Leigham Tunnel also known as Cann tunnel was an old tramway tunnel built early 1820’s.
It is 620 yards long and pretty straight. In WW2 it would of been used as an air raid shelter to hold 3000 people. I didn’t get a great picture but at half way point was a couple of small rooms that would of been the medical bays. After WW2 it was used by the Royal Navy as a storage location. And in the 1950’s it was noted in the central register of underground accommodation by the government as a deep shelter in the event of nuclear war.
There is an access shaft, now blocked off, but this is how it would of been constructed, they would of dug a shaft down and then dug outwards to build the tunnel.
At one end of the tunnel was old car parts, all rusted now but someone for a time used that end of the tunnel as there garage until is was permanently blocked off, hence the car parts there.
I apologise for the pictures, it was spur of the moment when I went in, I didn’t have my good light or camera. Its worth a second trip.
West Entrance
At the beginning
Looking back at the entrance
Trollies
Looking back again, a bit further along
Calcification
One of the access shafts looking up from the bottom. Ladders quite rusted but still ok to go up although very wet and muddy.
Looking down. This was the first level, there was another set, same size in length but blocked at the top with huge concrete slab.
A smaller access tunnel that ran parallel to the main tunnel.
Looking ahead this is the halfway point. Here would of been the medical bays but my pictures where poor so have not included them. Sorry.
Asbestos sheeting smashed up.
You can see the layer of asbestos sheeting that would of lined the top of tunnel. The last third of the tunnel still has this. The rest of it has been ripped down by people going in tunnel.
From this point on you cannot stand up straight. Had to bend over to carry on.
Another access shaft.
Blast door
The other end, completely sealed off.
Picture looking out through the gap in the door.
It is 620 yards long and pretty straight. In WW2 it would of been used as an air raid shelter to hold 3000 people. I didn’t get a great picture but at half way point was a couple of small rooms that would of been the medical bays. After WW2 it was used by the Royal Navy as a storage location. And in the 1950’s it was noted in the central register of underground accommodation by the government as a deep shelter in the event of nuclear war.
There is an access shaft, now blocked off, but this is how it would of been constructed, they would of dug a shaft down and then dug outwards to build the tunnel.
At one end of the tunnel was old car parts, all rusted now but someone for a time used that end of the tunnel as there garage until is was permanently blocked off, hence the car parts there.
I apologise for the pictures, it was spur of the moment when I went in, I didn’t have my good light or camera. Its worth a second trip.
West Entrance
At the beginning
Looking back at the entrance
Trollies
Looking back again, a bit further along
Calcification
One of the access shafts looking up from the bottom. Ladders quite rusted but still ok to go up although very wet and muddy.
Looking down. This was the first level, there was another set, same size in length but blocked at the top with huge concrete slab.
A smaller access tunnel that ran parallel to the main tunnel.
Looking ahead this is the halfway point. Here would of been the medical bays but my pictures where poor so have not included them. Sorry.
Asbestos sheeting smashed up.
You can see the layer of asbestos sheeting that would of lined the top of tunnel. The last third of the tunnel still has this. The rest of it has been ripped down by people going in tunnel.
From this point on you cannot stand up straight. Had to bend over to carry on.
Another access shaft.
Blast door
The other end, completely sealed off.
Picture looking out through the gap in the door.
