Clarence Tunnel

The Clarence Tunnel is a railway tunnel that was originally part of the Main Western railway line across the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia. It is 493 metres (539 yd) long.^[1]

Clarence Tunnel

Overview
Line	Main Western railway line
Location	Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates	33°28′42″S 150°13′06″E / 33.478337°S 150.218253°E / -33.478337; 150.218253
Operation
Opened	18 October 1869 (1869-10-18)
Closed	16 October 1910 (1910-10-16)<
Reopened	18 October 1975 (as tourism facility)
Operator	Zig Zag Railway
Technical
Length	439 metres (1,440 ft)

History and description

The tunnel, located to the west of Clarence, was built by William Watkins and opened on 18 October 1869. The tunnel is almost entirely straight apart from a curve at the Clarence end and is the highest railway tunnel in Australia. The tunnel was closed on 16 October 1910, after being by-passed by a new deviation. After the tunnel's closure, it was utilised for growing mushrooms. In 1944, during World War II, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) stockpiled chemical munitions in the tunnel. The facility was known as No. 4 Sub Depot of No. 1 Central Reserve RAAF and was vacated by the RAAF in 1946.

The tunnel was reopened in 1975 and forms part of the Zig Zag tourist railway.^[2][3]

References

1. "NEW SOUTH WALES PARLIAMENT". Sydney Morning Herald. Vol. LIX, no. 9560. New South Wales, Australia. 9 January 1869. p. 5. Retrieved 29 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
2. NSW Rail.net - Clarence Tunnel
3. . Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2008.