Wenvoe Tunnel facts for kids
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| North portal | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Line | Barry Railway |
| Location | Culverhouse Cross, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales |
| Coordinates | S 51°27′28″N 3°15′39″W / 51.457821°N 3.260892°W N 51°28′09″N 3°16′35″W / 51.469250°N 3.276423°W |
| Status | Closed |
| Operation | |
| Closed | 1963 |
| Technical | |
| Length | 1,867 yards (1,707 m) |
The Wenvoe Tunnel is an old railway tunnel in south Wales. It goes under Culverhouse Cross near Cardiff, in the Vale of Glamorgan. The tunnel was part of the Barry Railway, which opened in 1889. This railway line was mainly used to carry coal to Barry Docks. It also had a small passenger service. The tunnel closed in March 1963.
Contents
About Wenvoe Tunnel
The Wenvoe Tunnel is located in the Vale of Glamorgan. Its southern end is near The Alps Quarry. The northern end is close to the Culverhouse Cross Retail Park. It is also near the A4232 road and the small village of Drope.
The tunnel goes under the A48 road and the A4050 road. It carried the Barry Railway for about 1867 yards (which is over 1 mile). After the tunnel, the railway crossed the River Ely on the Drope viaduct. A viaduct is like a long bridge that carries a railway or road over a valley or river.
The Wenvoe Tunnel is 1867 yards long. This makes it one of the longest tunnels built by the Great Western Railway. Most of the tunnel is lined with bricks. A short part at the south end is not brick-lined.
Ventilation Shaft and Water Main
The tunnel has an air shaft near its middle. This shaft is almost as wide as the tunnel itself. Air shafts help with ventilation, bringing fresh air in and letting stale air out. The original chimney of the air shaft was removed after the tunnel closed. A new structure was built on top.
Today, a large concrete water pipe runs through the tunnel. This pipe is maintained by Welsh Water. Since the tunnel closed in 1963, it often gets flooded. The water can be up to 4 feet deep after heavy rain.
Building the Tunnel
The Barry Docks and Barry Railway Company were created for an important reason. They wanted to break the control that the Taff Vale Railway and Cardiff Docks had over coal exports. Most of the coal from the South Wales Coalfield was being sent through Cardiff.
Work on the Barry Railway began in 1885. Within four years, an 18.5-mile long line was built. This line ran from Trehafod to the Barry Docks. Several smaller railway lines also branched off from it.
In July 1885, a magazine called The Engineer reported on the tunnel's construction. It said that work on the Wenvoe Tunnel was moving quickly. They expected about 3,000 men to be working on the project soon.
How They Built It
Workers removed earth from the tunnel using special skips. These skips held 1 cubic yard of earth. They ran on three narrow tracks, about 1 foot 9 inches wide. Ponies usually pulled these skips. The skips were taken to a tip, where workers could lift them by hand.
To allow work at night, several pressurized oil lights were used. In the deep cutting to the north of the tunnel, these lights were connected to a pump. This pump was used to clear water from the tunnel. In the rocky cutting to the south, the lights were connected to air compressors. These compressors powered rock drills, which helped break through the hard rock.
History of Wenvoe Tunnel
The Wenvoe Tunnel had two tracks and opened for trains in 1889. It was used to transport coal and passengers.
The tunnel closed after a fire destroyed the Tynycaeau Junction signal box. This happened in March 1963. A signal box is a building where railway signals and points are controlled.
Above the north entrance of the tunnel, there is a stone with the date 1888 carved into it. This stone is now covered in moss and hard to read. The top of the ventilation shaft is now inside a concrete building. This building is in a retail parking lot in Culverhouse Cross.
As mentioned, the tunnel still contains a large water main. It often floods with up to 4 feet of water after heavy rainfall.
