Guided walks through Combe Down Tunnel Saturday 17th July

[Robin Summerhill]

Guided walks are being arranged as part of the "Two Tunnels" cycle track project through Combe Down Tunnel on Saturday 17th July. More details here:

http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/sneak- ... ticle.html

The last time I went through was on Sunday 5th March 1966 - perhaps some of the soot is still there

Perhaps I'll see some of the local members on the day?

[AndyK]

The last time I went through was on Sunday 5th March 1966 - perhaps some of the soot is still there

I went through in, I think, 1972 when I walked the trackbed from Bath to Radstock with my school friend Peter Fletcher.

There were no obstacles to walking through the tunnels then. That's something that has gradually changed over the years - in those days you could generally assume that a disused railway route would be intact and unobstructed over most of its length.

[Robin Summerhill]

I went through at approximately 1100 this morning. Did anybody else around here go?

One thing that had never struck me before - those of us "of a certain age" or those younger who have read up about the S&D will be aware of the extremely unpleasant conditions for footplate staff working through Combe Down and Devonshire Tunnels. But I had never thought of the PW staff before until I saw the refuges.

At least the footplate staff were out into the fresh air after a few minutes. Imagine spending 8 hours with a shovel in that hell hole!

[mow]

Short article on BBC website.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-10673789

[mjt]

The last time I went through was on Sunday 5th March 1966 - perhaps some of the soot is still there

... but the 5th of March was a Saturday - the last day of public passenger service. It's a date that I can well remember for the obvious wrong reason. It was certainly the last time I went through the tunnel - on the very last north-bound train. It was I think 3 or 4 coaches behind a Standard 2-6-4T & we were absolutely jammed in - I've never been in such a packed train - & on the journey we must have used the S&D's entire remaining stock of detonators.Was anybody else here on it? We got into Green Park very late - too late for a connection to Bristol & so I had to cycle to North Bristol around midnight. For no apparent reason I was stopped by a copper in Brislington who insisted on looking in my duffel bag (luckily he failed to spot the BR Rule Book which I had 'liberated' from Bath shed!) It was totally unjustified, I had lights on my bike. Has anything changed?

[Robin Summerhill]

The last time I went through was on Sunday 5th March 1966 - perhaps some of the soot is still there

... but the 5th of March was a Saturday - the last day of public passenger service.

You are quite right. I meant Sunday 6th March. I was on the SLS special that day.

I was also down there on Saturday 5th on the 0815 Bath-Templecombe. I don't recall that train being all that crowded - perhaps it was too early for some