| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Line | East Coast Main Line |
| Location | Scottish Borders |
| Coordinates | 55°53′47″N 2°19′39″W / 55.8965°N 2.3274°W |
| Status | Disused (abandoned) |
| Operation | |
| Constructed | 1845–1846 |
| Opened | 1846 |
| Closed | 17 March 1979 |
| Owner | |
| Character | Passenger and freight rail |
| Technical | |
| Length | 244 m (267 yd) |
| No. of tracks | 2 |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Electrified | No |
| Operating speed | 60 mph (97 km/h)[1] |
Penmanshiel Tunnel is a now-disused railway tunnel near Grantshouse, Berwickshire, in the Scottish Borders region of Scotland. It was formerly part of the East Coast Main Line between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Dunbar.
The tunnel was constructed between 1845 and 1846 by contractors Ross and Mitchell, to a design by John Miller, who was the engineer to the North British Railway.[1] Upon completion, the tunnel was inspected by the inspector-general of railways, Major-General Charles Pasley, on behalf of the Board of Trade.[1]
The tunnel was 244 metres (267 yd) long, and carried two running lines in a single bore.[1]
During its 134-year existence, the tunnel was the location of two incidents investigated by HM Railway Inspectorate. The first was in 1949, when a serious fire destroyed two carriages of a south-bound express from Edinburgh. Seven passengers were injured, but there were no deaths.[2]
The second incident occurred on 17 March 1979 when, during improvement works, a length of the tunnel suddenly collapsed. Thirteen workers managed to escape, but two were killed. Later it was determined that it would be too dangerous and difficult to rebuild the tunnel, so it was sealed up and a new alignment was made for the railway, in a cutting to the west of the hill.[3]
The tunnel was also affected by severe flooding in August 1948.