Page 12 - Railway History

Redditch Heritage Railway History

The Redditch Tunnel

The original line was (and still is to this day) a single track although the original bridges were
capable of accommodating double track width. By the 1860's work began south of Redditch to
connect the town with Alcester, Evesham and Ashchurch on the main Birmingham to Bristol line.
In fact, the Barnt Green to Ashchurch line became known as the "Gloucester Loop" line.
The project to link Redditch to Ashchurch in the south was not officially completed until the 4th
of May 1868. The delay was largely caused by the building of the tunnel underneath Mount
Pleasant in Redditch. The tunnel alone took 18 months to complete, which at the time was a long
time for the
construction of a single track tunnel running for just 330 yards. The tunnel had to be
over-engineered to some degree, owing to problems encountered with the sub-soil when the
tunnelling work started.

Plans were reviewed at the time to run the track around the Mount Pleasant peak, but this would
have meant re-locating the station away from the town centre. Commercial pressures meant that
the building of the tunnel was going to be the only practical solution. To keep the costs down it
was decided to keep the tunnel and the line south of Redditch as a single line track.
By 1963 the line south of Redditch was closed as a result of the "Beeching Axe" - as such services
where often running at a loss, and the car was becoming increasingly popular. The tunnel had
seen some 95 years service, but by 1965 the track was finally lifted and nature & building
developments were allowed to take over.
There are still parts of the original south Redditch line still present today around the Town Centre,
oodrow and of course, the Mount Pleasant tunnel. Today the tunnel in the main appears to be in
very good condition (owing to the way it was constructed), considering it's getting on for 145

Inside the tunnel today.
Photograph: Vince Green

The South Portal
Photograph: Vince Green

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