Brunswick Tunnel (East Portal), Harrogate, England
HISTORY:
Brunswick Tunnel was a railway tunnel in Harrogate opened in 1848 by George Stephenson and the York & North Midland railway company. It ran 400 yards directly below Langcliffe Avenue from the A61 Leeds Road roundabout to the opposite side of Tewit Well Road. The station was built here as it was not allowed to cross the Stray, for fears from affluent Harrogate townsfolk of noise and smoke polluting the area.
Initially, Harrogate residents opposed a railway being built, so the tunnel was built around the railway to keep it out of sight. Brunswick Tunnel remained in active operation for 14 years until the North Eastern railway company arrived in Harrogate and completed a brand new station in the centre of the town, which remains in operation today. With this, the Brunswick railway line was abandoned in 1862.
The disused tunnel found life again when it was converted into an air-raid shelter during World War Two, with its entrance at the A61 Leeds Road roundabout area. However, the shelter was no longer used after 1943. Workmen constructing the roundabout in the 1960's accidentally dug into the roof of the tunnel not knowing it was there.
EXPLORE
I know this place has been done many many times, however it's on the doorstep and I fancied checking it out on a solo trip. The outside of the tunnel entrance is completely overgrown with nature, crazy to think there was once a trainline hidden underneath it. Access is very easy, but inside is very slippy and it stinks! Not much to report so tried to get a little creative with the photography. It was so quiet, with only the sound of water dripping onto the sludgy floor, so when a rat scurried across my torch light, I definitely got a fright! It was cool seeing the old grafitti, one of which from 1976. There was also grafitti from August 2019 so people do still frequent this tunnel. After heading outside I wanted to try grab a picture of the entrance from the exact same position as the photograph from the tunnel in the 1930s for a comparison. However, disaster struck as I didn't realise the entire earth's suffice was literally bog. I must've fallen into the sloppy mud knee deep, completely ruining my Adidas Hamburgs and well and truly failing to get my desired snap. Absolutely caked in mud, it was time to call it a day.
Brunswick Tunnel in the 1930s.
Brunswick Tunnel in 2008.
Brunswick Tunnel in 2019.
Thanks for looking! Any feedback please let me know. Cheers.
HISTORY:
Brunswick Tunnel was a railway tunnel in Harrogate opened in 1848 by George Stephenson and the York & North Midland railway company. It ran 400 yards directly below Langcliffe Avenue from the A61 Leeds Road roundabout to the opposite side of Tewit Well Road. The station was built here as it was not allowed to cross the Stray, for fears from affluent Harrogate townsfolk of noise and smoke polluting the area.
Initially, Harrogate residents opposed a railway being built, so the tunnel was built around the railway to keep it out of sight. Brunswick Tunnel remained in active operation for 14 years until the North Eastern railway company arrived in Harrogate and completed a brand new station in the centre of the town, which remains in operation today. With this, the Brunswick railway line was abandoned in 1862.
The disused tunnel found life again when it was converted into an air-raid shelter during World War Two, with its entrance at the A61 Leeds Road roundabout area. However, the shelter was no longer used after 1943. Workmen constructing the roundabout in the 1960's accidentally dug into the roof of the tunnel not knowing it was there.
EXPLORE
I know this place has been done many many times, however it's on the doorstep and I fancied checking it out on a solo trip. The outside of the tunnel entrance is completely overgrown with nature, crazy to think there was once a trainline hidden underneath it. Access is very easy, but inside is very slippy and it stinks! Not much to report so tried to get a little creative with the photography. It was so quiet, with only the sound of water dripping onto the sludgy floor, so when a rat scurried across my torch light, I definitely got a fright! It was cool seeing the old grafitti, one of which from 1976. There was also grafitti from August 2019 so people do still frequent this tunnel. After heading outside I wanted to try grab a picture of the entrance from the exact same position as the photograph from the tunnel in the 1930s for a comparison. However, disaster struck as I didn't realise the entire earth's suffice was literally bog. I must've fallen into the sloppy mud knee deep, completely ruining my Adidas Hamburgs and well and truly failing to get my desired snap. Absolutely caked in mud, it was time to call it a day.
Brunswick Tunnel in the 1930s.
Brunswick Tunnel in 2008.
Brunswick Tunnel in 2019.
Thanks for looking! Any feedback please let me know. Cheers.
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