Soothill Tunnel - Dec 22

[BikinGlynn]

Soothill Tunnel

]

Authorised by an Act of 1881, the Great Northern's 4¾-mile connection between Batley and Beeston Junction, on the Leeds branch of the East Coast Main Line, opened for goods traffic in July 1890, with passenger services inaugurated a month later.

In civil engineering terms, the route's ten underbridges and single five-arch viaduct were overshadowed by Soothill Tunnel, sometimes referred to as Woodkirk Tunnel. This incorporates a curve of 30 chains radius extending inwards from the west end for about 400 yards, before a straight section takes over to reach the east portal. Near their junction is the tunnel's only ventilation shaft. 659 yards in length, a stiff gradient of 1:50 is encountered throughout, climbing towards the east.

The portals are substantial and attractive, built from stone and with buttresses either side of the entrance. Above a string course, the parapet rises to a central point. Unlike other GN tunnels, the voussoirs are flat, not rounded. Access to the west end is made easier by a set of steps at the north side of the approach cutting.

Water ingress caused difficulties during the tunnel's period of operation and the resulting deterioration proved instrumental in driving the line's demise, the necessary repair work having a prohibitively expensive price tag. Passenger services were withdrawn in October 1951; the section from Batley to Woodkirk - through the tunnel - suffered complete closure on 6th July 1953. Freight between the Woodkirk quarries and Tingley continued until June 1964

The portals, which had previously been open, were secured on health and safety grounds. Although the area has since been landscaped, polluted liquids still permeate the tunnel, giving rise to noxious gases. Infrastructure, in the form of pipes, ducts, cables and tanks, has been installed in an effort to manage this

I can confirm it utterly stinks in here but my gas monitor remained stable & I had no issues through my solo visit, TBh there appears to be raw sewage flowing through the central trench so I was not surprised by the smell.

Thanks for looking

 

[fluffy5518]

Great Report Mr G ......

 

[BikinGlynn]

Great Report Mr G ......

thanks

 

[Hayman]

"voussoirs" -
"A voussoir is a type of brick or block used in arch construction that makes up the rounded portion at the top. Generally, a voussoir is wedge shaped or tapered in some way, with the narrower or thinner end pointing toward the bottom, or interior, of the arch and the wider or thicker end pointing upward, or towards the outside of the arch. Alternatively, regular rectangular bricks used in the same way may be called voussoirs.

The term voussoir comes is French, meaning "to turn or rotate." This refers to the ability of the blocks to turn, or transfer, the load on the arch from the blocks forming the curved section to the vertical supports. This load transference is the key principle behind all arches and is one of the most important architectural design elements in the buildings of many cultures and civilizations dating back to ancient times."

DP is both inspirational and educational. I do like the view up the ventiliation shaft. What was the great cylindrical tank doing there? And that large valve?

 

[john1975]

"voussoirs" -
"A voussoir is a type of brick or block used in arch construction that makes up the rounded portion at the top. Generally, a voussoir is wedge shaped or tapered in some way, with the narrower or thinner end pointing toward the bottom, or interior, of the arch and the wider or thicker end pointing upward, or towards the outside of the arch. Alternatively, regular rectangular bricks used in the same way may be called voussoirs.

The term voussoir comes is French, meaning "to turn or rotate." This refers to the ability of the blocks to turn, or transfer, the load on the arch from the blocks forming the curved section to the vertical supports. This load transference is the key principle behind all arches and is one of the most important architectural design elements in the buildings of many cultures and civilizations dating back to ancient times."

DP is both inspirational and educational. I do like the view up the ventiliation shaft. What was the great cylindrical tank doing there? And that large valve?

Did you know, that a suspension bridge, is merely an upturned arch but in tension instead of compression. To get the shape of the curved upper member you need to get some rope, invert the thing and dangle representative weights down from the node points. The rope will take up the shape that your upper member [or cable] needs to be..

john..

 

[night crawler]

At leat there is more to see in this tunnel and you did not have to grovel your way through, I'm with Hayman with the view up the shaft. The tank looks like it fed the pipes you can see and the valves

 

[BikinGlynn]

"voussoirs" -
"A voussoir is a type of brick or block used in arch construction that makes up the rounded portion at the top. Generally, a voussoir is wedge shaped or tapered in some way, with the narrower or thinner end pointing toward the bottom, or interior, of the arch and the wider or thicker end pointing upward, or towards the outside of the arch. Alternatively, regular rectangular bricks used in the same way may be called voussoirs.

The term voussoir comes is French, meaning "to turn or rotate." This refers to the ability of the blocks to turn, or transfer, the load on the arch from the blocks forming the curved section to the vertical supports. This load transference is the key principle behind all arches and is one of the most important architectural design elements in the buildings of many cultures and civilizations dating back to ancient times."

DP is both inspirational and educational. I do like the view up the ventiliation shaft. What was the great cylindrical tank doing there? And that large valve?

is this also called a keystone?

 

[Hayman]

is this also called a keystone?

I'd have thought so, too. I like the way the stones lower in the arch have their ends tapered to match the adjacent ones laid course upon course. All very neat.

 

[baldereagle]

The keystone is usually the top voussoir central to the whole arch, which is almost rectangular on this portal - nice photos !