Bit late to the table with this thread but as I’ve done the research I’ll post anyway...
I have been concentrating on the Great Northern Railway’s Keighley to Bradford & Keighley to Halifax routes including the spur to St Paul’s at Holmfield. This is just a brief roundup of the accessibility of tunnels along these routes, I didn’t bother with Queensbury due to ongoing construction works and onsite security I didn’t think it was worth the risk as yet... to say some of the tunnels threw up some surprises was an understatement!
Starting at Bradford the first tunnel is Clayton Tunnel 1057yards (Door South & Infilled north) Door was open during my visit, Having reached Queensbury the line from Hailfax joins us so we’ll back track to Halifax before heading north for Keighley again. The first tunnel as we head out of Halifax is Old Lane Tunnel 402yards (Gated Both Portals although accessible with ladder(s) south end), next up is Lee Bank Tunnel 267yards (South Infilled & North Sealed but open) next along is Queensbury Tunnel 2501yards although this isn’t included in this report. Now we’ve rejoined the GNR from Bradford we push north coming next to Well Head Tunnel 662yards (South Sealed & North Infilled) Hamerhill Tunnel 170yards (Sealed Both Ends although Doors are open) Shortly after Hamerhill we’ve got Doe Park Tunnel 140yards (Sealed North & Sealed south although door is open) after which we’ve two bridges?! Although maps I have suggest the northern structure is indeed a tunnel of which I’ve unofficially named Carr Tunnel 110yards (Sealed South albeit door open & sealed north), Pushing on north we next come to Lees Moor Tunnel 1533yards (Sealed but accessible South & Full secured North) this threw up quick the surprise... after 3 failed attempts mainly due to ladders not being long enough to scale the wall myself and some good friends finally made in into the tunnel probably one on the best I’ve done for some time! About half way through we noticed attempts to line the tunnel walls with black plastic sheeting why became apparent a couple hundred yards further along turns out the caravan site which own the land to the north of the tunnel store caravans inside and it appeared they also break them too! Due to some activity we made a sharp exit... last Tunnel before Keighley is Parks Wood Tunnel 118yards (Gated South & infilled North) that about covers the main routes, Quick look at the branch from Holmfield to St Paul’s gives us Wheat Tunnel 810yards (Gated South & Infilled North which inspection hatch.
^^^^ Clayton Tunnel North Portal. (Door open May2021)
^^^^Clayton Tunnel South Portal (Give or take a few hundred yards - the above infill is actually a collapse before the infilled portal.
^^^^Old Lane Tunnel South Portal. (managed to scale these gates with ladders)
^^^^Old Lane Tunnel North Portal (Locked Up)
^^^^Lee Bank Tunnel South Portal
^^^^Lee Bank Tunnel North Portal (access through the hole)
^^^^Well Head Tunnel South Portal. (Like Fort Knox)
^^^^Well Head Tunnel North Portal. (Its in there somewhere)
^^^^Hamerhill Tunnel South Portal. (Door Open May2021)
^^^^Hamerhill Tunnel North Portal. (Door Open May2021)
^^^^Doe Park Tunnel South Portal. (Door Open May2021)
^^^^Doe Park Tunnel North Portal. (Door bolted shut)
^^^^Carr Tunnel South Portal (Door Open May2021)
^^^^Carr Tunnel North Portal. (Totally sealed)
^^^^Lees Moor Tunnel South Portal (it’s a lot higher that the picture would have us believe)
^^^^Inside the southern portal of Lees Moor we‘d dropped the ladders to avoid any unwanted guests..
^^^^Parks Wood Tunnel South Portal. (Gated locked)
^^^^Wheatley Tunnel South Portal. (Open May2021)
^^^^Wheatley Tunnel North Portal.
Thats all folks, Hopefully an interesting report nonetheless, I managed to access most tunnels so Individual reports will appear in the coming weeks with a more in-depth look, I only failed on Well Head & Park Wood but I dont imagine it’ll be long before they've been “visited“.... Must admit I had great fun exploring these tunnels that particular area of Yorkshire has some stunning views to offer, all tunnel status‘ were correct for the time of recording which was May 2021.
Thanks Everyone.
DG aka “TunnelKing”
:
I have been concentrating on the Great Northern Railway’s Keighley to Bradford & Keighley to Halifax routes including the spur to St Paul’s at Holmfield. This is just a brief roundup of the accessibility of tunnels along these routes, I didn’t bother with Queensbury due to ongoing construction works and onsite security I didn’t think it was worth the risk as yet... to say some of the tunnels threw up some surprises was an understatement!
Starting at Bradford the first tunnel is Clayton Tunnel 1057yards (Door South & Infilled north) Door was open during my visit, Having reached Queensbury the line from Hailfax joins us so we’ll back track to Halifax before heading north for Keighley again. The first tunnel as we head out of Halifax is Old Lane Tunnel 402yards (Gated Both Portals although accessible with ladder(s) south end), next up is Lee Bank Tunnel 267yards (South Infilled & North Sealed but open) next along is Queensbury Tunnel 2501yards although this isn’t included in this report. Now we’ve rejoined the GNR from Bradford we push north coming next to Well Head Tunnel 662yards (South Sealed & North Infilled) Hamerhill Tunnel 170yards (Sealed Both Ends although Doors are open) Shortly after Hamerhill we’ve got Doe Park Tunnel 140yards (Sealed North & Sealed south although door is open) after which we’ve two bridges?! Although maps I have suggest the northern structure is indeed a tunnel of which I’ve unofficially named Carr Tunnel 110yards (Sealed South albeit door open & sealed north), Pushing on north we next come to Lees Moor Tunnel 1533yards (Sealed but accessible South & Full secured North) this threw up quick the surprise... after 3 failed attempts mainly due to ladders not being long enough to scale the wall myself and some good friends finally made in into the tunnel probably one on the best I’ve done for some time! About half way through we noticed attempts to line the tunnel walls with black plastic sheeting why became apparent a couple hundred yards further along turns out the caravan site which own the land to the north of the tunnel store caravans inside and it appeared they also break them too! Due to some activity we made a sharp exit... last Tunnel before Keighley is Parks Wood Tunnel 118yards (Gated South & infilled North) that about covers the main routes, Quick look at the branch from Holmfield to St Paul’s gives us Wheat Tunnel 810yards (Gated South & Infilled North which inspection hatch.
^^^^ Clayton Tunnel North Portal. (Door open May2021)
^^^^Clayton Tunnel South Portal (Give or take a few hundred yards - the above infill is actually a collapse before the infilled portal.
^^^^Old Lane Tunnel South Portal. (managed to scale these gates with ladders)
^^^^Old Lane Tunnel North Portal (Locked Up)
^^^^Lee Bank Tunnel South Portal
^^^^Lee Bank Tunnel North Portal (access through the hole)
^^^^Well Head Tunnel South Portal. (Like Fort Knox)
^^^^Well Head Tunnel North Portal. (Its in there somewhere)
^^^^Hamerhill Tunnel South Portal. (Door Open May2021)
^^^^Hamerhill Tunnel North Portal. (Door Open May2021)
^^^^Doe Park Tunnel South Portal. (Door Open May2021)
^^^^Doe Park Tunnel North Portal. (Door bolted shut)
^^^^Carr Tunnel South Portal (Door Open May2021)
^^^^Carr Tunnel North Portal. (Totally sealed)
^^^^Lees Moor Tunnel South Portal (it’s a lot higher that the picture would have us believe)
^^^^Inside the southern portal of Lees Moor we‘d dropped the ladders to avoid any unwanted guests..
^^^^Parks Wood Tunnel South Portal. (Gated locked)
^^^^Wheatley Tunnel South Portal. (Open May2021)
^^^^Wheatley Tunnel North Portal.
Thats all folks, Hopefully an interesting report nonetheless, I managed to access most tunnels so Individual reports will appear in the coming weeks with a more in-depth look, I only failed on Well Head & Park Wood but I dont imagine it’ll be long before they've been “visited“.... Must admit I had great fun exploring these tunnels that particular area of Yorkshire has some stunning views to offer, all tunnel status‘ were correct for the time of recording which was May 2021.
Thanks Everyone.
DG aka “TunnelKing”
:
