Hi Guys and Girls, sorry I've not posted a report in a while, @Oort keeps beating me to it! (@huey - point taken!)
So here goes!
It was a nice sunny day on Sunday, so Me, @Oort and a couple of non-members thought rather than the proper underground trip we’d planned, a railway tunnel would be more appropriate - we still got our fix of darkness, but also got to see some sun!
The Lydbrook / Coppet Hill Tunnel was in use as part of the Ross to Monmouth line between 1873 and 1965, and passes through Coppet Hill for a total of 630 yards. When heading North to South, the tunnel has a right hand bend, ensuring some really dark bits to feed our need to explore the darkness...
Immediately before the southern portal is a pill box, built as part of the WW2 defenses of the area. Presumably to protect passing trains, the viaduct over the River Wye, and the nearby factory which the railway served. (AEI Cable Works at the time of the war I believe, and HW Smith/Reed/SCA since. please correct me if I’m wrong!)
We had a good look at the viaduct, here’s some history I’ve shamelessly pinched from the interwebs:
We then had a mooch around the factory perimeter – of course we couldn't resist! – it’s looking really bad these days, parts of buildings ripped away completely, and only a few surviving panes of glass in the remaining windows. Still it looked like it was worth a look, so the hunt for access began!
Unfortunately this was not going to happen for us as the whole perimeter fence is still in good shape, and an angry looking security guard complete with matching dog appeared shortly after we finished the perimeter check so we decided to call it a day. (I believe @wellingtonian has bumped into him before!)
All in all though a good day out in the sun!
Now onto the pics!
1) First up, the Northern Portal:
2)
3)
4) Bats! Horseshoe ones i believe?
5) A nice calcite deposit:
6)
7) Looking to the North, the tunnel winds away to the left:
8) More calcite, pooling up nicely at the foot of this refuge point:
9) Just inside the southern portal, looking into the darkness:
10) I'm proud of the refection I managed to get in the water on the next one!
11)The Southern portal and cutting:
12) @Oort holding up the pillbox (or is it the other way around?!?)
13)
14) The Lydbrook Viaduct:
15)
16) @TallRich "It's this way @Oort"
17) @TallRich "Its not far down, comeon!"
18) @Oort "No fucking way mate, I'm going this way!"
19) The rails once rested on these beams, supported above the Wye by the large support pillars:
20)
21) North Side of the Factories, at the side closest to the river, that ladder looks climbable!
22) The railway signal post that served the factories loading area:
23) Looking Southbound into the factory buildings:
Thanks for looking, hope it wasn't too pic heavy!!
So here goes!
It was a nice sunny day on Sunday, so Me, @Oort and a couple of non-members thought rather than the proper underground trip we’d planned, a railway tunnel would be more appropriate - we still got our fix of darkness, but also got to see some sun!
The Lydbrook / Coppet Hill Tunnel was in use as part of the Ross to Monmouth line between 1873 and 1965, and passes through Coppet Hill for a total of 630 yards. When heading North to South, the tunnel has a right hand bend, ensuring some really dark bits to feed our need to explore the darkness...
Immediately before the southern portal is a pill box, built as part of the WW2 defenses of the area. Presumably to protect passing trains, the viaduct over the River Wye, and the nearby factory which the railway served. (AEI Cable Works at the time of the war I believe, and HW Smith/Reed/SCA since. please correct me if I’m wrong!)
We had a good look at the viaduct, here’s some history I’ve shamelessly pinched from the interwebs:
Lydbrook Viaduct separated Lydbrook Junction from Lydbrook Tunnel. This viaduct was laid out with the line running out from the abutment to the riverbank on small approach girders supported by some rather flimsy struts before crossing over the Wye on larger girders with bigger support pillars. Once back on the riverbank the approach girders resume to carry the line to the other abutment. The rails were laid on longitudinal baulk timbers (very thick sleepers laid under the rails with occasional timbers keeping them apart so that the rails keep their distance) with flimsy side fences. The public footpath over the river here (which evidently post-dates the line) runs over the main structure alongside the track
We then had a mooch around the factory perimeter – of course we couldn't resist! – it’s looking really bad these days, parts of buildings ripped away completely, and only a few surviving panes of glass in the remaining windows. Still it looked like it was worth a look, so the hunt for access began!
Unfortunately this was not going to happen for us as the whole perimeter fence is still in good shape, and an angry looking security guard complete with matching dog appeared shortly after we finished the perimeter check so we decided to call it a day. (I believe @wellingtonian has bumped into him before!)
All in all though a good day out in the sun!
Now onto the pics!
1) First up, the Northern Portal:
2)
3)
4) Bats! Horseshoe ones i believe?
5) A nice calcite deposit:
6)
7) Looking to the North, the tunnel winds away to the left:
8) More calcite, pooling up nicely at the foot of this refuge point:
9) Just inside the southern portal, looking into the darkness:
10) I'm proud of the refection I managed to get in the water on the next one!
11)The Southern portal and cutting:
12) @Oort holding up the pillbox (or is it the other way around?!?)
13)
14) The Lydbrook Viaduct:
15)
16) @TallRich "It's this way @Oort"
17) @TallRich "Its not far down, comeon!"
18) @Oort "No fucking way mate, I'm going this way!"
19) The rails once rested on these beams, supported above the Wye by the large support pillars:
20)
21) North Side of the Factories, at the side closest to the river, that ladder looks climbable!
22) The railway signal post that served the factories loading area:
23) Looking Southbound into the factory buildings:
Thanks for looking, hope it wasn't too pic heavy!!