Posted on 20th February 2016 / 2913
Site Type : Industrial Heritage Sites / Relic
Category : Bridges and Tunnels / Railways / Railway Tunnel / Railways / Bridges and Tunnels / Road Tunnel / Railways / Track Bed
Location : England / South West England / England / England / South West England / Cornwall
Industry Type : Transport
Public or Private Site? : Private Land
Condition : Partially Restored

The 1173 yard long Pinnock Tunnel is the longest tunnel in Cornwall!

It’s an obsolete Cornwall Mineral Railway from St Blazey to Fowey on which work was begun in May 1872 and which came into service on 1st June 1874. 

Now trains are swapped for trucks and it’s part of Imerys’ Haul Road.

It was bored through granite working from both ends and from 5 shafts along its course using charges of dynamite set by Cornish miners. The removal of spoil was done by Irish navvies using wheelbarrows.

A great many accidents occurred during the construction, three miners were injured boring No. 2 shaft, when one of the charges went off prematurely.

After closure in 1968, the trackbed was converted to a road used by lorries loaded with china clay to reach Fowey Docks.


Imerys very kindly give permission for the use of the Haul Road for pleasure and curiosity trips using the Fowey Town Train! (a landrover pulling a covered carriage with open sides)!

 

St Blazey, Par, Cornwall PL24, UK

Pinnock Tunnel

The 1173 yard long Pinnock Tunnel is the longest tunnel in Cornwall!

It’s an obsolete Cornwall Mineral Railway from St Blazey to Fowey on which work was begun in May 1872 and which came into service on 1st June 1874. 

Now trains are swapped for trucks and it’s part of Imerys’ Haul Road.

It was bored through granite working from both ends and from 5 shafts along its course using charges of dynamite set by Cornish miners. The removal of spoil was done by Irish navvies using wheelbarrows.

A great many accidents occurred during the construction, three miners were injured boring No. 2 shaft, when one of the charges went off prematurely.

After closure in 1968, the trackbed was converted to a road used by lorries loaded with china clay to reach Fowey Docks.


Imerys very kindly give permission for the use of the Haul Road for pleasure and curiosity trips using the Fowey Town Train! (a landrover pulling a covered carriage with open sides)!

 

St Blazey, Par, Cornwall PL24, UK

Pinnock Tunnel
Site Type : Industrial Heritage Sites / Relic
Category : Bridges and Tunnels / Railways / Railway Tunnel / Railways / Bridges and Tunnels / Road Tunnel / Railways / Track Bed
Location : England / South West England / England / England / South West England / Cornwall
Industry Type : Transport
Public or Private Site? : Private Land
Condition : Partially Restored
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