Two Tunnels Greenway

Last updated

NCN Route 244
Two Tunnels Greenway
Devonshire Tunnel portal on opening day.jpg
The western portal of the Devonshire Tunnel on the Greenway's opening day in 2013
Length3.8 miles (6.1 km) [1]
Location Somerset, United Kingdom
Established6 April 2013
Designation UK National Cycle Network
Trailheads East Twerton (west) to Midford (east)
UseCycling
Highest pointCombe Down Tunnel, 91.4 m (300 ft)
Lowest pointEast Twerton, 18.8 m (62 ft)
DifficultyEasy
Website https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/route-244/
Combe Down Tunnel in 2005 Combe Down Tunnel, near Bath - geograph.org.uk - 41502.jpg
Combe Down Tunnel in 2005

The Two Tunnels Greenway is a shared use path for walking and cycling in Bath, Somerset, England. [2] The route links National Cycle Route 24 south of Bath with National Cycle Route 4 in the town centre, [3] and is designated as National Cycle Route 244. [4]

Contents

Route

The route follows the disused railway trackbed of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway from East Twerton through the Bath suburb of Oldfield Park to the Devonshire Tunnel. It emerges into Lyncombe Vale before entering the Combe Down Tunnel, and then coming out to cross Tucking Mill Viaduct at Tucking Mill into Midford. [5] The new route links National Cycle Route 4 in Bath and National Cycle Route 24, 2.5 miles (4 km) south of the city.

History

NCN24, crossing Midford viaduct, at the south end of the 'Two Tunnels' route, opened in 2005. Sustainable transport charity Sustrans has met with success with its bid for National Lottery funding to start construction of the route. [2] A 'Two Tunnels Steering Group' was established, consisting of the Two Tunnels group, Bath and North East Somerset Council and Sustrans, to ensure the route's successful development. [6]

In June 2009 the major structures were surveyed in preparation for their transfer into the ownership of the local authority from Wessex Water, but the costs of refurbishing the Tunnels exceeded the total project budget then estimated to be £1.9M, with £1M coming from Sustrans. [7] Subsequently, it was agreed that Sustrans should take ownership of the tunnels and be responsible for their refurbishment.

Work began in March 2010 with the excavation of the then-buried western portal of the Devonshire Tunnel, and the project was completed and opened on 6 April 2013. [8] In July 2010, Wessex Water transferred the care of the Devonshire and Combe Down tunnels to Sustrans. [7] Development plans were said to include the installation of motion-sensitive lighting, mobile phone coverage and CCTV within the tunnels, [9] though at the time the Greenway opened, no plans existed for mobile phone coverage in the tunnels. [10]

The Combe Down tunnel reopened on 6 April 2013. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

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The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, also known as the S&D, SDJR or S&DJR, was an English railway line connecting Bath and Bournemouth, with a branch from Evercreech Junction to Burnham-on-Sea and Bridgwater. Strictly speaking, the main line ran from Bath Junction to Broadstone, as the line between Broadstone and Bournemouth was owned by the London and South Western Railway, while the line between Bath Junction and Bath was owned by the Midland Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combe Down</span> Human settlement in England

Combe Down is a village on the outskirts of Bath, England in the Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Somerset.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somerset Coal Canal</span> Canal in Somerset, England

The Somerset Coal Canal was a narrow canal in England, built around 1800. Its route began in basins at Paulton and Timsbury, ran to nearby Camerton, over two aqueducts at Dunkerton, through a tunnel at Combe Hay, then via Midford and Monkton Combe to Limpley Stoke where it joined the Kennet and Avon Canal. This link gave the Somerset coalfield access east toward London. The longest arm was 10.6 miles (17.1 km) long with 23 locks. From Midford an arm also ran via Writhlington to Radstock, with a tunnel at Wellow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midford</span> Human settlement in England

Midford is a village approximately 3 miles (5 km) south-south-east of Bath, Somerset, England. Although relatively small, it extends over 2 counties, is part of two unitary authorities and is part of five parishes. Although all five parishes extend very near to the village centre, most of the residents reside in the parish of Southstoke and are part of the Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wellow, Somerset</span> Human settlement in England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combe Down Tunnel</span> Defunct railway tunnel

Combe Down Tunnel is on the now-closed Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway main line, between Midford and Bath Green Park railway station, below high ground and the southern suburbs of Bath, England, emerging below the southern slopes of Combe Down village.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midford railway station</span> Former railway station in Somerset, England

Midford railway station was a single-platform station on the Bath extension of the Somerset and Dorset Railway, just to the north of the point where the double-track became a single track. It served the village of Midford. The station was closed with the rest of the line in March 1966 under the Beeching axe, though it had been unstaffed for some years before that.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dundas Aqueduct</span> Bridge in Limpley Stoke

Dundas Aqueduct carries the Kennet and Avon Canal over the River Avon and the Wessex Main Line railway from Bath to Westbury. The aqueduct is near Monkton Combe, Somerset, and is about 2+12 miles (4 km) southeast of the city of Bath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bear Flat</span> Human settlement in England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midford Castle</span> Building in Bath, Somerset, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tucking Mill</span> Human settlement in England

Tucking Mill is a small hamlet within the parish of Monkton Combe, Somerset, England. It lies on Midford Brook and was a key point on the now disused Somerset Coal Canal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Somerset and Dorset Railway</span>

The New Somerset and Dorset Railway, formed in early 2009, aims to restore the complete line of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway as a modern transport system for the 21st century. The group also has a heritage aspect, to encourage future use by steam specials, etc. Work is currently concentrated on five sites, Midford - Midsomer Norton - Gartell - Shillingstone - Spetisbury. Some of these are operated by independent groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devonshire Tunnel</span>

Devonshire Tunnel is on the closed Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway main line, between Midford and Bath Green Park railway stations, below high ground and the southern suburbs of Bath, England, emerging below the northern slopes of Combe Down village. It opened in 1874 and was named after the road called Devonshire Buildings which lie immediately above the tunnel.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nidderdale Greenway</span>

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References

  1. "Route 244". Sustrans. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  2. 1 2 "The Two Tunnels Shared Use Path". Bath & North East Somerset Council. Archived from the original on 7 November 2007. Retrieved 3 October 2007.
  3. "Route 244". Sustrans. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  4. "Route 244 – Map Sustrans". Sustrans. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  5. "Two Tunnels path opens in Bath". Ordnance Survey. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  6. "Statement by Frank Tompson of 'Two Tunnels Group'" (PDF). Bath & North East Somerset Council. 7 March 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 November 2011.
  7. 1 2 "Railway tunnels handed to cycle charity Sustrans". BBC News. 17 July 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  8. "Two Tunnels Shared Path". Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  9. "The Two Tunnels Project". Proud of Twerton. April 2008. Archived from the original on 13 May 2008. Retrieved 9 July 2008.
  10. "Mark Annand (Two Tunnels Group secretary) on Twitter".
  11. Morris, Steven (22 March 2013). "Bath's Combe Down railway tunnel to reopen for cyclists and hikers". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 March 2013.