Wast Hills Tunnel
The Wast Hills Tunnel is a canal tunnel on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal. Its northern portal is in Hawkesley, Birmingham. Its southern portal is in fields just outside the city's boundaries, in Worcestershire.[1]
 Southern portal | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Location | Hawkesley, Birmingham, West Midlands, and Worcestershire, England |
| Coordinates | 52.3902°N 1.9400°W |
| OS grid reference | SP041769 |
| Status | Open |
| Waterway | Worcester and Birmingham Canal |
| Start | 52.39991°N 1.93096°W |
| End | 52.38066°N 1.94890°W |
| Operation | |
| Constructed | 1796-97 |
| Owner | Canal & River Trust |
| Technical | |
| Design engineer | Thomas Cartwright |
| Length | 2,726 yards (2,492.7 m) |
| Width | Double |
| Towpath | No |
| Boat-passable | Yes |
Construction and measurements
The Wast Hills Tunnel was built in 1796 and is 2726 yards long, making it one of the longest in the country.[1] There are several ventilation shafts along its length which were initially used for the tunnel's construction.[2] It is wide enough to accommodate two narrow boats but there is no towpath.[3]
References
- "Worcester & Birmingham Canal". Retrieved 2 March 2015.
- The central airshaft once had a steam driven fan for smoke clearance. David Stowell. "Wast Hill Tunnel Southern portal". Retrieved 3 March 2015.
- William Dargue. "Hawkesley, Hawkesley End - West Heath". Retrieved 3 March 2015.
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