Waterloo Tunnel
Encyclopedia
The Waterloo Tunnel in Liverpool
, England
is a former railway tunnel, 862 metres long, which opened in 1849. At its western end was Waterloo Goods railway station, after 1895 continuing beyond to Liverpool Riverside railway station
, and onto the dock railway system. The eastern end opens into a short cutting, four tracks wide between Byrom Street and Fontenoy Street, which connects to the Victoria Tunnel
, which emerges at Edge Hill station. It is effectively one long tunnel from Edge Hill to Liverpool Waterloo Dock with two names along its route. The tunnels were given two different names because initially trains in the Victoria Tunnel were cable hauled and in the Waterloo Tunnel locomotive hauled. Both tunnels closed on 19 November 1972.
In October 2009 it was confirmed that the Byrom Street cutting was a hitching and unhitching point for trains being cable hauled to Edge Hill via the Victoria Tunnel. Shunting locomotives took trains from The Waterloo Good Station to the cutting to be hitched onto the cable. The Cutting was also a water and fuelling point for shunters. After 1895 cable hauling ceased and locomotives pulled trains the whole length of the Victoria and Waterloo tunnels. Byrom Street Cutting became a runaway catch point for runaway trains in the tunnel. Byrom Street cutting was never a passenger station. The Victoria and Waterloo tunnels were cleared of debris and reflectors placed on the roof after a survey of the tunnels.
In May 2007 it was reported that Merseytravel
Chief Executive Neil Scales had prepared a report outlining the possibilities for reuse of the Victoria/Waterloo and Wapping
tunnels. Merseytravel safeguard the tunnel for future use..
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, 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...
is a former railway tunnel, 862 metres long, which opened in 1849. At its western end was Waterloo Goods railway station, after 1895 continuing beyond to Liverpool Riverside railway station
Liverpool Riverside railway station
Liverpool Riverside was owned by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board and located at Liverpool's Pier Head ship liner terminal. The station was specifically used for ship liner traffic, opening on the June 12, 1895....
, and onto the dock railway system. The eastern end opens into a short cutting, four tracks wide between Byrom Street and Fontenoy Street, which connects to the Victoria Tunnel
Victoria Tunnel (Liverpool)
-History:The Victoria Tunnel in Liverpool, England is a 2,475 metre long rail tunnel. Opened in 1849, its eastern portal is adjacent to Edge Hill station. The western end opens into a short cutting, between Byrom Street and Fontenoy Street, the short Waterloo Tunnel exits the cutting terminating...
, which emerges at Edge Hill station. It is effectively one long tunnel from Edge Hill to Liverpool Waterloo Dock with two names along its route. The tunnels were given two different names because initially trains in the Victoria Tunnel were cable hauled and in the Waterloo Tunnel locomotive hauled. Both tunnels closed on 19 November 1972.
In October 2009 it was confirmed that the Byrom Street cutting was a hitching and unhitching point for trains being cable hauled to Edge Hill via the Victoria Tunnel. Shunting locomotives took trains from The Waterloo Good Station to the cutting to be hitched onto the cable. The Cutting was also a water and fuelling point for shunters. After 1895 cable hauling ceased and locomotives pulled trains the whole length of the Victoria and Waterloo tunnels. Byrom Street Cutting became a runaway catch point for runaway trains in the tunnel. Byrom Street cutting was never a passenger station. The Victoria and Waterloo tunnels were cleared of debris and reflectors placed on the roof after a survey of the tunnels.
In May 2007 it was reported that Merseytravel
Merseytravel
Merseytravel Merseytravel Merseytravel (MPTE, or Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive, is the Passenger Transport Executive responsible for the coordination of public transport in the metropolitan county of Merseyside, England...
Chief Executive Neil Scales had prepared a report outlining the possibilities for reuse of the Victoria/Waterloo and Wapping
Wapping Tunnel
Wapping or Edge Hill Tunnel in Liverpool, England, was constructed to enable goods services to operate between Liverpool docks and Manchester, and all points between, as part of the planned Liverpool and Manchester Railway. It was the first tunnel in the world to be bored under a metropolis...
tunnels. Merseytravel safeguard the tunnel for future use..
Further reading
- Moore, Jim (1998) Underground Liverpool, Liverpool : Bluecoat Press, ISBN 1-872568-43-2