In Pictures: Kingdom’s Thames Tunnel Opens And Then Closes For Good

THE Thames Tunnel, the brainchild of engineering geniuses Marc and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, was open to the public for the just two days first time in 145 years today. Opened in 1852, the tunnel gripped the nation’s imagination: nothing had been seen like it before and it paved the way for the present day Tube system. Lying deep beneath the River Thames, it is one of the Brunels’ greatest engineering triumphs – and the only project they worked on together. The tunnel is 1,300ft long and, by the end of the first week of opening, more than half the population of London had paid to walk “the shining avenue of light to Wapping“. There is a sad twist to the tale, however. The East London tube line is being opened later this year and will be going through the tunnel. That means, at the end of the two days, the tunnel will be closed – forever.

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Brunel's Thames Tunnel which is to reopen for two days after being closed to the public for 145 years. The tunnel from Rotherhithe to Wapping will open as a finale of London' EAST festival.

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Posted: 12th, March 2010 | In: Strange But True Comment | TrackBack | Permalink