Where is beaminster tunnel

The gentlemen dined that night at the White Hart, while free cider was distributed to the townspeople in the Square. This close-up of the plaque that can be seen in the picture on page 00 was taken from scaffolding erected for the repairs.

The Horn Hill tunnel was an exceptional civil engineering achievement for its time. There were fewer than half a dozen road tunnels existing or under construction in the country; ironically, one of these was being built through Thistle Hill near Charmouth, a few miles away, and it is surely a reasonable guess that this gave Giles Russell the idea for his tunnel.

Some canals ran through tunnels, but these were low, narrow affairs so that bargemen could propel their boats by pushing off the walls or roofs with a pole or even their legs. The Beaminster tunnel is yards long, twenty feet high and twenty yards wide, so more generously proportioned than its near-neighbour at Charmouth, which is 73 yards long. The supervising engineer was Michael Lane, who had been recommended by Marc Brunel father of Isambard Kingdom Brunel , with whom he had worked on a tunnel under the Thames at Rotherhithe.

A photograph of the south entrance, taken in about Michael Lane must have been either a hard taskmaster or an inspiring leader, because the whole job was completed in only a little over two years. Ironically, this accident took place only three days before the tunnel was opened, and it was commemorated by a cross painted on a large stone at the spot where William Aplin died. For years there was a tradition that anyone walking or cycling past the stone with a pot of paint would stop and re-paint the cross.

On 29 June , the tunnel was opened to the accompaniment of even greater celebrations and rejoicing than had marked the cutting of the first sod. A gun salute was fired from the top of Horn Hill, fireworks were set off from the church tower and a hot-air balloon ascended from a nearby field. Once again, the gentleman dined at the White Hart, with Giles Russell as the guest of honour — although Michael Lane, strangely, was absent — and were entertained by a song especially written for the occasion.

It nine verses of rather glutinous sentiment include:. This tollhouse was erected on the north side soon after the tunnel was completed. It was demolished when the road was widened. Mark Rolfe described his father as a talented doctor who worked in Africa specialising in the study of Aids.

Post-mortem examinations concluded Mr Rolfe died of a fracture of the cervical spine due to being trapped and Ms Snell suffered chest compression. Recording verdicts of accidental death, coroner Sheriff Payne said: "Their deaths would have effectively been instantaneous.

Dorset tunnel deaths 'accidental'. Landslip tunnel repairs hit delays. In pictures: Death tunnel repairs. Death tunnel repairs 'will work'. Death tunnel repair works begin.

Work begins at landslide tunnel. Tunnel landslip area 'unstable'. Dorset County Council. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

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