tunnel railway tunnel miles long owned route currently operated mainly constructed carrying rural commuter passengers england notable length north portal grade listed deaths men construction commemorated churchyard replica north portal constructed engineer set sighting towers shafts line tunnel men dug horizontally shafts joined thousands lived locally families dug dangerous wet conditions facilitate grand opening history tunnel proposed estimate approved final cost lives men engineer contracted construction tunnel ridge leeds iron brass founder previously constructed sighting towers built engineers line true october shafts sunk enable access started foundation stone laid july separate joined long tunnel november completed summer southern entrance portal usually described plain admired north portal finished lived railway workers north portal listed grade finished tunnel miles miles long feet wide feet high double track tunnel gradient deepest point north lane feet surface construction east west yorkshire junction railway later grand opening july train went year leeds railway officials pulled locomotive working conditions possibly plus families horses brought work said include tunnel men labourers years lived wooden families field opposite cemetery alongside offices workshops line tunnel day night said turns use beds normal sailors time sailors bare little tunnel built height hungry years poor irish refugees working railways farm labourers scotland ireland men lowered bucket dig paid week tons tonnes rock earth hour shift seven days week conditions constantly wet foul air gunpowder plus danger roof collapse tunnel cuts hard sandstone clay seven major faults rock near centre point metal sheets divert water inside tunnel public scheme proposed implemented human cost work dangerous rock end difficult blast frequent flooding suggested gallons litres water pumped men died died seven died making total churchyard monument shape north portal dedicated men lost lives records death injury kept special spring cart ferry injured hospital site leeds sadness harsh conditions days captured simple buried town hall james married man years old died accident 14th day april lies body years old daughter died weeks later unspecified illness alcohol water fighting railway police inspector hired week order time attacked group men riot hill man died contractors tried cut beer supply water taken town opposite church excessive demand diminished supply quality water pumped site near arms crossroads time tunnel draining away local farmers natural irrigation source town litigation subject continued years education religion number workers children overwhelmed local children school elementary education act provided education age years poor children educated school memorial gardens workers families attended chapel methodist chapel pool leeds mission spread tracts town visible today shafts remain ventilation shafts north leeds near scout second opposite fourth near ventilation shafts measure feet feet wider tunnel sighting towers remains field opposite cemetery tall cylindrical structure metres diameter vertical slits near flat stones sandstone tower grade listed structure demolished cubic yards lies line tunnel number tips area scout north leeds road second near field facing cemetery land adjacent north south listed southern portal plain sandstone shaped arch approached slightly curved metre cutting faced retaining walls sandstone listed walls concave batter slightly projecting piers regular intervals topped square stones gothic north portal said built landowner wanted use towers built rock faced sandstone towers turrets shaped features portrait man said resemble landowner carved centre featuring fish land public access accident southbound passenger train pilot engine left station september heading leeds pilot engine travelled northbound tunnel earlier day problems time train ran pile stone debris quarters way tunnel debris roof fall affected tracks train engine collided pilot engine tender causing considerable damage recent repairs trains cancelled delayed frequently recent years flooding water runs fast tunnel 1960s train ton major repair work victorian drainage replaced track lowered allow larger passenger freight stock costing million sixteen closed deteriorating capped excavated material works recycled shore railway embankment near
Bramhope Tunnel