Two Tunnels Shared Path

NCN 24 Information

NCN 24 is the 'Sustrans' path that continues the 'Two Tunnels' route south from Midford. It's part of the national cycle network, and will run from Bath to Eastleigh in Hampshire. The section between Midford is now useable nearly to Frome. Here's Sustrans' page on NCN24 and 'Colliers Way' - the section between Bath and Frome has been given a name of its own in recognition of the amount of industrial archaeology alongside the route. Bath and North East Somerset Council also have a resource on the 'Colliers Way'. As development of this route influences the potential of the two tunnels route, we've brief information on the section here.

The Midford to Wellow section opened on December 4th 2005. Much of the length is unsurfaced - full surfacing works are booked to take place in the next two years as funding allows, but a short stretch south of Midford was funded by the Railway Ramblers organisation. The section is a permissive path, and unusually for a section of the national cycle network, it is closed on certain dates for agricultural operations. When closed the (hilly) diversionary route via the lanes through Twinhoe is available. There are no closure dates posted at present.

The path across Midford Viaduct is complete and in use. At the north end of the railway path section, a new opening between the railway and the road alongside is now in place - you'll find this at the north end of 'Little tunnel' at Midford, where a new gate gives access to the onward section of railway, which is walkable to Tucking Mill viaduct and is a public footpath.

Points of interest along the route, in no particular order at the moment

Wellow amenities

Wellow has both a pub and a shop - the shop is towards the west end of the village.

Wellow Trekking Centre

With the opening of the path the owner has kindly transformed the appearance of what was a very untidy end to the railway section of the path at Wellow. We're hopeful that in the future they'll be able to offer a refreshment stop to compliment the village's pub, a few hundred yards further on.

Canal interchange basin

You'll notice the bed of the Somerset Coal Canal emerge to run on the hillside above the railway and terminate at the site of the upper interchange basin - a tramway took the coal on its onward journey.

Canal tramway

The railway cuts obliquely through the path of the tramway joining lower and upper levels of the canal to Radstock - there's a small trace of this in the field above the railway south of Twinhoe's steel accommodation overbridge. The railway has then removed a swathe of the tramway which eventually re-emerges at a higher level than the later line on the south side of the cutting close to Midford (it's not visible from the current path at that point). After descending while making its way round the hillside the S&D's crosses it once again on Midford Viaduct's approach embankment, and the tramway runs in front of the two conspicuous houses there on its way to the lower transhipment basin by Midford's aqueduct.

Roman Road from Bath to Poole

Look across the valley at the hillside above the b road climbing to Hinton Charterhouse and you'll see the straight course of the roman road climbing the same hill.

Cutting south of Midford

The sides of this will have been memorised by generations of northbound travellers on the railway as their trains waited here for the single line ahead to clear.

Midford viaduct

Midford now has the equivalent of a seaside pier for evening walks. While it's not the most glamorous structure, Midford Viaduct's future is now more secure owing to NCN 24, and we'd hope to bring the same benefits to Tucking Mill Viaduct less than a mile up the line

Hope and Anchor

Pub beside the line at Midford - by no means the worst refreshment stop in the world!

Site of Midford Station

No surviving buildings, but you'll see the platform perched above the village. The station itself can be glimpsed in the film 'The Titfield Thunderbolt'.

Site of 1960 slip

Winter 1960 was very wet at one point, causing a large section of line between Midford Station and the tunnel to slide in the direction of the old canal bed - the site is still just about visible

Little Tunnel

Also known as the 'Long arch bridge', NCN24 leaves the rail trackbed just north of the tunnel and takes the minor road to Monkton Combe. A footpath on the line of the 'Two Tunnels' route allows you to walk the route of the line as far as Tucking Mill Viaduct.

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