Harecastle railway tunnel

The Harecastle railway tunnels are a set of three railway tunnels on the North Staffordshire Railway at Kidsgrove in Staffordshire.

First opened to traffic in 1848 only two years after being authorised, the tunnels were built to carry the North Staffordshire Railway line between Kidsgrove and Tunstall. They were not the first tunnels in the area, having the older Harecastle Canal Tunnels running so close that vibrations from the trains allegedly affected their integrity. The central and southern tunnels have been disused since 1965, following the realignment of the operational railway; this move was taken due to their limited size having made them unsuitable for the installation of overhead electrification apparatus. It was announced during 2013 that the disused Harecastle tunnels, which have continued to be maintained, would be sold to a public body.

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