Blea Moor Tunnel
Blea Moor Tunnel is a 2,629 yd (2,404 m) railway tunnel located between Ribblehead Viaduct and Dent railway station in England. It is the longest tunnel on the Settle-Carlisle Line, being almost twice as long as the second longest tunnel, Rise Hill Tunnel.[1] Built by the Midland Railway, it took more than four years to complete, passes some 500 feet below the moor after which it was named, and was built with the aid of seven separate construction shafts sunk from the moor above. This permitted sixteen separate gangs of workers to be used during construction (one from each open end and two from the foot of each of the shafts).[2] Four of these were subsequently filled in but three were retained for ventilation purposes and are still used as such today (with occasional ice accumulation problems: ). At one point of the track's history, steam locomotives were tested for their worthiness by driving them through this tunnel.[3]
Traffic
Any train that goes the full length of the Settle & Carlisle line goes through the Blea Moor Tunnel. This includes passenger trains, all run by Northern and the many goods trains.
Train simulators
You can go through the Blea Moor Tunnel either with Microsoft Train Simulator, Trainz Classics 3 or Train Simulator 2015.
Location
- Southern portal: 54°13′55″N 2°22′02″W / 54.2319°N 2.3673°W
- Northern portal: 54°14′59″N 2°20′47″W / 54.2497°N 2.3465°W
References
- ↑ Garrat, Colin; Matthews, Max-Wade (2003), Illustrated Encyclopedia of Steam And Rail, Barnes & Noble Books, New York, ISBN 0-7607-4952-3
- ↑ Houghton, F.W & Foster W.H (1965 2nd Ed)The Story of the Settle-Carlisle Line, Advertiser Press Ltd, Huddersfield, p.30
- ↑ Microsoft Train Simulator Information Booklet
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Coordinates: 54°14′25″N 2°21′30″W / 54.2402°N 2.3583°W