Catesby Tunnel (disused)

 historic remains, railway tunnel

The Great Central Railway intended its Southern Extension to pass through Catesby parish in a cutting. However, the occupant of Catesby House, Henry Attenborough, owned much of the land in the parish and insisted that the line pass beneath it in a tunnel. T Oliver and Son of Horsham, the contractor to build the Rugby Central — Woodford Halse section of the line, started the tunnel by sinking nine construction shafts in 1895, and completed the tunnel in 1897. The first Great Central services to use the tunnel were coal trains, which started running on 25 July 1898. The line opened fully on 15 March 1899.

The tunnel is 27 feet (8.2 m) wide, 25 feet 6 inches (7.8 m) high, 2,997 yards (2.7 km) long and has five air shafts. Four of the shafts are in Catesby parish and each has a diameter of 10 feet (3 m). The fifth is in the neighbouring parish of Hellidon, and has a diameter of 15 feet (4.6 m) for greater airflow. About 2,900,000 cubic yards (2,200,000 m3) of material was dug out to make the tunnel. The tunnel, its portals and air shafts are all lined and faced with Staffordshire blue brick and a total of about 30 million bricks was used. -Adapted from Wikipedia.

Photos:
1) www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3836839
2) www.geograph.org.uk/photo/924130


Why did the company buy this piece of land over the tunnel, but not the whole lot? Were they afraid this part might collapse?

More photos: www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/tunnels/gallery/catesby.html