Old Warden Tunnel facts for kids
The Old Warden Tunnel is an old railway tunnel found near the village of Old Warden in Bedfordshire, England. It's a cool piece of history that used to be part of a busy railway line. Today, it's no longer used by trains but is still an interesting spot.
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History of the Old Warden Tunnel
The Old Warden Tunnel was built a long time ago, between 1853 and 1857. It was an important part of the Midland Railway, which connected the towns of Bedford and Hitchin, and then continued all the way to London.
The railway line that used this tunnel stopped carrying passengers on January 1, 1962. This happened before the big railway cuts made by Dr. Beeching. Goods trains stopped using the line between Hitchin and Shefford in 1962 too. The last goods services, between Shefford and Bedford, ended on December 28, 1964.
The tunnel itself is made from strong blue engineering bricks. It has an oval shape and a very slight slope. This slope helps water drain away from inside the tunnel. It's also perfectly straight, which is a bit unusual for tunnels. Because it's straight and not too long, air could move through it easily. This meant it didn't need special air vents. Along the walls, there are small cut-out spaces. These were for workers to stand safely when trains were passing by. Both ends of the tunnel were finished with stone caps. The tunnel is quite long, stretching for 882 yards.
What the Tunnel Looks Like Today
The Old Warden Tunnel has been empty and unused for over 40 years. Even so, it's still in pretty good shape. The end of the tunnel that faces Hitchin has been filled in with earth. This means you can only see about 7 feet of the tunnel roof there. The Bedford end of the tunnel has been bricked up. However, there are special grates in the brickwork. These grates allow local bats to fly in and out of the tunnel.
It's important to know that public access to the tunnel is not allowed. The openings at both ends have been closed off. Going inside the tunnel is not recommended. This is because bats live there, and there can be a lot of standing water inside. You can still see the Bedford entrance of the tunnel. It's located in a cut-out area of the land. The Hitchin entrance, however, is completely hidden by plants and trees.
Old Warden Tunnel Nature Reserve
The land directly above the Old Warden Tunnel is a special place. It's known as the Old Warden Tunnel nature reserve. This nature reserve is looked after by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. They work to protect the local wildlife and plants in the area.
The Tunnel in Movies
The Old Warden Tunnel even made a quick appearance in a movie! It was featured in the film Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines. This scene was filmed shortly after the tunnel had closed to trains. It was even before the railway tracks were taken up. If you watch closely, you can see the old Bedford Power Station in the distance. That power station has since been taken down.
