later!!!).

It was a grand day out, the weather was awful to begin with, blizzard conditions on the way down there, but when we emerged from the tunnel a couple of hours later, it was glorious sunshine.

We also thought to take a look at the Cardington Airship Hangars and were well pleased that we got onto the site. Sadly, security didn't share this feeling of euphoria and promptly despatched a car to get rid of two baldy fat blokes and a kid.

So, here's a bit of history:

The Old Warden Railway Tunnel was built between 1853 and 1857 for the Midland Railway's Bedford-Hitchin line. The tunnel is a perfectly straight bore of 882 yards in length. Both portals of the tunnel are capped with stone and it has no blast relief ducts, owing to its lack of curves and relatively short length which allows for good air passage. Regular refuges were cut into the wall to allow maintenance during running hours. It's walls are lined with blue engineering brick and it lays on a downward gradient to the north. The Bedford -Hitchin Line survived the effects of Beeching cuts but only by one year. Before the track was finally lifted, Old Warden enjoyed it's own 15 minutes of fame through it's role in the wonderful comedy film Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines. Old Warden's brief scene revolved around a plane landing on the roof of a train. The northern Bedford portal is now partly bricked-up whilst the southern Hitchin portal is disappearing through the encroachment of infill. The tunnel lain disused for more than 40 years and the land which lays over the it is now a nature reserve.

And onto the pictures:

The track bed leading to the Northern portal

The Cardington Hangars seen from the pathway leading to the tunnel

Team MO2W ready for action!!!

The same view as above but with added light painting

Looking from the Southern portal

The Southern portal, infill encroachment and advancing nature taking over

The Southern track bed now flooded

More pics on Flickr: http://www.bit.ly/aTfO3E

 

[Black Shuck]

Hello again Guys, yes we had a real ball over in Befordshire. I last visited with Labb back in January but i didnt know how to Light Paint, or use what turned out to be a very long exposure setting on my Fuji. 30 secs for a non DSLR! Yum! Thanks a lot MO2W!!, Heres mine from the explore,..... This is the North Portal, the Bedford End!! The Overgrown Trackbed winding down towards Cardington Station First look at the Tunnel Bore, 882 Yards of Urbex loveliness! Oh the joys of a Search Blaster!!

 

[losttom]

Nice one chaps, shame i couldnt make it, looks like you had a good day

 

[Black Shuck]

Yeah a good Day Tom and some Good Laughs as well!!!