109.158.9.95: /* History */Named victim

2024-07-08T11:21:48Z

History: Named victim

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{{Short description|Railway tunnel in West Sussex, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2015}}
[[File:Tilgate Forest, London to Brighton railway (2) - geograph.org.uk - 1752119.jpg|thumb|Northern approach to Balcombe tunnel]]
'''Balcombe tunnel''' is a railway [[tunnel]] on the [[Brighton Main Line]] through the [[Weald|Sussex Weald]] between [[Three Bridges railway station|Three Bridges]] and [[Balcombe railway station|Balcombe]]. It is {{convert|1034|m|yd|abbr=off}} long.<ref name=RAIB-13-2013/> The track is electrified with a 750 V DC [[third-rail]].

==History==

{{update|date=June 2019}}
The tunnel was constructed by the [[London and Brighton Railway]] between 1838 and 1841, through [[Grinstead Clay]], with five ventilation shafts.<ref name=RAIB-13-2013/> The engineer for the line was [[John Urpeth Rastrick]]; the contractor responsible for the brick-lined tunnel is not known.<ref>{{Cite book| last= Turner | first= John Howard | year=1977 | title= The London Brighton and South Coast Railway 1 Origins and Formation | publisher=[[Batsford]] | isbn= 0-7134-0275-X}} p.120-3, 133, 141-44.</ref>
Ingress of water from the ground above was experienced during the construction of the tunnel, and this has remained a problem throughout its history.<ref>''Control of water ingress into Balcombe Railway Tunnel using the Oldroyd Xv Water Management System.'' http://www.safeguardeurope.com/case_studies/tunnel_waterproofing_balcombe.php</ref> Rastrick described the tunnelling as very treacherous, requiring great caution on the part of the miners working it, as "it swells and effloresces as soon as exposed to the air."<ref>{{cite book | last = Whishaw | first = Francis | authorlink = Francis Whishaw | title = The Railways of Great Britain and Ireland | url = https://archive.org/details/railwaysgreatbr00whisgoog | publisher = John Weale | date = 1842 | location = London | pages = [https://archive.org/details/railwaysgreatbr00whisgoog/page/n307 273]}}</ref> Between 1907 and 1909 the tunnel was partially relined with [[engineering brick]].<ref name=RAIB-13-2013/>

[[Galvanised iron]] sheets were fitted to prevent the water falling on passengers in open carriages, but the blast from the steam locomotives and air pressure created by the passage of trains could result in the metal sheets being torn from the structure, creating a serious hazard. Thereafter drivers were warned about the hazard presented by hanging icicles.

The "railway murderer" [[Percy Lefroy Mapleton]] left the body of his victim Isaac Gold, whom he had robbed, in Balcombe tunnel in 1881.

In July 1903 plans were finalised for the boring of a second Balcombe tunnel as part of the scheme to quadruple the [[Brighton Main Line]] throughout, but these were never implemented.<ref>{{Cite book| last= Turner | first= John Howard | year=1979 | title= The London Brighton and South Coast Railway 3 Completion and Maturity | publisher=[[ Batsford]] | isbn= 0-7134-1389-1}} pp.151.</ref>

In 1998/9 catchment trays were fitted under the tunnel's ventilation shafts to divert seeping ground water from the shafts into the track drainage system, with a sixth added in 2006/7. The trays consisted of steel decking, gutters and flashings which were installed under limited track possessions.<ref name=RAIB-13-2013/> The tray supports had failed by 2013, requiring the installation of additional support brackets, and the [[Office of Rail Regulation]] enforced improvements in tunnel examination procedures.<ref name=RAIB-13-2013>{{cite report |url=http://www.raib.gov.uk/publications/investigation_reports/reports_2013/report132013.cfm |title=Partial failure of a structure inside Balcombe Tunnel, West Sussex |publisher=Rail Accident Investigation Branch |id=Report 13/2013 |date=August 2013 |accessdate=1 October 2013}}</ref>

In 2018 and 2019, works were carried out to improve the tunnel, carrying out significant works on the drainage system, as well as replacing switches and crossings at Balcombe tunnel junction, as a part of wider works along the Brighton Mainline.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brighton Main Line welcomes passengers back after £67 million investment over 9 days |url=https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/brighton-main-line-welcomes-back-passengers-after-gbp-67-million-investment-over-9-days |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=Network Rail Media Centre |language=english}}</ref>

==Views==
North portal - see http://www.safeguardeurope.com/case_studies/tunnel_waterproofing_balcombe.php<br />
Aerial view - see http://wikimapia.org/7962596/Balcombe-Tunnel<br />
Junction works timelapse video - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVsKl3fiquQ

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{coord|51.072131|N|0.15251|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=title}}

[[Category:Railway tunnels in England]]
[[Category:Tunnels completed in 1841]]
[[Category:London, Brighton and South Coast Railway]]
[[Category:Rail transport in West Sussex]]
[[Category:Tunnels in West Sussex]]
[[Category:1841 establishments in England]]

Balcombe tunnel - Revision history

109.158.9.95: /* History */Named victim