Haddon Tunnel
Encyclopedia
Haddon Tunnel is a tunnel in Derbyshire
, England
built by the Midland Railway
extending the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
from Rowsley
to Buxton
, opened in 1863.
Although the line closed in 1967, it has historic interest, for it was on the Midland Railway (and LMS
) main line from London
to Manchester
, and there are ambitious plans by Peak Rail
to reopen it as part of its extension to Bakewell.
It had been constructed entirely to hide it from the view of the Duke of Rutland
where the line passed Haddon Hall
. It is 1058 yards (967.4 m) long and, being close to the surface, it was mostly built by the 'cut and cover' method. There were five ventilation shaft
s, one being the full width of the double-track tunnel, the deepest being only 12 feet (3.7 m).
Shortly after the headings met, part of it collapsed, killing four workers outright, and wounding another so seriously that he died the following day. The railway paid £100 compensation to each of their families.
Following closure, the trackbed and tunnel was reincorporated into the Haddon Estate. The long campaign by Peak Rail and others culminated in a feasibility study by Derbyshire
County Council in 2004, the Haddon Estate being a major opponent of the plan.
Peak Rail still plans to extend their heritage rail services via both a proposed "Rowsley North" and "Haddon" Halt towards Bakewell. This would require additional restoration of both the tunnel and Coombes Road Viaduct, plus reinstating the Bakewell station site to its original condition by the year 2016. There is also a problem with the loss of the trackbed near to where it crosses the A6
.
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
built by the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
extending the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway ran from a junction with the Midland Railway at Ambergate to Rowsley north of Matlock and thence to Buxton....
from Rowsley
Rowsley
Rowsley is a village on the A6 road in the English county of Derbyshire.It is at the point where the River Wye flows into the River Derwent and prospered from mills on both.-Overview:...
to Buxton
Buxton
Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"...
, opened in 1863.
Although the line closed in 1967, it has historic interest, for it was on the Midland Railway (and LMS
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
) main line from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, and there are ambitious plans by Peak Rail
Peak Rail
Peak Rail is a preserved railway in Derbyshire, England, which operates a steam service for tourists and visitors to both the Peak District and the Derbyshire Dales....
to reopen it as part of its extension to Bakewell.
It had been constructed entirely to hide it from the view of the Duke of Rutland
Duke of Rutland
Earl of Rutland and Duke of Rutland are titles in the peerage of England, derived from Rutland, a county in the East Midlands of England. The Earl of Rutland was elevated to the status of Duke in 1703 and the titles were merged....
where the line passed Haddon Hall
Haddon Hall
Haddon Hall is an English country house on the River Wye at Bakewell, Derbyshire, one of the seats of the Duke of Rutland, occupied by Lord Edward Manners and his family. In form a medieval manor house, it has been described as "the most complete and most interesting house of [its]...
. It is 1058 yards (967.4 m) long and, being close to the surface, it was mostly built by the 'cut and cover' method. There were five ventilation shaft
Ventilation shaft
In subterranean civil engineering, ventilation shafts, also known as airshafts or vent shafts, are vertical passages used in mines and tunnels to move fresh air underground, and to remove stale air....
s, one being the full width of the double-track tunnel, the deepest being only 12 feet (3.7 m).
Shortly after the headings met, part of it collapsed, killing four workers outright, and wounding another so seriously that he died the following day. The railway paid £100 compensation to each of their families.
Following closure, the trackbed and tunnel was reincorporated into the Haddon Estate. The long campaign by Peak Rail and others culminated in a feasibility study by Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
County Council in 2004, the Haddon Estate being a major opponent of the plan.
Peak Rail still plans to extend their heritage rail services via both a proposed "Rowsley North" and "Haddon" Halt towards Bakewell. This would require additional restoration of both the tunnel and Coombes Road Viaduct, plus reinstating the Bakewell station site to its original condition by the year 2016. There is also a problem with the loss of the trackbed near to where it crosses the A6
A6 road
The A6 is one of the main historic north south roads in England. It currently runs from Luton in Bedfordshire to Carlisle in Cumbria, although it formerly started at a junction with the A1 at Barnet....
.