Queensbury tunnel Leeds, December 2012.

[Black]

The Queensbury tunnel is 2501 yds long,
running from Clayton (north) to Holmfield (South) passing beneath Queensbury.
Theres 5 air shafts (all capped), air shaft no 3 been the deepest at 379 feet.
The north portal is in poor condition with crumbling masonry,
water is seeping through the tunnel lining at the north end and all 5 air shafts.
This isnt a problem as theres a drain in the 6 foot, the south portal is under water.
The tunnel opened in 1878, closed on 28th May 1956.
At the south theres a 1033 yard cutting at Strines reaching a depth of 59 feet,
this has been filled in with debris except for the last 100 yds towards the tunnel.
With the tunnel been on a 1/100 gradient towards Strines,
the filled in cutting acts as a dam.
Resulting in the water submerging the portal and backing 1/2 mile in the tunnel,
a pump to rid the tunnel of water seems to of failed or been removed.
Theres been some maintenance to the tunnel inc
pointing of and repairing or replacing of bricks,
clearing the drains/ tunnel debris.
Theres 5 sections of scaffolding in the tunnel, but no evidence of recent work.

Pictures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, were took during november 2012
since then (December 2012) the water is returning to 2008 levels.

north cutting, clear of vegetation.

north portal, with palisade fence/gate debris from the former wall lies to the right.

This section of tunnel now lies beneath several feet of water,

this water will reach the roof and almost submerge the south portal
the braces/supports in the distance are those on the last picture.

Panel left by salvage crew

Clips

south portal almost submerged

south cutting (Strines) almost gone

[email protected]

 

[phill.d]

The South portal sure looks different to a few months earlier!

Not sure I like the look of the other end since they've cleared it and knocked the wall down. Obviously it's better for explorers, but photography wise it's not as good.

Glad you got in and captured those props, that end was well flooded when I was last down there.

 

[Mike L]

Any idea why the cutting was 'dammed' and what/where the 'debris' came from?
Seems a totally pointless exercise to me if the tunnel now has (or used to be) pumped out.

 

[phill.d]

Hi Mike, it wasn't damned on purpose. B.R.B (British Railway board) sold the land on sometime after the line closed.
They often try sell on as much land as possible. They are still responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of all bridges, viaducts, and tunnels though.

The new land owner seems to be a farmer/building contractor type. I don't know where all the landfill came from, there are some huge boulders there, but whatever, it's from the business he runs, he's used the cutting for the landfill. Obviously over the years the water seeping in the tunnel (which runs downhill) has nowhere to go, it just gets deeper.

He was told by Network rail to pump out the cutting because they needed to do maintenance work in there, which he had attempted earlier this year.

He was pretty pissed off about it too, he had to cover all the costs as well. But obviously he was fighting a loosing battle, and Network Rail have cleared the other portal, knocked down the retaining wall, erected the new fencing and they're going in that way.

 

[night crawler]

I like to hear about grabbing landowners fighting loosing battles and I hate to hear about cuttings being filled in like that. Some people have no sence on history about them. Well done on that.

 

[Mike L]

Thanks for that Phil. Sounds like a bit of a cock-up on the owners part....shame!
Presumably he's going to have to pump it out if NR ever need acces to the flooded part again.

 

[TeeJF]

Interesting posting mate, thanks. But maybe next time you need to light paint inside the tunnels with a long exposure and a powerful torch.

I was gob smacked by the flood photo - when you said it was underwater I thought you meant a few inches, not almost to the apex!!!

Well done.

 

[phill.d]

I've a few photos that show how Queensbury changes over the years here
http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=23573#.UMXHH6z_K1Y

One of the photos shows the start of the water line that eventually floods the far portal, so you can work out how much the tunnel runs downhill from that.

 

[Ninja Kitten]

great report!! like it alot!