This is the L.H.E.S pictorial record of our January the 26th 2008 trip to Harrogate to document Brunswick tunnel abandoned since 1862. This little known about tunnel has also been rumoured to have been utilized as an air raid shelter during WWII. There is very little documentation or records of this tunnel to be found anywhere. The intrepid investigators of the Leeds Historical Expedition Society are about to put the record straight and document one of Harrogate's lost pieces of railway heritage for future generations. We hope you enjoy reading about our story. A great scoop for the L.H.E.S indeed.


The railway arrived in Harrogate in 1848 built by George Hudson and the York and North Midland railway company. The branch line diverged from the York & North Midland from Normanton to York and had stations at Stutton, Tadcaster, Newton Kyme, Thorpe Arch and Spofforth, the line then navigated the Prospect tunnel and the magnificent 31 arch Crimple viaduct were it meets the present day Leeds line. The Church Fenton to Harrogate line has the dubious honour of been the first line to fall under the Beeching axe with all stations closing in 1964. The original Harrogate station was called Brunswick and was situated next to Trinity Methodist church on Trinity Road opposite the stray. Today apart from a plaque stone you'd be hard pushed to know the railway ever ran here. In those days Harrogate was very much 2 seperate places, Harrogate High and Harrogate low town. Brunswick station was short lived and remained in operation for only 14 years when the North Eastern railway built the new station in it's present day location.

In this story we'll take an in depth look at the course of the tunnel and the route the railway took to the original Brunswick station. Also we'll take a look at the present day rail scene around Harrogate and last but no means least there's a detailed look at the magnificent Bramhope tunnel.

For a more detailed insight into the areas history see this recommended website HERE

The 2008 layout.
The abandoned Brunswick tunnel and station line in red.
The present day 1862 N.E.R route in blue.

Initially there was much opposition to the railway from the locals and hoteliers who feared it would lower Harrogate's aristocratic tone by bringing in the proletarians from Leeds and Bradford. Nevertheless,the York and North Midland Railway branch to Harrogate was opened in 1848.
In the same year the Leeds and Thirsk line, skirting Harrogate to the east via Starbeck, was opened to traffic, connecting in 1851 with the East and West Yorkshire Junction Railway from York via Knaresborough initially, the two lines were linked by the North Eastern Railway with a new line across the Stray, running from Oatlands to Dragon Junction before bifurcating to join the original Leeds and Thirsk main line at Bilton Junction to the north and Starbeck North Junction to the south.

A new central Harrogate station was opened in 1862 and the spur to the Brunswick Station through the Brunswick tunnel was abandoned. The railway was brought discreetly across the Stray by sinking it down in a cutting. The arrival of the railway midway between High and Low Harrogate provided the stimulus for a development of Harrogate as the spa town we know today.

The new Hornbeam park station was were the original line to Brunswick tunnel and the station veered to the left just past were the train is situated, The cutting is heavily overgrown and flooded these days.

A Harrogate bound train leaves Hornbeam park station. This was pictured from Wheatlands road east overbridge . The tunnel cutting ran to the right of the picture, just past the station platform.
The overgrown swamp cutting leading to the tunnel. The last trains to negotiate this stretch of line was an incredible 146 years ago, when all trains were diverted to the new 1862 N.E.R station higher up in the town.

After negotiating some treacherous terrain we catch a glimpse of the South portal. Mother nature is hard at work with thick ivy almost covering the tunnel portal. You can see how shallow the tunnel is under the surface from this view. The nearest house is almost built on top of the tunnel.

Due to the deep swamp conditions in the cutting this is as far back as you can get to photograph the portal.

Archive picture of the South portal with the brickwork and door ways in much better condition. Due to the cutting been so overgrown and flooded these days it is not possible to get this far back to get this shot. You can see from this view the tunnel is very shallow with not much earth above to street level. The house pictured is aptly named 'The Cuttings' on Tewit well road and is almost built directly above the tunnel. Photo courtesy of J.B303.

Looking at the outside world from inside the tunnel.

The first 100 yards of tunnel were wet, but once inside the tunnel fabric was remarkably dry and in good condition.

There always seems to be an old oil drum inside a tunnel. Apart from this oil drum and a shopping trolley there was no other sign of debris.

I wonder how many people living in Langwith Avenue know about this 400 yard long tunnel running directly below there street? The tunnel was only built to keep the railway out of sight to keep the affluent people of Harrogate happy.

Brunswick tunnel is 400yds long with stone built walls and brick lined roof arch, There are no refuges or air shafts within the tunnel but it is in remarkably good condition. You can see the indents in the tunnel floor were the sleepers used to be and there is very little debris or vandalism once inside.



It's not long before we catch a glimpse of the air raid shelter we had heard about at the end of the tunnel.

Once through the door at the end of the tunnel we could survey the air raid shelter. A concrete floor had been laid with a 6' high brick lined wall linning the tunnel. Brick piers had been built to support a long wooden bench both sides of the tunnel. You can see the remains of 'cubicles in all four corners of the shelter, These appeared to have been make shift toilets. We had heard the walls had been white washed during the war years but we could see no evidence of this. This is the view looking back towards the tunnel entrance.

This is the view looking towards the filled in portal and air raid shelter entrance and steps at the Leeds road end. You can see the remains of a black roof felt type material that had been suspended from the roof in strips about 12'' apart.

Most of the grafitti was dated from the 70's & 80's.

Close up detail of the brick bench piers and the corner W.C closets. Beyond the door way you can just make out the stairs that lead up to street level on Leeds road.

Looking up the air raid shelter stairs, A narrow passage is at the top of the stairs on the right leading to the final flight of stairs to street level.

Looking back down the stairs you can see the shelter section. The blue 'glare' is daylight at the tunnel entrance 400yds away.

There is some magnificent stalagnites hanging from the roof 4-5' long in places.

Here we can see the 1848 stonework of the tunnel portal next to the WWII concrete and brick modifications. It's amazing to thing were stood looking at a railway tunnel abandoned for 146yrs and at the same time an air raid shelter abandoned for 68 years. There was evidence of electric cabling suggesting there had been a light and power supply down here during the war years.

This is the narrow passage at the top of the stairs. The bricks have been back filled when the shelter entrance was sealed shut. When the Leeds road roundabout was been constructed in the 1960's the workmen accidentaly dug into the tunnel roof not knowing it was there. I bet they had a shock discovering this place under there feet.

The Brunswick shelter is the only recorded air raid shelter in the area and was finally abandoned by 1943.
Harrogate was only bombed once in 1941, by one plane, and that was by mistake. The Majestic hotel been the unlucky target!

I'm getting to old for this!
A quick scrabble up the pile of bricks to take a claustrophobic look around the very last corner. Here we see the last set of steps which lead out on to Leeds road. You can just make out a buried handrail poking out of the rubble on the left of the picture.

The tunnel runs directly under the whole length of Langwith Avenue.

The Leeds Road/Langwith Avenue roundabout looking towards the Prince of Wales hotel in the distance. The tunnel and air raid shelter entrance emerged on the Left hand side of the street before the 1960's road alterations. It would be good to get a more detailed location for the air raid shelter and if anyone has any recollections or pictures of it i'd be most gratefull to hear from them. There is a really useful site for this area brimming with local information, Brunswick tunnel and the station are also featured HERE I know the author Anthony would very much like to hear from anyone with recollections of Norwood college, Clifton house school and Charlie Cass.

The railway then ran along a cutting alongside Park road towards Trinity church and Brunswick station.

Apart from the plaque stone there is very little to suggest this was the site of Harrogates first railway staion. Due to it closing so long ago there are no photographs of the station, but it is thought to have been built of a wooden construction as opposed to the later day stone and brick method. The Brunswick hotel can be seen in the distance.



The Hattersley hotel was an important coaching inn built in 1815, It was later renamed the Brunswick hotel in 1833 and the new station built near to it was to be named after.



A leeds bound unit departs Harrogate along the N.E.R route into the town.

The arrival of The 1862 N.E.R 'new' Harrogate station allowed Brunswick station and tunnel to close in favour of this better located station.

Heading out of Harrogate we took a quick look at the 31 arch span Crimple viaduct. The train is heading for leeds and is about to pass the closed Church Fenton and Prospect tunnel jnct.

Just past Crimple viaduct we catch sight of Prospect tunnel on the Harrogate-Church Fenton line. The line has the dubious honour of been the first to close under the Beeching axe. The line was gradually run down over the years and the service was classed as 'nowt nor summat' amongst the long suffering passengers.

Looking back in the opposite direction.
In this 1964 shot we can see Crimple signal box and the viaduct in the distance. The Leeds line curves sharply away to the right. Judging by the amount of weeds on the track the line hes been out of use for several months. Photo courtesy of J.B 303.

Prospect tunnel is a straight 825 yds long and is in reasonable condition apart from deep standing water throughout. The tunnel is relatively shallow at 81' below the surface and has a total of 3 air shafts.

Nearly half a mile of tunnel ahead. Co-explorer added for scale.

Looking back along the old trackbed towards Crimple viaduct and Harrogate.

Prospects 825yds of tunnel ahead.

As you navigate the tunnel you can see the different textures coating the brick and stonework. The vivid orange is iron contaminating the water. This is pictured under no 3 air shaft.

One of the track refuges in the tunnel. These were for track gangs working in the tunnel to escape on coming trains, They are spaced evenly both sides of the tunnel.

Looking back towards Harrogate, Another track refuge coated in orange iron.

Close up detail.

In the middle of the tunnel we come to air shaft no 2. From the bottom of the tunnel to the top of the cappped shaft measures 81'

Marker for Prospect no2 shaft. The walls are coated in soot from the steam trains.

Looking back towards the Harrogate direction at the end of the tunnel. The blue tint on the brickwork is caused by the daylight shining in on a long shutter capture, I like this effect achieved with this method.

There's always someone ill prepared. Here we see a co-explorer minus Wellington boots getting a piggy back to dry land.

View of the South portal and the embankement for the A658 now built over the old trackbed.

Prospect South portal.

A few miles South of Harrogate we catch glimpse of the magnificent turrets of Bramhope tunnel.

Bramhope tunnels fantastic north portal was built to appease the rich landowner & gain his approval for the construction of this 2mile 243yd long tunnel linking Leeds with Harrogate. The North Eastern railway started construction in 1845 & was completed in 1849 with 23 men killed. A replica of the tunnel portal stands in Otley church yard to remember the men who lost there lives. Situated in thick woodland Bramhope is in an idyllic setting the peace only occasionally shattered by the half hourly train service.





The leeds coat of arms and a rather stern looking bust adorn the portal.

This portal stands between the estates of Bramham Hall and Creskeld House both occupied in the 1840s by William Rhodes, a local gentleman. In the 1820s Rhodes connected the two houses by a new road through the estates and landscaped the area around it.
The tunnel and its cutting would have created an unfortunate visual impact on the surrounding area, and it seems likely the portal was designed to harmonise with the landscape in the shape of a garden building. The architectural form of the portal would support this argument, since there is access to one of the towers from Rhodes's grounds. The tower contained a staircase and a number of small rooms and provided views over Wharfedale, it would therfore have acted as a decorative portal and belvedere.Could it be William Rhodes depicted on the portal bust placed there to appease him by the railway company. The entrance is gothic and designed to replicate an embattled gatehouse.
The south portal, often described as plain,is massively impressive.The style is classical with strong Egyptian influances.The keystone is carved with the head of Mercury, messenger of the gods and patron of travellers.

On top of the castellated crenalations.



One of Bramhopes air shafts situated in the grounds of the Bramhope boy scouts hut.

This memorial was built in 1913 out of local stone as a replica of the northern portal of Bramhope tunnel and records the names of 23 miners and excavators (navvies) killed during it's construction. It can be found in the churchyard of All Saints Parish Church, Otley.
The Leeds and Thirsk Railway was promoted to provide a new route from Leeds to the north, and on to Scotland. Having been given Royal Assent on 21st July, 1845, practical construction works commenced in 1846, the contractor, James Bray, facing considerable technical problems in crossing the hills and valleys along the route.
The greatest challenge was to cut the Bramhope Tunnel 25ft high through 2 miles 243 yards of rock at depths of up to 290ft. Some 2,300 men and 400 horses were involved in this work, all being subject to sudden rock falls, subsidence, flooding and accidental death. One victim, James Myers of Yeadon, had the following inscribed on his gravestone;

'What dangers do surround
Poor miners everywhere,
And they that labour underground,
Thay should be men of prayer.

Moving back to Harrogate, we take a look at the only remaining portal of the Harrogate gasworks Barber tunnel. The portal can be found in the most unusual place of a well tended back garden in Bilton.

The The Gasworks line ran from 1907 until 1956, These days there is very little trace of the line, housing and industrial units have been built on the trackbed. The portal and air shaft in a garden further down are the only clues the railway ever ran here.