Re: Tunnels

[Neil Waller <waller@iweb.net.au>]

Aidan Stanger wrote:
> 
> John Duncan McCallum <mccallum@melbpc.org.au> wrote:
> 
> > Aidan Stanger wrote:
> >
> > > Neil Waller <waller@iweb.net.au> wrote:
> >
> > > > In SA the tunnels are (or were)
> >
> > > > Sleeps Hill no 1 - Single track
> > > > Sleeps Hill no 2 - Single track
> >
> > > > these were replaced by the current double track Sleeps Hill tunnel in
> > > > 1919 or thereabouts.
> >
> > > Is that just because they were single track? Or was there some other
> > > reason?
> >
> > > > Shepherds Hill (2 single track tunnels)
> >
> > The two Sleeps Hill tunnels were on the one single line and had a steel
> > viaduct between them.
> >
> So what was the reason for the closure? Was it just because the track
> was single? Or was there a problem with the viaduct?
> 
> --
> Aidan Stanger
> Junk email will be charged at 5 millicoulombs/line.

The 2 single track tunnels were replaced by a much longer double track
tunnel on the duplication of the Main South Line as far as Eden Hills in
about 1919.

A mouth of each of the tunnels can be seen from the current line.

The old No. 1 tunnel is on the right a couple of hundred metres before
the Sleeps Hill tunnel,  and the old no 2 tunnel can be seen on the
other side of the valley as the line curves to the west. (with respect
to down trains).

The old line came around the front of the hill the new tunnel goes
straight through.   No 1 tunnel was (still is) a fairly short straight
tunnel.   The track bed is still clearly discernible to the old no 2
tunnel which is somewhat longer than the no 1 tunnel and curved at one
end slightly although which way I can't recall (probably to the right).

The track then crossed 2 steel viaducts across the gully, the footings
of which can clearly be seen.    The first viaduct was quite a
structure; the second much shorter.

It is reasonable easy to walk into the remains from a car park on
Ayliffe's Road St Mary's.

The new line was only about 3/4 the length of the old line.

Neil Waller