Bewdley Tunnel

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Bewdley Tunnel western portal (the end nearest Bewdley), looking towards Kidderminster

Bewdley tunnel ("Bridge" 6) is 480 yards long and is situated on the Acceptance Lever worked single line section between Kidderminster and Bewdley.

When originally built in 1876-77 as part of the Kidderminster Loop Line, the tunnel was lined with red brick and was 19ft wide. Unfortunately the sandstone through which the tunnel passes deteriorates on contact with air, and within 10 years part of the arch had given way under the weight of sand. Over the next 20 years, further small sections of the tunnel were relined, but in 1908 the decision was taken for the tunnel to be fully relined with two rings of blue bricks set in cement. The work was carried out between August and October 1910. For safety, an occupation instrument was installed at the Bewdley end of the tunnel, linked to the Kidderminster Junction and Bewdley South signal boxes. After the last train of the day had cleared the section, withdrawal of the occupation key would prevent the release of the electric train staff at either end until work in the tunnel had been completed overnight and the occupation key replaced.[1]

The track through the tunnel was replaced as part of a major refurbishment during the winter of 2011-12. In order to simplify future maintenance the existing jointed track was replaced by continuously welded rail (CWRContinuous Welded Rail, where joints between lengths of rail are welded rather than connected by fishplates.), resulting in the absence of the traditional 'clickety-click' from the wheels as the train passes through the tunnel.

See also

Towards Kidderminster
List of infrastructure
Towards Bridgnorth

References

  1. SVRSevern Valley Railway News 109, "Relaying of Bewdley Tunnel, 1910", John Marshall

Links

Bewdley station web site