Kilsby Tunnel
The Kilsby Tunnel is a railway tunnel on the West Coast Main Line railway in Northamptonshire. It was designed and engineered by Robert Stephenson.
The tunnel is located near the village of Kilsby, roughly five miles south-east of Rugby and is 2,432 yds long.
The tunnel was opened in 1838 as a part of the London and Birmingham Railway. It is today the 18th longest tunnel on the British railway system.
The tunnel took far longer, and cost far more money to build than had been anticipated. This was because the tunnel roof collapsed and the tunnel flooded unexpectedly due to quicksand which trial borings into the hill had not revealed. The excess water from the quicksand had to be pumped out, a process which took eight months.[1] Similar problems were encountered with nearby Blisworth Tunnel on the Grand Union Canal a few decades earlier.
The length of time it took to build the tunnel delayed the opening of the London and Birmingham Railway.
It took three years, and cost £320,000 to build — three times the original estimate.
Outside links
- Location map: 52°19’52"N, 1°9’50"W
- Kilsby Tunnel includes the classic image of the tunnel under construction.
