The Sennybridge Tunnel Mystery

[@pwhitewick]

Hey folks. Thanks for watching. Did you know Rebecca now had her own quirky history KZbin channel?? Go subscribe (please): kzbin.info/door/EJYFfiVvnOcTUwoJaoLQZw

[@hullhistorynerd]

I do, and I'm really enjoying it!

[@andrewholloway231]

Did I know Rebecca now had her own history KZbin channel?? Nope, but I do now and, yeah, I have subscribed.

[@hubertvancalenbergh9022]

Wow! Thanks, Rebecca. I subscribed seconds ago.

[@robinjones6999]

subbed

[@ianr]

No I didn't but I do now! 👍🙂

[@janecapon2337]

What a beautiful piece of countryside. Thank you for allowing me to tag along!

[@dunc1958]

Rebecca has the most enviable skill of looking composed and stylish on the most inhospitable of terrain.

[@pwhitewick]

This is very true.

[@dickiedollop]

She also has the endearing quality of looking bemused at Pauls Welsh pronunciation lol.

[@jt5793]

Hello both, thank you for such entertaining videos. Having only just getting around to watching about the Sennybridge abandoned railway, I was amazed to not have heard about it despite being local. It reminded me of a canal project close to Leominster, Herefordshire. Some of the canal was completed and used, but other attempts to link sections to it were abandoned,despite having built bridges in the middle of fields in readiness. The working section of canal was short lived and abandoned in favour of the railway. Parts of the canal are still traceable, and a small section of tunnel exists.

[@owenrichardson1419]

Passion, Enthusiasm and Excitement rolled into a video which keeps us coming back for more.

[@pwhitewick]

Ah thanks Owen.

[@demobbed688]

You're very near a place that still sends a shiver down my spine. Sennybridge Training Area.

[@pwhitewick]

Ah... army days?

[@demobbed688]

@@pwhitewick Oh yes. A place where you can experience all four seasons in one day, but more often than not it was just cold and wet, even during the summer.

[@justvin7214]

I've heard it can be so windy that you could hit not just your mates target but even hit a target on a neighbouring range!

[@craigmoyle2924]

Is it haunted there or something?

[@tonyblack1964]

From WikiPedia: One of the factors which influenced the growth of Sennybridge was the establishment of the Neath and Brecon Railway which opened a station in the adjoining village of Defynnog in 1867.[1] The promoter and contractor of the railway, John Dickson, also made a start on constructing a railway north from Sennybridge that would have linked the Neath and Brecon Railway to the Central Wales Line at Llangammarch Wells but work was suspended on his bankruptcy in 1867 and never resumed. The partially completed earthworks can still be seen in the countryside north of Sennybridge.

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Tony. Yup quite a bit of supporting evidence that agrees. Around 6 miles we think.

[@nickwass9700]

You made me smile when you found the remains of the viaduct - such a happy moment for you!

[@buffplums]

It’s amazing how you both as a couple enjoy this type of hobby. As a boy, I used to spend all my summer holidays exploring the old Hooton to West Kirby railway which was made into a country park in the 70s. Although when they turned it into a trail they landscaped some parts but it in turn effectively preserved the route from further development and building over the land. What I used to life was finding parts of the stations and at one point there is still an intact underpass possibly lined in white tiles at one of the stations where nothing else exists. The steps down into each side of the underpass were filled with bricks and rubble but I think the main underpass has survived and still retains the metal roof which was effectively the bridge that supported the track. There is still so much to find on this old line even after the 60 odd years since it closed. Seeing the remains of caked on coal dust from the loco exhaust still clinging to the underside of the overbridges, the odd gradient post. If you ever fancy an explore try visiting the Wirral Country Park.

[@mickd6942]

Just got back from an e bike bimble on the old railway cycle paths and a whitewicks video pops up , cuppa and biscuits and video job done

[@TheEulerID]

"Excuse the wind", Was it something you ate? Digging out the entrance to a tunnel portal would have been a great one for the Time Team when they existed and had budgets for such things. I recall once they dug down 12 metres to find a buried viaduct in Blaenafon. The episode is called the "Lost viaduct" and was one of my favourites in the series.

[@buffplums]

Steve Jones yes I saw that too it was amazing! I just love this kind of thing.

[@timcase2494]

Just looked up "Lost Viaduct" on KZbin. Watching now

[@lindamccaughey8800]

Don’t understand thumbs down that was totally fascinating. The country side was just beautiful. Really enjoyed that. I did subscribe to Rebeccas channel. Thanks for taking me along

[@johnstilljohn3181]

Nice one. My understanding is Disused means all still there but not used; Dismantled it's all been removed and Abandoned - you got it...!

[@mal_752]

Another fabulous vlog. Thank you both for all your hard work and effort producing these vlogs. 🙏 👍😊

[@juleshathaway3894]

Another belter guys, thoroughly enjoyed that. Your excitement at finding the stonework for the pillars for the viaduct was amazing and I can relate to that. It is wonderful to be out in the field scrubbing about looking for anything and then to find something. A real "oh WOW" moment. I had to go and look at the area on the OS maps and NLS maps too, happens every time I watch one of these videos!!

[@pwhitewick]

Fantastic, thanks Jules, yup this was a real adventure for us.

[@veridiannexus3535]

You both always put a smile on my face , thank you for the fun natural way you bring Railway History to life !

[@pwhitewick]

Ah thanks, always try and bring that element to it.

[@StephenWilliams]

I'll second that. Really look forward to the videos.

[@chrisg1234fly]

What a great story and a great channel and great people!!

[@johnmorrall2717]

excellent ...enjoy your railway videos. John...civil engineer in Canada

[@syncrosimon]

Your enthusiasm makes this a very enjoyable watch, subscribed to Rebeccas channel 👍 Really great to record this local knowledge which otherwise would be lost forever. Good work Whitewicks 👍👍👍

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Simon and thanks for the sub to Rebecca's channel.

[@anthonygostling]

That house you filming in at the end, I went there a few years ago and took photo's of that tunnel & station. lovely people.

[@pwhitewick]

Ah yes. That's a whole other video coming out in a couple of weeks. 👍👍

[@hullhistorynerd]

Very interesting, basically a historic 'work in progress' site that was just frozen in time as it was abandoned. It's an interesting view into the process of building a railway line!

[@pwhitewick]

Absolutely we had hoped to have more time here and as you suggest find out more about how a line was built.

[@trainshistory7562]

Cuppa time, nice to see this stuff from other parts of the UK which I'll likely never get to. Good work.

[@pwhitewick]

Plenty planned for the year all over so stayed tuned. 👍👍

[@TraceUK]

In Harrogate, North Yorkshire where I live, there’s a very old train station & tunnel hidden underground (Brunswick Station). You can still access it from somewhere (not sure where, personally). During WW2 they used it as an air raid shelter

[@pwhitewick]

Excellent, we are thinking of doing a video on Tunnels that are now hidden away, the bigger the mystery the better.

[@shaunwest3612]

Great video Paul and Rebecca, very interesting,the breacons are beautiful, lovely scenery, looking forward to the next installment 👌😀

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers Shaun.

[@jamesrogers9801]

Another absolutely brilliant video, great views, excellent commentary and a hidden mystery.

[@EandEFC]

Great video as always love it when you find stuff you are not expecting to find when walking disused railways

[@pwhitewick]

Yup. We love this type of mystery so aiming to do a few more if we can locate them.

[@permvw]

A great video and a fascinating piece of history too 👍 your a great duo, so natural and perfect

[@terryansell6641]

Amazing adventures great video thank you

[@davekirwin]

That tunnel - what a temptation!

[@pwhitewick]

You've got a JCB we can use right??

[@davekirwin]

@@pwhitewick :D If only, I'd love a JCB - got a slight hankering for a diggy dig of my own!

[@Jules_Diplopia]

Fascinating exploration....and then to learn that the tunnel is there and that the bridge was taken, presumably to scrap. Such a shame.

[@pwhitewick]

Good question regarding scrap. My guess is the masonry was a worthy commodity so in taking it, it could be sold on and perhaps used elsewhere for the company and its creditors to gain a little back from its losses.

[@Christopher125]

It's good fun following this line up the valley on google earth, would love to see more videos on it - disused railways are fascinating but usually well documented, whereas you never know what you'll find with an unfinished railway as there's rarely much info about, no books or photos and little firm idea what was built. The Llangurig Branch and earthworks/tunnel beyond is another worth a look.

[@pwhitewick]

Yup absolutely agree. Finding anything out about this line other than the same article reprinted a few times was hard work. The Llangurig Branch in on our high priority list!

[@HenrysAdventures]

Another very interesting video! I love the scene at 10:41. I've never seen a railway converted into an ornamental steam before!

[@pwhitewick]

Ah yes. That's Talyllyn (Brecon). You'll see that in two-three weeks on the channel.

[@HenrysAdventures]

@@pwhitewick Cool, I'll look forward to seeing that one!

[@3kimcarter]

Awesome video guys,Roger speaking at Llanfihangel Talyllyn station,tunnel in garden,found the portal other end while working for BT pieces of track lying on cutting floor.

[@Holy_Moley]

I'm sucked in. I hope you dig it open and show us.

[@TheNgandrew]

A fascinating video. Thanks once again. I think it's more intriguing because the line never opened, there is visible evidence of proposed substantial construction, and it seems there is a tunnel. It's interesting to consider and wonder at what might have been.

[@pwhitewick]

Absolutely part of the intrigue is what may have been. No records as such other than newspaper articles etc suggesting the line was being progressed.

[@Joecoleman84]

I grew up here and know these woods and fields very well! Including these. However, at the time i had assumed they were part of disused lines, not abandoned ones. There was a great book written by a local about the railway and station yard in the centre of Sennybridge.

[@BLINDEXPLORERASIFMUHAMMAD]

Very amazing video well done and keep up the great work

[@bremnersghost948]

Cool, Great views of Coed Gibraltar Hill Fort too

[@ColinH1973]

VERY interesting on its own, but it is obviously an appetizer for something special, I feel! Keep up the great work!!

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers Colin. Bring a shovel!

[@auser1484]

Drone shots are always good, nice to see another video.

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers. Always try and get it out when we can. Videos every Wednesday

[@CheshireTomcat68]

@@pwhitewick Hope you've got your CAA drone certification!

[@pwhitewick]

@@CheshireTomcat68 yup

[@CheshireTomcat68]

@@pwhitewick Excitedly waiting for my number!

[@pwhitewick]

@@CheshireTomcat68 ours was instant if I recall.

[@mikeparrysatwat]

I really enjoyed that,I love your enthusiasm.......👍

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you Garyf

[@michaelpilling9659]

How exciting! Get a JCB and some mining gear please. Buried treasure. WOW! Great film

[@nialloconnell5895]

I can get hold of a digger, I'll meet you over there !!

[@pwhitewick]

Roger that.

[@ListerPetternuts]

Do it!!

[@thewhiteroom23]

You can see the trackbed on sat imagery right up the Cilieni valley to just south of Tirabad where it fizzles out. That's probably as far as they got with any construction. Part of it looks like it has a minor road on it now.

[@pwhitewick]

Yup I think the minor road is Army related now.

[@rolandshark2741]

All aboard all aboard whoah

[@thewhiteroom23]

@@rolandshark2741 👍

[@johnlaw3323]

Great vlog guys with a great mystery. Many thanks.

[@johnsparkes8963]

Very interesting vlog. Thank you for sharing.

[@thomasolsson8816]

So interesting. Looking forward to the next one already.

[@kippen64]

Quite exciting. Wish that digging open the entrance of the tunnel was an option.

[@pwhitewick]

Most definitely was for us 👍👍

[@colinburton113]

great video loved it, would love to spend a day where the tunnel entrance is with a JCB, thanks Paul and Rebecca xx

[@yankeeclipper4326]

Another great video! Rogers comments about the tunnel are very intriguing. It could be the secret location of the Strategic Steam Reserve. You know you want it to be. I think you should get some shovels and round up Martin and his Mates, and properly get to the bottom of it.

[@pwhitewick]

...I am pretty sure Martin would be there like a shot with his helmet and torch at the ready.

[@mickd6942]

Yankee Clipper stuff the steam i want it to be where the srategic blue pullmans are lol

[@T8Hants]

The strategic steam reserve is being kept in running order, even as I type this, on every preserved steam railway in the country. In the event of a national emergency they would simply be requisitioned by government.

[@GhostTheory]

Love Brecon Beacons. It's where we stayed while we filmed the abandoned mine. Stunning views, looked like you had great fun. Really enjoyed your use of music too.You sounded quite out of breath lol welcome to Wales I suppose. Awesome video.

[@pwhitewick]

We are ALWAYS out of breath lol. Hill or not hill!

[@GhostTheory]

@@pwhitewick I have a couple of ventilators you could use. I'll even brand them with Whitewicks abandoned railways..or abandoned lungs ;)

[@andrewhotston983]

A railway notable for the almost total lack of any sources of traffic - it's no wonder it was never finished!

[@DanielDavis1973]

The disused/abandoned distinction is interesting from an american perspective. The legal definition here corresponds more toward ownership of the property rather than any state of construction so abandoned is one where the ownership has been abandoned. If the land is still owned by a railway (railroad in US terminology) then it wouldn't be truly abandoned and would qualify as disused such as the platform videos you've made for the ones on active rail lines. There is some dialect nuance on terminology involved here though so we rarely use the word disused for things like this in the US. We'd often just refer to it as "out of service", "closed" or "former".

[@pwhitewick]

Great stuff, thanks for sharing that Daniel.

[@SMILEVIDEOTRAINS]

obviously youre gonna go back.. Sooo very interesting, nearly on the edge of my seat.. wonder wot's hidden....nice having Rebecca a little more involved with the chat.

[@pwhitewick]

We would love to go back. Just need to get some shovels and gear together!

[@scopex2749]

You need to get to Radstock for a PROPER ‘abandoned railway’........they even left the tracks behind! 🤷🏼‍♂️ Time for you to i best in a drone for bits that are ‘too overgrown’ 😉 To find out or follow any tunnel look for ‘ventilation shafts’ as all tunnels had to have them! They had to let the steam and smoke out somehow. Simply ‘join the dots’ of the line of shafts and THERE is your tunnel!

[@pwhitewick]

Yup we will be up at Radstock later this year. As for shafts I can think of a few that didn't have any. Mainly they were for construction as opposed to ventilation.

[@ninesquared81]

One half of me wants to see this railway opened, but then again, it's quite interesting in its unfinished state. It would be amazing to see inside the tunnel though.

[@pwhitewick]

I'm genuinely questioning how we can approach this.... Seriously.

[@LockyLive]

There are a few other abandoned tunnels in south wales which are just about accessible. One is also near brecon and runs from where the current brecon mountain railway ends and another is the wenvoe tunnel on the outskirts of cardiff. I'm assuming you're already aware of these but if not, always worth a looksie. If you do, I could also show you a couple of tunnels that go through the Garth Hill which was used to mine iron ore and link up to the rest of south wales and remains of the viaduct are still there, one of them about ten foot from the A470 dual carriageway and easily spotted.

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks for the suggestions Locky, yup we have those on our list to tick off at some point soon... or at least Post Lockdown.

[@TheGramophoneGirl]

I know I'm a year late to the party but it's quite exciting. Do we know if the viaduct was wooden? That way there's only be minor stonework. Also, the tunnel. I wonder if the big stones on the portals were taken for use elsewhere, allowing the rest to collapse and cover both ends? There's water coming out of one end. Lastly, was it a narrow gauge railway? Hence it wouldn't need as much workings?

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers Samantha. Sadly we know very little... as much as you do now. I do feel it was all masonry though and sold off for other projects. I guess. We loved making this film. Really good fun.

[@boriss.861]

Brilliant Guys: If you can sort out a base at Sennybridge we the great will support you. Permits, Farmers Permission to open the portals and a Fund raiser you never know the tunnels may still be OK. Have you had an update on the Queensbury Project?

[@pwhitewick]

Farmers permission would be everything on this project. There after organisation of all safety aspects, I feel we would have plenty of knowledgeable viewers able to assist with that. 👍👍

[@neffersonjickel3901]

I believe a disused railway would still have rails, and an abandoned railway would have no rails (though it may still have track bed and infrastructure)? Stunning countryside!

[@ldnwholesale8552]

Most railways that have been closed eventually remove the rails, either for another job or sold for scrap. And often the alignments are sold too the locals, at least in part. Unfortunatly forward planning is never a forte of Govts world wide. Usually the next month is as far as they go. In reality the alignments should be kept so in another era they may become viable again. Gating tunnels too is a sound process as is at least basic maintenance on them. We see them with steel gates or bricked up but with wire mesh etc at the top, so the tunnels can at least have some chance of staying dry.

[@ldnwholesale8552]

Recently here I have searched Google Earth for raillines/ alignments here in South Oz. Surprisingly they are not even mentioned. Best I got was some stations on the local lines. As here in South Oz stupidly we have broad guage for local lines and std guage nationally. Near 200 years and they cannot yet get their acts together and all 3 of our metro lines have been rebuilt in the last 30 years,,, broadguage. The reason that metro trains cannot go out of metro. But with now very new large suburbs and near city rural towns with large population increases. There is existing lines or at least alignments available. But lets have two different guages,, and worse the waste of money electric trains have to be towed by diesel ones for maintenance.But hey we are green because we have electric trains on one out of 3 main lines.

[@t.vanoosterhout233]

Aaaaaah don't leave us in suspense like this! Time to do some digging! 🥄⛏️🏔️

[@terryengland1880]

Ground penertrating radar might help on this one, the kit is a little expensive

[@pwhitewick]

Yup! God ole shovel me thinks.

[@bishwatntl]

I had the same thought - so many episodes of Time Team led me that way. I wonder if there's a University Archelogy bod somewhere with access to such kit who might be interested?

[@chriskeens6492]

Really hooked on your vids. So much history. I love your choices of music to accompany as well. Time to do the remains of the Longmoor Military Railway. Give me a shout and I would be happy to walk with you .

[@paulaj2829]

really impressed with the video & as i watch your videos i try to keep up with Google Earth & how good are you both at what you do .. just good fun from you both.. Paul

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Paul, glad you are enjoying the videos.

[@coldblue9mm]

We call it "cut & fill" over the pond. They took the material from the cuts they had to make, and used it to make the fills.

[@TIMMEH19991]

I'm glad you did this video. I've been fascinated with this did it/didn't it railway on and off for sometime. That embankment is very strange at the start of the line. Side on with the culvert, its obviously railway, but climb on top, whats going on there????? That's not how you build a railway at all!

[@robertjones4678]

It's work in progress further on there is embankments that just comes to an abrupt end I believe they did lay an engineer's line on part of it

[@pwhitewick]

I can only assume some of it had some landslip? There was apparently a line up to and into part of the tunnel, so the embankment must have been complete at one stage.

[@Beatlefan67]

Another interesting and naturally-presented video you chaps! Love it. I wonder who is responsible for the maintenance of the culvert seen near the start.

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks John. A bit more sun would have been nice but you can't win them all.

[@Beatlefan67]

@@pwhitewick I think that was pretty good weather for Wales anyway! I didn't detract at all from the production; far from it in fact. Keep up the good work.

[@KatePhiz]

One of your best

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you Kate. Very kind. You never quite know when you are editing you way through it!

[@petewalker6321]

Defynnog (pronounced Devvunog) not 'Devvybrock'. Fascinating about the viaduct and tunnel - I had long wondered about these. There are still some remains of the line of the planned railway route extending several miles north up the valleys of the Mynydd Epynt.

[@pwhitewick]

I'm not sure where I got "Brock" from!?

[@simonrichardson5077]

Good work,thanks

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers Simon.

[@christianbuczko1481]

At 8.05, I thought there was brickwork on top right. I thought it looked like the top of a brick arch with the viaduct backfilled up to that.

[@christianbuczko1481]

Ps, I posted that BEFORE I knew the tunnel was finished.

[@pwhitewick]

It does look like it in that shot but sadly it's just a mountain of vegetation

[@Newmillsmodelrailway]

So haunting !

[@Brian_rock_railfan]

great video liked 🙂

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers 👍👍

[@theovanstaden5766]

hi Paul i have subscribed to Your Sidekicks YT channel, lol!! btw this video was Great too!!

[@gaffysmenk]

I know what I'd be doing on Saturday mornings if I lived near that tunnel.. Dig..Dig..Dig.

[@pwhitewick]

Haha, yes, I suspect we would be there too!

[@vodaploda]

can't wait...

[@BarrieHughes]

You can follow the route almost all the way to the summit of the line near to Tirabad though from there to Llangamarch nothing seems to have been built.

[@furryanimal8776]

Pity Time Team has finished.Sennybridge tunnel would have been a great project for them.Need some ground penetrating radar to answer the question once and for all...Perhaps an expert watching the video could go and do it! The best video yet I think.

[@pwhitewick]

High praise. Thank you. Yes Timeteam from here would be amazing.

[@patrickjmorgan]

I think next visit will involve a shovel and pick!

[@tomstickland]

Aha, you did mean Llangammarch. This is very interesting, I know the area fairly well and never knew about this railway. It would have been a very ambitious route rising out of the northern end.

[@tomstickland]

Pronounced lan-gam-uck

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Tom. Interestingly this is how Roger pronounced it. Why not "Clan" for the LLan?

[@tomstickland]

@@pwhitewick I've no idea but I can find out.

[@pwhitewick]

@@tomstickland make it so. (Please).

[@ZPHOENIX27]

Don't apologize for getting excited about embankments!

[@peterbradburn9115]

Fascinating

[@BibTheBoulderTheOriginalOne]

There's an abandoned line at Therun. Paul McCartney and wings wrote a song about it.....

[@tonyblack1964]

I'll get your coat 😊

[@BibTheBoulderTheOriginalOne]

@@tonyblack1964 Why thank you sir....

[@natejones902]

There is an abounded copper mine from the 18th century near where I grew up in Herndon, Virginia, I finally found period maps showing where it was. I thought one day I would get a device to shoot radar or something similar to it into the ground and see if I could find the shafts. Do you have the ability to get something like that to see if you can tell if the tunnel tube is down there?

[@breeze1472]

the railway di drun into brecon from there via cradoc,also where you are in the video used to be the main road but was reconstructed due to several accidents.It came from craig y nos to crai,defynnog sennybridge then cradoc then brecon

[@Oggybasher]

How about having a look at the old route from Llanidloes to Llangurig? Enjoying the series, keep up the good work.

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers Bob. Yup that's definitely on the cards. Found both portals on the map.

[@BarrieHughes]

And of course the never started Myherin Tunnel west of Llangurig close to Roman Fortlet of Cae Gaer

[@buffplums]

Hi at 7:52 you were asking the question as to whether they started the tunnel. On the video you can see a stream, now is that stream flowing along the line from what might have been the tunnel? Because I’m thinking if there was a tunnel then it probably would be flooded or at least have a lot of water build up and maybe the water is finding it’s way out from the tunnel and through the backfill and then running along here? Water flows along the path of least resistance. Of course it could just be the run off collecting at the lowest point from the surrounding sides of the cutting. S

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Chris. Yes that's a good point, I am sure there would be significant amounts of water in there slowly seeping through.

[@YDysgwrAraf]

"Devvy Brock to Clan Ger Mark" Oh mate...

[@peebee143]

Suggest ground radar, like Time Team used to do.

[@bryan3550]

AKA Geophiz...!

[@MrWombatty]

Problem is that it only has a limited depth that it can detect to for ground-disturbances!

[@TRAMJUNCTION7147HG]

Interesting, pity the tunnel was blocked of at both ends. By the way, just had a look on Rebeccas chanel and left a comment on her latest video. Cheers for now....................Geoff

[@pwhitewick]

Great stuff thanks Geoff.

[@jefflanam]

Time Team is trying to start up again. Maybe you could get them to come and excavate the tunnel.

[@pwhitewick]

I would love nothing more than that!

[@AdamMacleod83]

I wish you could dig your way into that tunnel!!

[@pwhitewick]

Me too!!

[@davie941]

hey paul and rebecca , another great intereseting video , shame the tunnel was covered up , im sure i can find a spade from somewhere lol , now to go check out rebecca's channel :)

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers Davie. Hope you enjoy it.

[@andreabeck4409]

I'm up for a spot of digging!

[@efnissien]

If it's on the O.S. 1 mile-25inch map, then it was built, these things were so damn accurate individual trees are marked.

[@mileshigh1321]

You are probably the first and only,to visit and try to find this railroad and make a video of it! If you do a super chat, we can contribute money to rent that digger and mining equipment lol

[@pwhitewick]

You never know!... whats a super chat!?

[@mileshigh1321]

@@pwhitewick Its where you do a live stream with chat and people can donate money to you during the live stream.

[@christopherrosindale3175]

The Bluebell Railway has another such abandoned line close to it. On the old maps of the Horsted Keynes - Haywards Heath 'Ardingly' branch you can see, close to Copyhold Junction, where the Ardingly line joined the London - Brighton main line, some abandoned earthworks of the aborted Ouse Valley Railway, whose construction was begun in May 1866. This would have run between Haywards Heath and Hailsham, but construction was halted in February 1867 after the collapse of Overend and Gurney's Bank and never resumed. Details about the Ouse Valley Railway can be found here: www.railwaytrains.co.uk/ouse1.html

[@mickd6942]

The south yorkshire railway had a tunnel almost complete on the blakburn vally route and the local lord and land owner changed his mind and wanted the line to go near his collierys so the tunnel was abandoned , the contractor had to take the railway company to court to get his money, the tunnel was dug from shafts needing only portals to be competed.

[@pwhitewick]

This sound alright up our Street Mick. Can you give more detail?

[@mickd6942]

Whitewick's Abandoned Railways the tunnel was near birdwell barnsley and was to be part of the south yorks railway later great centrel rly blackburn vally route from barnsley to sheffield The line left barnsley and called at stairfoot (originaly ardsley no trace of station but on a cylce way ) then to dove cliff ( platform edge survives in under growth) then to birdwell and hoyland common( no trace ) this station was moved when the tunnel was abandoned making it more inconvenient for birdwell and hoyland common then westwood ( some minor signs of station remain but not much) then to chapeltown central (station buldings survive as a private house with intact waiting rooms recently sold for 320,000 Then to ecclesfield central ( no trace ) then to grange lane (station house survives) then to meadow hall and wincobank ( station buildings survive ) then to sheffield victoria( few traces on what is now supertram route) Barnsley to stairfoot is cycle track as is meadow hall to chapel town , west wood is in a country park and many of the other overgrown parts can be Walked, the line was axed as a through route when the m1 was built as no money for bridge, i believe the air shafts for the abandoned tunnel survive, Well worth a visit if your in south yorkshire , Convicts tunnel popular with paranormal investigaters is on this line , chapel town central is supposed to be haunted by a us sevicemen, The line was the scene of a fatal runaway accident in 1911 and at stairfoot where some wagons ran away in barnsley goods yard and crashed into a train in stairfoot station, the south yorks rly were that tight that they tried to avoid paying compensation to a man who jumped clear just as the wagons hit by claiming he left the train whilst it was in motion.

[@pwhitewick]

@@mickd6942 wonderful thank you! 🙏🙏🙏

[@rolandshark2741]

@@mickd6942 Yes South Yorkshire is a good one. My house in Catcliffe backs onto a very high embankment for a railway that closed in the 90s leading from the Catcliffe viaduct to the old marshalling yards. There was the old Catcliffe station that closed in the 1940's which was located right about where my house backs onto but i cant find any traces of it up there although im not sure what to look for

[@mickd6942]

Roland Shark yes in a five mile radius around barnsley their are so many closed railways it was like the rail version of spageti junction , mostly for coal but the companys were so competative most places round here were served by two lines lms and gcr and most pits had access to both companys lines, winter is best time to look for reminants when undergrowth has died back

[@tardismole]

You're just up the road from me, again. Please excuse the dragons. They make the brecons a bit windy. :) Good luck digging out the portals. :D

[@willsgetoff1157]

Pity time team has stopped, they would have the tunnel dug out in no time!

[@pwhitewick]

Yes!... Now there is a project for them.

[@terryengland1880]

Give Phil a ring bet he would be game for it (might need a bit of help who's game)