Wast Hill Tunnel
Southern portal
Overview
LocationHawkesley, Birmingham, West Midlands, and Worcestershire, England
Coordinates52°23′25″N 1°56′24″W / 52.3902°N 1.9400°W / 52.3902; -1.9400
OS grid referenceSP041769
StatusOpen
WaterwayWorcester and Birmingham Canal
Start52°24′00″N 1°55′51″W / 52.39991°N 1.93096°W / 52.39991; -1.93096 (Northern portal)
End52°22′50″N 1°56′56″W / 52.38066°N 1.94890°W / 52.38066; -1.94890 (Southern portal)
Operation
Constructed1794-97
OwnerCanal & River Trust
Technical
Design engineerThomas Cartwright
Length2,726 yards (2,492.7 m)
WidthDouble
TowpathNo
Boat-passableYes

Wast Hill Tunnel is a canal tunnel on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal. Its northern portal is in Hawkesley, Birmingham. Its southern portal is in fields just outside the city's boundaries, in Worcestershire.[1]

Construction and measurements

The Wast Hill Tunnel was built in 1796 and is 2,726 yards (2,493 m) long, making it one of the longest in the country.[1] There are several ventilation shafts along its length which were initially used for the tunnel's construction.[2] It is wide enough to accommodate two narrow boats but there is no towpath.[3]


History

Work started on the tunnel in 1794 and was completed in 1797.[4] Until 1904 canal boats were legged through the tunnel; it took three hours to navigate. Leggers were replaced by a steam tug to pull a chain of barges through.[5] The tunnel used to carry telegraph lines placed through iron brackets attached to the roof.[6] On 23 November 1979, two workmen were killed when part of the tunnel roof collapsed while undergoing repair.[7] The tunnel remained closed until 30 May 1981.[8]


References

  1. 1 2 "Worcester & Birmingham Canal". Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  2. ↑ The central airshaft once had a steam driven fan for smoke clearance. David Stowell. "Wast Hill Tunnel Southern portal". Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  3. ↑ William Dargue. "Hawkesley, Hawkesley End - West Heath". Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  4. ↑ Pearson, Wendy (2004). King's Norton : past & present. Stroud: Sutton Publishing. p. 113. ISBN 978-0-7509-3858-7 – via Internet Archive.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  5. ↑ Lewis, Clem (23 November 1979). "Eerie journey in deadly Wast Hill". Birmingham Evening Mail. p. front. Retrieved 3 September 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ↑ Ordnance Survey Guide to the Waterways I. South (4th ed.). Ordnance Survey & Nicholson Guides. 1989. p. 189. ISBN 978-0-948576-31-7 – via Internet Archive.
  7. ↑ Bailey, Jackie; Wootton, Keith (23 November 1979). "Men die in city tunnel tomb". Birmingham Evening Mail. p. front. Retrieved 3 September 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ↑ "Death tunnel re-opens". Birmingham Evening Mail. 30 May 1981. p. front. Retrieved 3 September 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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