Victoria Tunnel

The Victoria Tunnel is a  former  underground waggonway in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It was 2¼ miles long, under the heart of the  city. The tunnel was pushed through  the boulder clay (at a maximum depth of 85 feet), lined with a double  brick lining and equipped  with a single, standard guage rail track. Opened in 1842 the tunnel is a notable feat of engineering  and was constructed as a means of transporting coal from the Spital Tongues Colliery on the outskirts  of Newcastle  to the coal staithes on the Tyne quayside. It was in use for a mere eighteen years  until  the coal mine closed and during that time reduced the cost of transportation  of coal to the river by over 80%. The tunnel was then forgotten until part of it was  brought back into use as an air raid shelter in World War II. Internal blast walls and numerous  extra entrances were constructed but most of them were closed after WW2. In the cold war there were proposals to convert it to a nuclear bunker but nothing came of it.Today the tunnel is under the care of  a charity called the Ouseburn Trust and public tours are available allowing one to visit about 750 yards of the tunnel.  During the memorable trip the guides provide a useful history of the tunnel. From time to time the tunnel  is also used for musical events.