This interesting find has given food for thought. |There was what sounds like a similar tunnel in the side of Totterdown hill in Bristol (NGR ST 6037 7166) which had an easily-by-passed gated entrance abutting directly on to the A4 Bristol-Bath Road. Again, a purpose for this tunnel (around the same dimensions as the Wrexham example and extending around 100 ft. into the hillside, with a bricked-up terminal) is not obvious. Any connection with the railway should be ruled out by the fact that the bulk of it is - and was - on the other side of the River Avon. It may have been used as an air-raid shelter during the Second World War (there were remains of gas masks among the debris at the tunnel mouth) but really there appears to be little reason to have gone to the original effort of excavating it.
It was sealed (and possibly demolished) during the building of a petrol station in 1963.
Any ideas as to use? It was some distance from any Bristol collieries.
Bill Krouwel
>>> Simon Chapman <[log in to unmask]> 8/14/2011 7:22 pm >>>
Looking at the pictures again, I am inclined to say that these were fan
drifts - certainly the sketch suggests that. Was there a fanhouse above or
in fact aren't they part of the same fanhouse? The two dividing tunnels were
presumably connecting with two shafts so find those and you have the answer.
Unless you find tunnel entrances and rail routes.
Simon.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Adrian Pearce" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, August 14, 2011 1:10 AM
Subject: Fan Drift or Railway Tunnel?
So is anyone here an expert on fan dirfts?
A short section of shallow tunnels was recently found at Summerhill near
Wrexham. They are beautifully brick lined and the cross section is almost a
circle. The location is under where the fan house for Westminster Coliery
used to be which makes me wonder if they are fan drift tunnels.
However, someone else seems to think they are rail tunnels and says fan
drifts were only short. Photographs and rough plan are here
http://northwalesminers.com/info/articles/westminsterfandrift.htm
any suggestions?
BTW they had only been open for 3 weeks when the Coal Authority moved in to
put a temporary fence around the hole. I really hope they do not intend to
fill it in.
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