Glenbrook Tunnel (1892)

This article is about the tunnel that operated from 1892 until 1913 as part of the Glenbrook Deviation (1892). For the tunnel that has been in operation since 1913, see Glenbrook Tunnel (1913).

Glenbrook Tunnel (1892)
Entrance to the 1892 Glenbrook Tunnel
Overview
Other name(s)
  • Glenbrook Railway and World War II Mustard Gas Storage Tunnel;
  • Lapstone Hill tunnel;
  • Former Glenbrook Railway and World War II Mustard Gas Storage Tunnel
LineMain Western Line (since deviated)
LocationGlenbrook
Coordinates33°45′54″S 150°37′56″E / 33.7651°S 150.6323°E / -33.7651; 150.6323
StatusAbandoned
SystemHeavy rail
StartTunnel Gully Reserve (east)
33°46′04″S 150°38′06″E / 33.76777°S 150.63509°E / -33.76777; 150.63509 (Tunnel Gully Reserve)
EndMushroom Farm (west)
33°45′49″S 150°37′48″E / 33.763581°S 150.629925°E / -33.763581; 150.629925 (Mushroom Farm)
Operation
Work begunApril 1891
OpenedDecember 1892[1]
Closed1913
Owner
CharacterPassenger
Technical
Design engineerNSW Government Railways
Length634 metres; 693 yards (31.5 chains)[2]
No. of tracksSingle (since removed)
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Grade1:33
Official name
  • Glenbrook Railway and World War II Mustard Gas Storage Tunnel;
  • Lapstone Hill tunnel;
  • Former Glenbrook Railway and World War II Mustard Gas Storage Tunnel
TypeState heritage (built)
Designated5 August 2011
Reference no.1861
TypeMilitary Tunnel
CategoryDefence
BuildersDepartment of Railways

The Glenbrook Tunnel is a heritage-listed single-track former railway tunnel and mustard gas storage facility and previously a mushroom farm located on the former Main Western Line (since deviated) at the Great Western Highway, Glenbrook, in the City of Blue Mountains local government area of New South Wales, Australia. The Department of Railways designed the tunnel and built it from 1891 to 1892. It is also known as Lapstone Hill tunnel and Former Glenbrook Railway and World War II Mustard Gas Storage Tunnel. The property is owned by Blue Mountains City Council and Land and Property Management Authority, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 5 August 2011.[3] The railway tunnel was originally part of the Glenbrook 1892 single-track deviation, which bypassed the Lapstone Zig Zag across the Blue Mountains. It is 634 metres; 693 yards (31.5 chains) long and is constructed in an 'S' shape with a gradient of 1:33.[4]

The tunnel was built to the east of Glenbrook railway station and opened on 18 December 1892. Due to the steep gradient, seepage keeping the rails wet causing slippage, poor ventilation and planned duplication of the track, plans were drawn up to bypass the steep route. Trains commonly stalled in the tunnel for some time before having to back the locomotive out of the tunnel for another attempt. The tunnel was closed on 25 September 1913, and was utilised for growing mushrooms. In 1942, during World War II, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) stockpiled bulk mustard gas stocks in preparation for a possible Japanese chemical weapons attack.[5] The facility was known as No. 2 Sub Depot of No. 1 Central Reserve RAAF and was vacated by the RAAF after the war. It features in the "Alcatraz Down Under" episode of Cities of the Underworld on the History Channel.[6][7][8][9][10]

in July 2021, the local state member Stuart Ayres announced that the NSW Government had allocated $2.5 million to progress the opening of the tunnel for public recreation[11]

  1. ^ "The Lapstone Tunnel". The Evening News. No. 7972. New South Wales, Australia. 19 December 1892. p. 3 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "LAPSTONE HILL DEVIATION". The Australian Star. No. 1576. New South Wales, Australia. 20 December 1892. p. 7 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Glenbrook Railway and World War Two Mustard Gas Storage Tunnel". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01861. Retrieved 2 June 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  4. ^ "Glenbrook Tunnel". nswrail.net. Rolfe Bozier. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  5. ^ Plunkett 2009.
  6. ^ "Alcatraz Down Under episode". YouTube.
  7. ^ Madigan, Damien (27 February 2008). "Author lifts lid on chemical wartime history". Blue Mountains Gazette. Archived from the original on 9 January 2009.
  8. ^ "Glenbrook's secret history". Blue Mountains Gazette. 26 March 2008. Archived from the original on 7 August 2008.
  9. ^ Walker, Frank (20 January 2008). "Deadly chemicals hidden in war cache". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  10. ^ "Geoff's terrible secret war". Penrith Press. 19 February 2008.
  11. ^ Madigan, Damien (5 July 2021). "Historic rail tunnel to be opened to community following new funding injection". Blue Mountains Gazette. Retrieved 9 March 2023.