Chiltern to WCML

[delt1c]

I have been trraveling recently on the Chiltern service to Maryleboned and noticed on the southbound service after passing Finchley road when you go into the tunnells there is a bricked up bore to thje west yet when you come out of the tunnell to cross the WCML at South Hampstes it is twin track . Was this a connection between the Chiltern and WCML and is so did it go north or south on the WCML and where did it emerge?

 

[swt_passenger]

IIRC the GC originally built three parallel tunnels right through the St Johns Wood and Lords Cricket ground area all the way down to Marylebone, to allow for future expansion of the GC route to at least four track all the way into London, but clearly this never happened.

What I should have added originally - is it simply a tunnel that never saw traffic at all?

 

[Chilterns Dan]

I recall reading that Chiltern Railways investigated using one of the disused tunnels for sidings but found that the foundations of a building were built through it

 

[NightatLaira]

Are you referring to this? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerrards_Cross_Tunnel

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I think he's referring to the extra bore alongside the tunnels immediately outside Marylebone?

 

[swt_passenger]

I think he's just south east of Finchley Rd underground, where the Chiltern tracks are on the left of a widening formation - and there's an unused tunnel mouth on the right of the train heading south.

...and noticed on the southbound service after passing Finchley road...

Between Broadhurst Gardens and Canfield Place - it's clearly visible on Bing Maps 'birdseye view'...

 

[Metrailway]

There are two bores at Finchley Road, with one of them being always bricked up since the route was built. The GCR built two tunnels here, to future proof the line. There were some ancient baths above the tunnels, and it was decided to build two tunnels in one go, to prevent any future disruption to the baths. I know the unused tunnel does not go as far as the crossing of the WCML.

In addition to the above tunnels, there are three bores north of Marylebone station. This picture shows three bores under construction. The tunnel currently used can actually take three tracks, and the other two disused tunnels can take two each, so there can be a max of 7 tracks leading to Marylebone. Unlike the unused bore near Finchley Road, the two disused bores north of Marylebone were used as sidings. These were still in place in the 60s. IIRC the three bores north of Marylebone go just north of Lord's Cricket Ground.

 

[150219]

There are three separate tunnels (in the true sense of the word) between Finchley Road and Marylebone: Hampstead Tunnel, St. Johns Wood Tunnel and Lords Tunnel in that order.

There are two bores for Hampstead Tunnel, with the potential to have carried a maximum of four tracks had it been finished. The 'down-side' bore is the unused one, with the Finchley Road portal bricked up apart from an access door that you can see from the trains. There is no corresponding portal at the South Hampstead end.

St. Johns Wood Tunnel only has one bore, which is used today.

The 4 chain gap between St. Johns Wood Tunnel and Lords Tunnel was covered in 1974, following completion of the construction of the Wellington Hospital.

Lords Tunnel has three bores. The 'down-side' bore carried two tracks, referred to as No. 1 Neck and No. 2 Neck, which served as the headshunts for the Goods Yard at Marylebone and the Wall Sidings. (Note that today the Up Platform Siding is now colloquially known as the Wall Siding, although this originally referred to the sidings on the other side of the station). The middle bore carried two tracks, which served as headshunts from the Up & Down Slow lines and would've ultimately been linked with the disused bores at Hampstead Tunnel had the lines been constructed. The 'up-side' bore, which carries three tracks, is the one still used today.

There is also a covered way between the Marylebone end of Lords Tunnel and Lodge Road, which is now topped by the Danubius Hotel. The disused bores for Lords Tunnel are only generally visible in good sunlight, when the gap between the covered way and Lords Tunnel can just be discerned. You have to be quick to spot it though!

 

[NIMBUS]

There are three separate tunnels (in the true sense of the word) between Finchley Road and Marylebone: Hampstead Tunnel, St. Johns Wood Tunnel and Lords Tunnel in that order.

Although Network Rail seem to have forgotten Lord's Tunnel - the tunnel wall nameboard at the mouth of the tunnel at the Marylebone end identifies it now as "St. John's Wood Tunnel".

 

[merlodlliw]

Interesting article, BTW W/S used the WCML many times due to Wrexham/Wolves being shut, so would the trains have gone this way in some sort of re route

Bob

 

[swt_passenger]

Although Network Rail seem to have forgotten Lord's Tunnel - the tunnel wall nameboard at the mouth of the tunnel at the Marylebone end identifies it now as "St. John's Wood Tunnel".

When the tunnels were linked by the covered way 150219 mentions above, I believe the rules require a single name for what is now operationally one tunnel. It would possibly cause confusion in emergency if opposite portals had different names.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Interesting article, BTW W/S used the WCML many times due to Wrexham/Wolves being shut, so would the trains have gone this way in some sort of re route

This article is erroneously titled, in hindsight.

The only usable Chiltern/WCML links are in the Greenford/Ealing/Acton/Willesden area...

 

[150219]

When the tunnels were linked by the covered way 150219 mentions above, I believe the rules require a single name for what is now operationally one tunnel. It would possibly cause confusion in emergency if opposite portals had different names.

Indeed. The section of line from South Hampstead to Lodge Road is referred to as 'St. Johns Wood Tunnel'.