Closure of Bransty Tunnel (near Whitehaven) expected until further notice

[Starmill]

Nobody said anything about moving them every few days. Obviously it would be sensible to do the minor exams closer to where they are used.

It is easier and cheaper to hire a contractor to move them if you only need to do it once or twice.

 

[Pinus contorta]

No.

So every few days moving a unit from Barrow to Newcastle via Appleby and another one back? Yes that would be a nightmare compared to just maintaining them at Newton Heath.

Lots of dead miles there.

 

[Starmill]

Lots of dead miles there.

It's quite a small number of dead miles between Preston and Newton Heath. Especially compared to Preston or Barrow to Heaton.

 

[Pinus contorta]

It's quite a small number of dead miles between Preston and Newton Heath. Especially compared to Preston or Barrow to Heaton.

Sorry my bad wording. I meant dead miles going up to Appleby.

I saw a unit arriving ECS at Lancaster from Preston at 0945 the other day when I was changing trains. That's one way of getting them swapped over.

Realtime Trains | Departures from Lancaster around 0945 on 07/11/2025

Train information at Lancaster around 0945 on 07/11/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Chris125]

All that a pipeline will do is kick the pollution out to sea - a bit like untreated sewage in the bad old days.
or the North Beach will end up discoloured, somewhat like the harbour walls.

Have you never come across iron leaching into watercourses before? It's natural, incredibly common, and quickly dissipates. This seems a sensible solution.

 

[AndrewE]

Have you never come across iron leaching into watercourses before? It's natural, incredibly common, and quickly dissipates. This seems a sensible solution.

Have you not noticed that seepages from natural springs are relatively low volume? (as it has moved along relatively small fissures or bedding planes.)

But mine drainage is a) collecting up water from acres or square miles of fractured strata b) contaminated by all the iron chlorides and sulphides etc from the huge surface area of the crushed abandoned coal and other rock leeft behind underground (I think the Black Country Museum mine explained that they used to only take out quite big blocks of coal and all the finer stuff was just packed into the seam behind them,)
and c) running through quite wide tunnels (especially compared with natural fissures) and probably pollutes with many orders of magnitude more ochre than a natural seepage.

 

[StoneRoad]

Have you never come across iron leaching into watercourses before? It's natural, incredibly common, and quickly dissipates. This seems a sensible solution.

Yes, and I agree it can dissipate quickly. But that dissipation depends on several factors. But in the meantime, the "ochre" stains plants and stones - and in higher concentrations, affects the balance between flora / fauna.
Witness the tide mark around Whitehaven Marina. The benefit has been that the ochre seems to have seen off the tubeworm that afflicts the harbour but it has also destroyed some types of expensive copper-based anti-fouling on some boats. Some of the swans have an orange tint to their plumage until they've been out along the Solway.

There's a beck that runs into the southern corner of Saltburn beach, not far from the miniature railway. I noticed the colour ...
Some years ago, I followed a small tributary of the main beck upstream. One side of this small beck was distinctly "ochreous" and other half {bankside} quite clear, until I found the spring feeding in the red water. The whole beck was clear above that ...

There's a spring in Allenheads ...

eav[25] - Iron Well {2 of 2} par StoneRoad2013, on ipernity

[Image of the "Iron Well" at Allenheads, showing the coloured water]

 

[childwallblues]

As I understand it 3 x 156 have transferred to Newton Heath ostensibly to work north of Barrow. In essence they are working normal services in the North West whilst 195s are working up to Corkickle. 156485 has been seen in service at various places including Headbolt Lane whilst the other two I believe are 156421/91.

 

[JModulo]

Pass through Whitehaven on a weekly basis, all work has now stopped. Tunnel fenced off again and machinery disappeared now (presumably to other priority jobs). I believe a decision is currently waiting to be made as to where funding will come from. Timescale I had heard was May, however, that was with work starting in October...

 

[yorksrob]

Pass through Whitehaven on a weekly basis, all work has now stopped. Tunnel fenced off again and machinery disappeared now (presumably to other priority jobs). I believe a decision is currently waiting to be made as to where funding will come from. Timescale I had heard was May, however, that was with work starting in October...

This can't be left to fester. This is an important piece of National infrastructure.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Timescale I had heard was May, however, that was with work starting in October...

Just to be quite clear, do you mean October 2026?

 

[JModulo]

Just to be quite clear, do you mean October 2026?

No, last month. IF that went ahead the planned completion was suggested around May 2026. As it hasn't started yet, take from that what you will.

 

[35B]

This can't be left to fester. This is an important piece of National infrastructure.

Unfortunately, it's not. As can be seen from the lack of disruption to activity at Sellafield during the closure, whether for passengers or freight. If a key test of importance is "what breaks when you remove it", Bransty tunnel has, sadly, failed that test.

 

[Shred Metal]

Unfortunately, it's not. As can be seen from the lack of disruption to activity at Sellafield during the closure, whether for passengers or freight. If a key test of importance is "what breaks when you remove it", Bransty tunnel has, sadly, failed that test.

Rename Corkickle ‘Whitehaven South’ and after a year of ‘successful patronage’ declare the tunnel condemned and unviable for passage. I can sense the political spin winding up already.

 

[StoneRoad]

Unfortunately, it's not. As can be seen from the lack of disruption to activity at Sellafield during the closure, whether for passengers or freight. If a key test of importance is "what breaks when you remove it", Bransty tunnel has, sadly, failed that test.

Not having that route available might have {probably} complicated events after the Shap derailment, as it removed a potential diversionary route.

Locally, I think there's more car traffic at certain times of the day ... next time I'm staying over there, I'll ask my contacts, if that is the case. I did notice the buses parked up the hill, as waiting outside 'spoons blocks that road.

 

[zwk500]

Not having that route available might have {probably} complicated events after the Shap derailment, as it removed a potential diversionary route.

Given the S&C was available, is less restrictive, and has a higher capacity, I suspect the Cumbrian Coast being split had zero impact on the Shap Derailment options.

Unfortunately, it's not. As can be seen from the lack of disruption to activity at Sellafield during the closure, whether for passengers or freight. If a key test of importance is "what breaks when you remove it", Bransty tunnel has, sadly, failed that test.

There is a difference between 'being able to cope for a bit' and having it out for ever more. I suspect the tunnel will be repaired because politically it will not be acceptable to abandon it. And also because the tunnel will need to be maintained anyway to avoid damage to the buildings on top.

 

[35B]

There is a difference between 'being able to cope for a bit' and having it out for ever more. I suspect the tunnel will be repaired because politically it will not be acceptable to abandon it. And also because the tunnel will need to be maintained anyway to avoid damage to the buildings on top.

Agreed there's a difference, but I'm not sure that elevates Bransty to the level of "important piece of National infrastructure". I want it reopened, and I agree about both the politics and the protection of what's on top. But the case for repairs (see also the land pinning work done on the S&C near Armathwaite a few years ago) is not helped by hyerbole and overstatement.

 

[zwk500]

Agreed there's a difference, but I'm not sure that elevates Bransty to the level of "important piece of National infrastructure". I want it reopened, and I agree about both the politics and the protection of what's on top. But the case for repairs (see also the land pinning work done on the S&C near Armathwaite a few years ago) is not helped by hyerbole and overstatement.

I agree that it's not nationally critical infrastructure.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Agreed there's a difference, but I'm not sure that elevates Bransty to the level of "important piece of National infrastructure". I want it reopened, and I agree about both the politics and the protection of what's on top. But the case for repairs (see also the land pinning work done on the S&C near Armathwaite a few years ago) is not helped by hyerbole and overstatement.

I think it's fair to say that due to the presence of Sellafield it's more important than the Conwy Valley (which of course lost importance once Trawsfynydd was done with) and probably the S&C. But it is still basically a long country branch line connected at both ends. It's worth repairing it in my eyes just as it was worth repairing those, but its importance can easily be overtalked, particularly given that the walk between the present two termini isn't ridiculously long and the importance as a through route is relatively low.

 

[JModulo]

I am hearing all work on the tunnel is now postponed until May.

 

[Straus]

Seems to be an increasing trend of faults on this coast. Whitehaven to Carlisle was closed most of Thursday into Friday morning because of flooding and landslides.

With the ongoing issues at grange over sands and bransty, I imagine there are some high level discussions going on about the future of this line.

 

[Gloster]

Sad to say I fear that if the political winds turn foul I can see this line closing between Sellafield and Whitehaven. The line between Barrow or Millom and Sellafield might be goods only.

 

[OhNoAPacer]

Seems to be an increasing trend of faults on this coast. Whitehaven to Carlisle was closed most of Thursday into Friday morning because of flooding and landslides.

With the ongoing issues at grange over sands and bransty, I imagine there are some high level discussions going on about the future of this line.

Closing thus line, that is a brave decision minister.

Labour are already under extremely intensive pressure from Reform in West Cumbria so telling people you are closing their railway doesn't seem like a politically sensible thing to do.

 

[185143]

Closing thus line, that is a brave decision minister.

Labour are already under extremely intensive pressure from Reform in West Cumbria so telling people you are closing their railway doesn't seem like a politically sensible thing to do.

But on the flip side, if Reform do end up getting in...

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I suspect the tunnel will be repaired because politically it will not be acceptable to abandon it. And also because the tunnel will need to be maintained anyway to avoid damage to the buildings on top.

Absolutely. I keep forgetting , abandoned infrastructure still needs maintenance.

 

[12C]

I have a few friends who use the Cumbrian Coast line south of Corkickle that actually consider the service to be better than when the tunnel was open, travelling south at least.

They now have newer class 195 trains, more capacity and even some through services to and from Manchester Airport! I wonder how many will see it as a downgrade if it does reopen and it returns to mainly a Barrow - Carlisle 156 operation.

 

[Pinus contorta]

I have a few friends who use the Cumbrian Coast line south of Corkickle that actually consider the service to be better than when the tunnel was open, travelling south at least.

They now have newer class 195 trains, more capacity and even some through services to and from Manchester Airport! I wonder how many will see it as a downgrade if it does reopen and it returns to mainly a Barrow - Carlisle 156 operation.

Why is everyone having a go about the train service north of Barrow? The train frequency has been cut. But that is partly because there arent enough units. And then folks on here start to moan because the units arent being intensively used. But the trains that are running are busy. I am on a corkickle bound train now and it is busy.

Rant over !

 

[Straus]

Absolutely. I keep forgetting , abandoned infrastructure still needs maintenance.

Filling a tunnel with foamed concrete is fairly low maintenance and cheap to do

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Filling a tunnel with foamed concrete is fairly low maintenance and cheap to do

True. You could even Gunnite the surface and then fill with foamed concrete. Very low maintenance after that.

 

[Bevan Price]

But on the flip side, if Reform do end up getting in...

A lot more than this line may be under threat........