~Holme Tunnel - Repaired~
23rd March 2014
The "Todmorden" Portal
Scroll down for photos and a description of the event....
The Workers' Village
Compare and Contrast this 2014 scene with the life and times of the construction team at Batty Moss - the builders of The Ribblehead Viaduct way back in the 1870s. I suppose one similarity would be the nomadic nature of the railway construction worker, but I think drunken brawls on payday are a thing of the past, or are they???
Copy Cottages
These roadside cottages would be ideal, but for the busy "A" road and a lack of parking opportunities. However, if you don't have a car and don't mind passing traffic, then this location will be fine for you.
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The Walk Through
Amco Rail and Network Rail organised a guided walk through the tunnel for local folk. We're not that local, but Peter (brother) and I muscled in and joined our MP, his wife and plenty of others for a look at the site and the completed work. Amco ordered of extra couple of steel arches "in case we broke any" according to the boss. We had an H&S briefing before entering the rail area; assurances were given that no trains would be using the track during our visit.
The Copy Pit Incline
Looking to the east you can just see the next bridge and this is the top of a tough climb for steam locomotives; they are a sight to behold whichever way they are heading to the crest of this hill.
The Track Walking Party
Do you know why railway workers wear orange hi-vis? Well, I believe that only folk with a PTS badge (Personal Track Safety) can be given "oranges" and as yellow, red and green are all railway signalling colours (lights and flags), a different colour was chosen for the trackside staff. The little stones are called ballast; the rails are affixed to the sleepers by "chairs" and most rail lengths are welded together nowadays, denying us of the dee dee / dee dum / dee dee / dee dum of bygone years. Sad, really....
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The tunnel was originally built between 1845 and 1849 and since the 1970's concerns have grown about the local ground movement affecting the tunnel bore. A speed restriction of 20mph was imposed and only one train at a time was allowed through. Now the speed will be increased initially to 45mph and trains will be allowed to pass in the tunnel.
Holme Tunnel
The Details
FHR6 - 27 is something to do with the line code. There are 80 chains in a mile, but what is 25m 65ch away from here? What purpose the Grid Reference? Only train drivers will see this and they will know where they are and can't take a wrong turning.
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Local Correspondent
The man with the camera is Kevin Robinson and he is well known locally for his photographs of the Cliviger Gorge. He took the following photo and the man in the centre is Burnley's MP, Gordon Birtwistle. Did you know that the very first man to be killed by a passenger train was also an MP stood on the track? William Huskisson was killed in an accident on the opening day of the Liverpool to Manchester Railway, in 1830. GB was taking chances and tempting fate, but he survived and carries on his duties in good health.
Gordon Birtwistle MP, photo by Kevin Robinson
I love Health & Safety! The Amco "boss" is fully geared up for global meltdown and rightly so; but as far as I am aware, we were all counted out and all counted back again. Thanks to Amco and Network Rail for this interesting demonstration of a difficult engineering task. Trains are again running normally, subject to leaves and stuff.
Affordable
Further Reading - by rail engineers for rail engineers and we can also take a look, worth a click if time allows.
All photos copyright Richard Ratcliffe 2014 ©
Take me back to the start ....