Thames Tunnel (London)

United Kingdom / England / London
 invisible, river tunnel

The father of Isambard Kingdom Brunel built the world's first tunnel under a river, starting in 1826. 10 men died as the works were flooded several times. At first, the twin-bore tunnel was for pedestrians only and plans to add access ramps for carriages failed due to lack of funds. The tunnel gained a nasty reputation for prostitution under its gloomy arches and it was eventually closed, re-opening in 1869 as part of the East London Railway. Passengers and freight were pulled through the tunnel by steam locomotives and the route was used for coal from South Yorkshire, heading to Dover for use in steam ships.

Now the tunnel is used by the East London Line of the Underground network. Thankfully the trains are electrically powered but the listed architectural interior of the tunnel can still be seen from the train.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   51°30'11"N   -0°3'15"E
  •  26 km
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  •  183 km
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This article was last modified 9 months ago