Longest cycle tunnel in England

[handcyclist]

There's a proposal for the re-use of an old railway tunnel to be the link in a new cycle route between Halifax and Bradford.

Skoda have a link to a video here

clicky

and there's a petition here

clicky

Not my patch but gets my vote.

[Kim]

Sounds good to me 

[clarion]

The alternative is to fill it in, which would cost more!

Is the existing longest cycle tunnel one of the pair near Bath?

[Cudzoziemiec]

They're not near Bath, they're actually in Bath! The longer of those two is just under a mile, I think. I've no idea whether it is the longest though.

As to the Queensbury Tunnel, it would be great, though: a) I understand there's no paths to/from each end (but I guess that would be relatively cheap and simple compared to the tunnel), b) there's a competing (though hopeless) proposition to have it preserved for some sort of railway use (presumably a "heritage line" rather than actual transport). Either way, it gets to stay open!.

[Ben T]

Sounds good, the road over queensbury is fairly steep and windy on the bradford side IIRC.

[essexian]

While I am totally behind the project, there is some wild difference between the amount the re-opening team say the job will cost: some £3m and the costs the people wanting to close it say it will cost: £30m odd. 

Given this, I regret to say but I think the "fill it in" mob will win which would be a huge shame. I love the Monsal Trail which includes a number of re-opened tunnels.

[Kim]

The alternative is to fill it in, which would cost more!

Is the existing longest cycle tunnel one of the pair near Bath?

I believe so: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combe_Down_Tunnel


The longest cycle*able* tunnel is the Netherton Tunnel, at a little over 2.7km.  But you need good lights, waterproof footwear and a high tolerance for the delights of the Birmingham and Black Country canal network for that one - making it strictly for novelty value, rather than any kind of sensible transport route.

[yorkie]

Sounds good, the road over queensbury is fairly steep and windy on the bradford side IIRC.

The roads to Queensbury are fairly steep and windy from any side (with the possible exception of the road up from Halifax through Boothtown which is **very** steep, albeit not that windy!!)

From memory, access from the Queensbury station end is easy - it may already be there. I think the main problem access-wise is going to be getting a right of way to the Halifax end.

[mllePB]

There's a proposal for the re-use of an old railway tunnel to be the link in a new cycle route between Halifax and Bradford.

Skoda have a link to a video here

clicky

and there's a petition here

clicky

Not my patch but gets my vote.

Wow that's a fantastic visualization in the top video link which makes a great pitch for the project as both exciting and reasonable.  Gets my signature.

[mllePB]

The longest cycle*able* tunnel is the Netherton Tunnel, at a little over 2.7km.  But you need good lights, waterproof footwear and a high tolerance for the delights of the Birmingham and Black Country canal network for that one - making it strictly for novelty value, rather than any kind of sensible transport route.

High tolerance is a very tame way of saying ability to leave self preservation instincts at the tunnel mouth 
Assuming a teeny bit of sense left, you need one or more companions in front of you with less, who have the blind faith to cycle through the deepest wet bits

Now if the Netherton tunnel was filled in to make a dry bike path like in the Queensbury Tunnel vid ....

[Kim]

The longest cycle*able* tunnel is the Netherton Tunnel, at a little over 2.7km.  But you need good lights, waterproof footwear and a high tolerance for the delights of the Birmingham and Black Country canal network for that one - making it strictly for novelty value, rather than any kind of sensible transport route.

High tolerance is a very tame way of saying ability to leave self preservation instincts at the tunnel mouth

I actually meant a reasonable level of enthusiasm for the miles of dull muddy towpath through some of the Wet Midlands's least scenic semi-industrial areas required to get to the bloody thing.

 
Assuming a teeny bit of sense left, you need one or more companions in front of you with less, who have the blind faith to cycle through the deepest wet bits

Top tip: Wide tyres and sufficient prior experience are a successful substitute for blind faith.   

Now if the Netherton tunnel was filled in to make a dry bike path like in the Queensbury Tunnel vid ....

The entire BCN mainline would greatly benefit from this treatment, IMHO.

[Tim Hall]

Further top tip: Don't follow Basil.