The other day I found myself on a train from Sheffield to
Grindleford in the Peak District to meet a work colleague for a site visit. The
journey is only short, however, after leaving Totley and Dore station the
journey is in complete darkness due to passing through the Totley tunnel, 3
miles and 950 yards long. You emerge from the tunnel at Grindleford station.
The tunnel opened officially on 10 August 1893 and it is
believed that when it was constructed the two ends of workers were only 4½
inches apart laterally with only 2¼ inches difference in level!
The geological make up of the ground under the route of the
tunnel made the boring extremely difficult indeed. A the worst point, 2,250,000
gallons of water A DAY were seeping into the tunnel from the bedrock, forcing
the workings to be inspected by boat.
Many labourers were brought in to help with the work. They
arrived with their wives and families. Accommodation was provided in huts built
around the shafts and many lodged in houses in the area. It was quite common
for dozens of people to share a house and living conditions were generally
disgusting. Many homes were without water, and raw sewage ran into the gardens.
At Totley the incomers actually outnumbered the local
residents. The navvies’ fondness for drink, poaching and gambling -
prize-fights and horse races were laid on at Owler Bar - boosted the local
crime rate alarmingly, keeping the police and courts very busy. In their
defence, it was acknowledged that working conditions were appalling, accidents
were a common occurrence and it was difficult to keep enough labourers on the
payroll. A working day was one of three 8- hour shifts and in mid-1889 the pay
was 3s 2d per week.
Searching the internet there are stories of a large chamber
in the tunnel, the purpose of which is unknown. You can tell when you pass it
on the train due to the pressure change, it makes you believe you are leaving
the tunnel but you are not. It may have been for storage during the
construction, although there are more fanciful stories of wartime storage and
it even housing a signal box (although that would have been no use whatsoever).
