The Severn Tunnel - The Story
Severn Tunnel Caldicot EntranceTo the Victorians the London to South Wales was an important route, but one obstacle got in the way, the Severn estuary. In the 1860s rail travellers on this route would have had to break their journey on reaching the Severn and take a ferry to rejoin a train on the other side. Unfortunately the Severn Estuary is known for its treacherous tides and bad weather, making an unpleasant interlude on an otherwise pleasant journey.
The Victorians produced some great engineers and they were prepared to accept the technical challenge of tunnelling under the Severn. Unaware of one hidden danger, the Great Spring!
The project began in 1873 and six years later they hit the Great Spring. Only 152 metres separated each tunnel running from the English and the Welsh shore. Within 24 hours the tunnel was flooded to river level, thankfully without any loss of life.
Huge pumps were brought in to try to pump out the water, but the spring was so big that they couldn't cope. A diver by the name of Lambert bravely entered the workings and managed, with considerable difficulty, to seal off the spring. But it wasn't until 1881 that the Great Spring was sealed off behind a giant headwall.
Since that day a massive pump has continued to pump out 50 million litres of water per day and is now sold to a local water company.
The Great Spring persisted throughout the remainder of the time spent in constructing the tunnel to give problems, As did the weather, even a large tidal wave gave rise to flooding. But on the 1st December 1886 a regular passenger service was opened, cutting the journey from London to South Wales by one hour.Work had begun two years earlier in 1875 on the construction of the Severn Railway Bridge which crossed the river a little upstream of Lydney and Sharpness. There was to be a lot of jealousy during the period of construction between both the tunnel and bridge companies until the bridge was finally opened in 1879.
Severn Railway Bridge
On a foggy night on the 25th October 1960 two tanker barges owned by John Harker Ltd, the ARKENDALE H and WASTDALE H were swept by a large tide into the bridge. Two spans of the bridge dropped onto the tanker barges, setting both craft and the river ablaze. Five men lost their lives that evening, and is now always referred to as "The Severn Bridge Disaster". The bridge was never repaired and was finally dismantled in 1967.
Today the tunnel has modern diesel express trains roaring through, but the maintenance of the workings is continuous. Every Sunday the tunnel is closed to allow teams of engineers in to carry out vital work to ensure the safety of the passengers that use it.
The Severn Tunnel - Statistics Description:
A double track, brick lined tunnel with long approach cuttings and carrying the trains under the estuary of the River Severn between Pilning and the Severn Tunnel Junction. Length:
4 miles 574 metres Gradients:
1 in 100 descent from the Bristol side.
1 in 90 rise to the Welsh side.Construction: Begun in 1873 and completed in 1886 27th June 1872 Act obtained to build the tunnel 18th March 1873 Construction work began 16th October 1879 Inundation by the Great Spring 18th December 1879 Work taken over by Thomas Walker 8th November 1880
Lambert, the diver, closed off the eastern heading 4th January 1881 Great Spring sealed off 18th January 1881 A great snowstorm 26th September 1881 Heading joined under the Severn 10th October 1883 The Great Spring broke in again 17th October 1883 Flooding by an abnormal tidal wave 17th October 1884
A through passageway completed from end to end 18th April 1885 The last brick was keyed in 5th September 1885 Sir Daniel Gooch travelled through the tunnel by train 1st September 1886 A regular goods service commenced 1st December 1886
Regular passenger train services commenced
History
of the Severn Tunnel
The Great Western Archive
http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/severn1.htm
