Two Tunnels - Building the Route

A new link path for Bath and North East Somerset

Progress on the ground ...

Overview

This page is in reverse order - current progress is added to the top of the page, scroll down for older news. The physical job of building the route actually started in 2006 when the deck of Tucking Mill Viaduct was cleared of trees - and in 2007 the local authority cleared the deck of Combe Down Viaduct (or bridge 14) in support of our second Combe Down Tunnel open day.

With planning permission and much funding, spring 2008 will see a certain amount of advance works in progress, while work in earnest will begin in late spring and summer 2008. An early task is to excavate the portal of Devonshire Tunnel.

Some tasks are suitable for volunteers, and we are arranging work parties on the route. If you're interested, join our supporting Mailing list for notice of these. If you've photos, we'd love copies, please send them to the email address at the foot of this page.

Project Plan

Here's a link to the current project plan (pdf) for the Two Tunnels route. (Document for information purposes only and is not be quoted as authoritative source or used out of context)

Current work

June 2008

Why no progress listed here? See May 2008 below. Your committee and various supporters of the route are working to resolve issues between the partner organisations and trust we're not going to need to involve our wider support group.

May 2008

Why no progress listed here? The local authority and Sustrans are sorting out some procedural stuff.

April 2008

Little physical progress this month - but things *are* happening. 'Sustrans' are busy signing agreements with the lottery people - this work will begin to release the 'Connect2' funding for the Two Tunnels route. Sustrans and Bath and North East Somerset Council have met to identify some holdups ... in signing off the route's *planning permission* and it's now hoped that this will finally be done in the week commencing 20th April. That in turn will allow various other negotiations to make progress. Also, various land negotiations are progressing, a licence agreement has been negotiated for the use of Tucking Mill Viaduct, and methods identified for its repair. The digging out of Devonshire Tunnel is now expected for September 08 - though it may still go ahead in May/June. Watch this space.

Combe Down Tunnel March 21st 2008

The tunnel had a 'Fitting' today - it was measured up for a 'Full height' steel barred gate fitted in place of the current arrangement. This will allow the tunnel to ventilate itself, allaying concerns for the quality of the air inside this 1 mile 69 yard structure.

Tucking Mill Viaduct March 17th

Visit from Sustrans bridge engineer to assess the condition of the viaduct parapets. More on this shortly.

Lyncombe Vale Open Day March 15th 2008

Our first working party for supporters, and a wet one - despite which around 30 volunteers cleared the entire length of the Lyncombe Vale section of many saplings, brambles and also much junk and rubbish. We divided the stretch into six lengths, and the party split into groups to tackle a length each.

The local authority supported this by sending a truck to collect the more unpleasant rubbish. Much vegetation was also stacked to form additional living space for wildlife.

Owing to the weather and the pace of the work we've only a few photos of this work party - select the image above - women and children are woefully under-represented in the images, mainly because many were among a camera-less group that threw themselves at the Devonshire Tunnel rubbish dump, transforming its appearance because the dodgy rubbish ended the day with a ride in a council lorry ...

Huge kudos to all of you, you've helped the route on its way.

Linear Park, early March 2008

The local authority are working to remove some undergrowth and just a few trees to make way for the Devonshire Tunnel excavation (scheduled for summer 2008) and also the bridges at Millmead Road and Dartmouth Avenue. The intention is to remove as few trees as possible to allow the route to be built. Additional trees will be planted in compensation for those lost.

Tucking Mill work party February 2008

A short stretch of the trackbed north of Tucking Mill viaduct is owned by Wessex Water, who kindly permitted us to give the length a basic clearance along with the main task of this work party which was to fit an access hatch to the security wall protecting Tucking Mill Viaduct's deck. This involved around 2 hours intensive work with a petrol cutter for Nigel Bryant. The hatch is needed to allow access for Sustrans bridge engineer to inspect the structure and especially the viaduct parapets to plan a way forwad to bring the viaduct into use.

As well, apart from also clearing the length of trackbed, a large amount of ivy was removed from the first arch of the viaduct itself. Select the work party image above for an album of around 70 images from the day.

Bridge 14 clearance September 2007

Bridge 14 is the three arched viaduct immediately before Combe Down Tunnel. Its deck was reasonably smothered with saplings and brambles until the local authority cleared it in support of our September open day for Combe Down Tunnel. The route through the cutting beyond remained a bit of a jungle at this time.

Tucking Mill Viaduct clearance October 2006

Nothing to do with us, but Tucking Mill viaduct's deck saw the long overdue removal of trees and saplings. We're grateful to whoever undertook this essential task.

Spring 2006

Just possibly a side effect of the Two Tunnels campaign, but perhaps coincidence - parts of the neglected Linear Way, especially the section south of Dartmouth Avenue 'Missing bridge' had become almost impassable with vegetation overhanging the route - B&NES parks department took this in hand in Spring 2006 ...

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