Friday 19 Mar 2010
VIEW OF BRUNEL’S MASTERPIECE RESTORED
- Region & Route:
- Wales & Western: Western
- | Wales & Western
For the first time in decades, Box Tunnel’s famous western portal can be seen displayed in its full splendour, owing to a major clean-up by Network Rail engineers.
The western portal of Box Tunnel is the grand entrance to the 2,964-metre long structure, and until today, the view of its decorated façade from the public viewing platform on London Road (A4, Bath) had been blocked by overgrown plants along the railway embankment.
These invasive plants have now been carefully removed to make room for non-invasive plants to flourish and new trees to be planted without blocking the newly restored view of the Grade II* listed structure.
The viewing platform is the only vantage point of the western portal that is most accessible to the public and it is a popular destination for Brunel enthusiasts.
Network Rail’s initiative is welcomed and backed by the Railway Heritage Trust, Box and Colerne Parish Council and Wiltshire Council. It also pays tribute to the engineer’s 204th birthday on 9 April and the upcoming 175th anniversary of Great Western Railway.
Jack Hitchcock, western maintenance director for Network Rail said: "Box Tunnel is one of Brunel’s masterpieces on Great Western and despite its age, still plays an important part in today’s modern railway. While moving ahead with the 21st century, we also respect our heritage and today’s effort will help make this piece of history on Great Western accessible to the public.”
The Box Tunnel was the longest railway tunnel at the time of its completion in 1841 and was the final and largest engineering work on the Great Western.
It is said that Brunel had deliberately aligned the structure so that the rising sun is visible through it on his birthday every year.
Construction of the tunnel started in 1836 and the lives of about 100 'navvies' (railway construction workers) were lost during construction. Unlike the dramatic western portal, the eastern portal at Corsham has a plain brick face.
The western portal of Box Tunnel is designed in classical style, influenced by the architectural design of nearby Bath.
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