History:
Mount Pleasant Tunnel, sometimes referred to as Burlish Tunnel, runs through a sandstone ridge on the Stourport branch between Stourport on Severn and Bewdley.
This line would’ve originally connected Bewdley to Hartlebury Junction as roughly plotted below.
Passenger services on the line were withdrawn on 5th January 1970, although the line to Hartlebury remained open to coal traffic to the former Stourport Power Station until 1982, finally closing and suspending after closure of the power station.
Mount Pleasant tunnel is 124 yards long, with moulded stone archivolts (an ornamental moulding or band following the curve on the underside of the arch) at each end.
Although the original contract between the Severn Valley Railway and the Contractors specified a minimum width for tunnels of 24ft, Mount Pleasant tunnel was only 16ft wide at rail level and therefore only sufficiently wide for a single track. The roof was built with a brick arch throughout and the walls were brick lined apart from around 40 yards at the north end.
During construction in 1860 and 1861 two navvies were known to have been killed or injured.
At the end of December 1972, Sir Gerald Nabarro (Chairman of the Severn Valley Railway between 1971 and 1973) announced that the Southern section of the line from Alveley Colliery to Foley Park had been purchased from British Rail subject to Light Railway Orders being granted. The purchase also included a portion of the Stourport Branch from Bewdley to a point 302 yards beyond (south of) the southern portal of Mount Pleasant Tunnel, this section having been purchased by the SVR for an additional £100.
The 1973 Light Railway Order allowed the SVR to operate over this section. The first ¾ mile towards the tunnel was re-laid in 1975 for filming of The Seven-Per-Cent-Solution to take place. Part of this short length of track is now used as a siding. However, the section has never been used for public services and there is no record in SVR News of any use being made of the tunnel in preservation. As the tunnel is situated on SVR property, there is no public access to it.
The two portals of the tunnel are included in the Wyre Forest District Council Local Heritage List.
The explore:
Since moving to Kidderminster, I’ve been on the search for sites and found this tucked away after doing some research on the area.
Below is a snippet from the map in the history section showing the small part of the route explored and points of interest (excuse the naff scribbled numbers)
Anyway, 1, being the tunnel itself, 2, a bridge over the roadway on the route heading towards Bewdley and 3, the sidings where the branch line connects to the still active Severn Valley Railway (indicated by the blue line)
So, heading from Kidderminster, I jumped on the bus to Bewdley, and after a short journey, arrived.
I had plotted a route to walk down the Severn, then head up into the hills and drop down onto the old track bed, first finding the tunnel, then checking out the sidings further up the line.
The mile and a half trek down the Severn was relaxed. I then exited the river, up a farm track and cut up into the hills to get closer to the tunnel location.
I had planned to divert up a hedgerow and after finding I’d walked myself back onto the edge of Stourport and that I was heading further away from my planned route, I found a hole in the hedge off the road and into a field of wheat. I felt somewhat like Theresa May (accurate visual representation below).
Reaching the top of the hill, I worked my way through the undergrowth to get onto track level, eventually finding the portal looking south towards Stourport.
Clearly the tunnel had been used for little camp outs.
At this northern end of the tunnel on both sides a sandstone rock outcrop spans for approximately 37 meters.
Along this sandstone you can clearly see the tool marks from when the tunnel was constructed.
As with most of these defunct tunnels, the roof and walls leak leaving standing water but creating amazing photo opportunities.
Exiting the southern portal.
Look at that detail! This is the thing I love about old portals. I paused for a moment to imagine the monolith steam engines that would’ve thundered down the line in the past.
Facing back north towards Bewdley with a shot from 1960 of the original track. I love a good comparison shot!
Heading back through the tunnel north, I went in search of the sidings I’d spotted on aerial view.
Sneak peek below.
Following the original track bed evidence of the old rail workings were evident. I was on the right track (excuse the pun!)
Approximately a mile from the tunnel you reach point 2, the road bridge which would’ve carried the line.
The Severn Valley line emerging. Bewdley being on your left, and towards Kidderminster right.
Now as mentioned in the history and throughout, the sidings are Severn Valley Rail property and connect to the active line and are therefore not publicly accessible so I won’t divulge much more, but, there’s always a way.
Just a warning, don’t play on the railways kids.
So now onto some train bits. Sadly no steam trains or passenger cars, just goods wagons but still interesting nonetheless.
A chunky report reaching the picture limit but a success on reaching territories untrod.
Chills out ✌
Mount Pleasant Tunnel, sometimes referred to as Burlish Tunnel, runs through a sandstone ridge on the Stourport branch between Stourport on Severn and Bewdley.
This line would’ve originally connected Bewdley to Hartlebury Junction as roughly plotted below.
Passenger services on the line were withdrawn on 5th January 1970, although the line to Hartlebury remained open to coal traffic to the former Stourport Power Station until 1982, finally closing and suspending after closure of the power station.
Mount Pleasant tunnel is 124 yards long, with moulded stone archivolts (an ornamental moulding or band following the curve on the underside of the arch) at each end.
Although the original contract between the Severn Valley Railway and the Contractors specified a minimum width for tunnels of 24ft, Mount Pleasant tunnel was only 16ft wide at rail level and therefore only sufficiently wide for a single track. The roof was built with a brick arch throughout and the walls were brick lined apart from around 40 yards at the north end.
During construction in 1860 and 1861 two navvies were known to have been killed or injured.
At the end of December 1972, Sir Gerald Nabarro (Chairman of the Severn Valley Railway between 1971 and 1973) announced that the Southern section of the line from Alveley Colliery to Foley Park had been purchased from British Rail subject to Light Railway Orders being granted. The purchase also included a portion of the Stourport Branch from Bewdley to a point 302 yards beyond (south of) the southern portal of Mount Pleasant Tunnel, this section having been purchased by the SVR for an additional £100.
The 1973 Light Railway Order allowed the SVR to operate over this section. The first ¾ mile towards the tunnel was re-laid in 1975 for filming of The Seven-Per-Cent-Solution to take place. Part of this short length of track is now used as a siding. However, the section has never been used for public services and there is no record in SVR News of any use being made of the tunnel in preservation. As the tunnel is situated on SVR property, there is no public access to it.
The two portals of the tunnel are included in the Wyre Forest District Council Local Heritage List.
The explore:
Since moving to Kidderminster, I’ve been on the search for sites and found this tucked away after doing some research on the area.
Below is a snippet from the map in the history section showing the small part of the route explored and points of interest (excuse the naff scribbled numbers)
Anyway, 1, being the tunnel itself, 2, a bridge over the roadway on the route heading towards Bewdley and 3, the sidings where the branch line connects to the still active Severn Valley Railway (indicated by the blue line)
So, heading from Kidderminster, I jumped on the bus to Bewdley, and after a short journey, arrived.
I had plotted a route to walk down the Severn, then head up into the hills and drop down onto the old track bed, first finding the tunnel, then checking out the sidings further up the line.
The mile and a half trek down the Severn was relaxed. I then exited the river, up a farm track and cut up into the hills to get closer to the tunnel location.
I had planned to divert up a hedgerow and after finding I’d walked myself back onto the edge of Stourport and that I was heading further away from my planned route, I found a hole in the hedge off the road and into a field of wheat. I felt somewhat like Theresa May (accurate visual representation below).
Reaching the top of the hill, I worked my way through the undergrowth to get onto track level, eventually finding the portal looking south towards Stourport.
Clearly the tunnel had been used for little camp outs.
At this northern end of the tunnel on both sides a sandstone rock outcrop spans for approximately 37 meters.
Along this sandstone you can clearly see the tool marks from when the tunnel was constructed.
As with most of these defunct tunnels, the roof and walls leak leaving standing water but creating amazing photo opportunities.
Exiting the southern portal.
Look at that detail! This is the thing I love about old portals. I paused for a moment to imagine the monolith steam engines that would’ve thundered down the line in the past.
Facing back north towards Bewdley with a shot from 1960 of the original track. I love a good comparison shot!
Heading back through the tunnel north, I went in search of the sidings I’d spotted on aerial view.
Sneak peek below.
Following the original track bed evidence of the old rail workings were evident. I was on the right track (excuse the pun!)
Approximately a mile from the tunnel you reach point 2, the road bridge which would’ve carried the line.
The Severn Valley line emerging. Bewdley being on your left, and towards Kidderminster right.
Now as mentioned in the history and throughout, the sidings are Severn Valley Rail property and connect to the active line and are therefore not publicly accessible so I won’t divulge much more, but, there’s always a way.
Just a warning, don’t play on the railways kids.
So now onto some train bits. Sadly no steam trains or passenger cars, just goods wagons but still interesting nonetheless.
A chunky report reaching the picture limit but a success on reaching territories untrod.
Chills out ✌
