Tyne Cycling Tunnel

[gazza_d]

In case anyone had missed the news. the Tyne cycling tunnel has now partially reopened after been closed for 8 years for refurbishment works.

It's currently only open 6am-8pm, and you either need to walk down/up the old non working wooden escalator or use the vertical lift that can hold 3 people and bikes at a squeeze.

It's a good link though between NCN72 north of the Tyne and NCN14 south of the river.

there's a video of the ride through the tunnel here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t1a8dMMg4E

[Oldjohnw]

Used to be a regular in my youth. Loved it in the middle,; Northumberland/Durham border.

No longer in Geordieland. I did walk through a few years ago.

[Toffee]

In case anyone had missed the news. the Tyne cycling tunnel has now partially reopened after been closed for 8 years for refurbishment works.

It's currently only open 6am-8pm, and you either need to walk down/up the old non working wooden escalator or use the vertical lift that can hold 3 people and bikes at a squeeze.

It's a good link though between NCN72 north of the Tyne and NCN14 south of the river.

there's a video of the ride through the tunnel here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t1a8dMMg4E

Great. I'll have to give it a go when I am next back in the NE

[Lookrider]

Used to be a regular in my youth. Loved it in the middle,; Northumberland/Durham border.

No longer in Geordieland. I did walk through a few years ago.

You may be glad to know that the tunnel appearance has remained the same and retained the old fashioned look ,, all be it with a little grit blasting clean
The NORTHUMBERLAND / DURHAM border is glady still there and may get a few confusing looks from anyone under 45 or so
I would like to think the powers that be in sustran may change there signs to divert cyclist on hadrians way through this unique tunnel

[Cyril Haearn]

Unique? There is one quite like it in Hamburg, old St Pauli Tunnel, lift + stairs

[Oldjohnw]

Unique? There is one quite like it in Hamburg, old St Pauli Tunnel, lift + stairs

Unless the German tunnel has a line in the middle saying 'Northumberland/Durham' then the Tyne one is indeed unique!

Does the Tyne Tunnel still have wooden escalators?

[gazza_d]

They've preserved one wooden escalator at each end for posterity in a non-working state, although you can walk up or down.
The other one has been replaced by a glass inclined lift which is still being commissioned
The sustrans signage does use the tunnel to link between NCN14 (south side) and NCN72 (north)
I would strongly recommend anyone passing takes 5-10 minutes to ride though and back again

[Lookrider]

Unique? There is one quite like it in Hamburg, old St Pauli Tunnel, lift + stairs

Unless the German tunnel has a line in the middle saying 'Northumberland/Durham' then the Tyne one is indeed unique!

Does the Tyne Tunnel still have wooden escalators?

On both sides north and south one set of wooden escalator has remained but are used only as stairs ...I assume perhaps this was due to them being listed therefore remained in place
But to service and replace parts was extremely costly as all parts had to be manufactured to listed consent. ..there fir I guess a negotiated compromise was found between the tunnel and listed people
The other set of wood escalators on either side north south are being removed and replaced with ski slopes type pods that will fit several people plus bikes and will travel up/down the escalator incline
The small lifts are still functional either side

[Oldjohnw]

I had actually wondered if wooden escalators were still legal. It was at such an escalator where the King's Cross tragedy occured way back in about 1988.

Perhaps that is why it is no longer a moving staircase.

[Lookrider]

The sustrans signage does use the tunnel to link between NCN14 (south side) and NCN72 (north)


I think that may be where any tourers from outside the area " may" get lost
As the hadrians way NC72 targets the roman era ...this route then diverts to South shields via the 3 rivers route NC14 .therefore it will take tourist on the 72 who are unaware of the area straight past the tunnel and evidently evading the roman Fort arbiea at South shields where this was a major Base for hadrians troops
May be sustrans can somehow make it more easy for our visitors to the area to follow this ..as they do a great job to promote cycle ways in our area

[Lookrider]

I had actually wondered if wooden escalators were still legal. It was at such an escalator where the King's Cross tragedy occured way back in about 1988.

Perhaps that is why it is no longer a moving staircase.

That was a strange one how that was allowed to say the least John. .
.as the tunnel escalator was in fact in use for many years after that tragic events at King's Cross
I'm sure it must have been examined / investigated and given the all clear by the authority's

[Oldjohnw]

I had actually wondered if wooden escalators were still legal. It was at such an escalator where the King's Cross tragedy occured way back in about 1988.

Perhaps that is why it is no longer a moving staircase.

That was a strange one how that was allowed to say the least John. .
.as the tunnel escalator was in fact in use for many years after that tragic events at King's Cross
I'm sure it must have been examined / investigated and given the all clear by the authority's

I was there at the time of the fire with my 2 year old son.

[Cyril Haearn]

I had actually wondered if wooden escalators were still legal. It was at such an escalator where the King's Cross tragedy occured way back in about 1988.

Perhaps that is why it is no longer a moving staircase.

That was a strange one how that was allowed to say the least John. .
.as the tunnel escalator was in fact in use for many years after that tragic events at King's Cross
I'm sure it must have been examined / investigated and given the all clear by the authority's

I think there was lots of rubbish, muck, paper, oil, gathered under the escalator, dreadful
There was a fire in a mountain railway tunnel in the Alps, people who managed to go down survived, because the fire went up
..
It is hard to walk an escalator because the pitch of the steps is greater than on stairs