The Subterranean Secret of Holmfield: A Glimpse into Queensbury Tunnel

Deep within the verdant landscape near Holmfield, a submerged secret lies hidden beneath a seemingly ordinary field. The Queensbury Tunnel, a monumental relic of Victorian engineering, is a testament to the ambition of the railway age and a captivating glimpse into a world now lost to time and water. These photographs, captured in July 2015, offer a rare and fascinating look at a section of this extraordinary structure, revealing both its forgotten surface features and its silent, waterlogged entrance.

The first image captures a curious concrete disc, a solitary manhole cover in the middle of a sun-drenched, grassy field. The long grass sways around it, creating a natural camouflage that would easily allow it to go unnoticed by the casual observer. This disc is no ordinary cover; it's a cap over one of the tunnel's ventilation shafts. These shafts were a vital part of the tunnel's design, providing much-needed air and allowing smoke from the steam locomotives to escape. In its quiet existence, this concrete cap is a powerful symbol of the colossal effort that went into building this tunnel. It speaks of a deep, unseen world, a world of iron and steam, that lies directly below. It’s a literal and figurative lid on history, hinting at a vast, dark space that has been sealed off from the world above for decades.

The other two images transport us to a different scene, one of profound stillness and mystery. Here, the tunnel's entrance is not a grand, arched portal but a tranquil, flooded chasm. The water, a striking shade of turquoise, reflects the sky and the surrounding foliage, creating a deceptive sense of serenity. Looking closer, we see the remnants of the tunnel's mouth. Two rusty pipes, possibly part of a former drainage system, emerge from the brickwork, their corroded ends facing the glassy water. The brick lining, discoloured and weathered by time, forms the backdrop to this aquatic scene. The water level is high, completely obscuring the track bed and swallowing the entrance in a liquid embrace.

These two photographs, seemingly identical but for the subtle shifts in light and reflection, capture a moment of perfect stasis. The tunnel is no longer a path for roaring trains but a calm, silent pool, a final resting place for its industrial past. The small trees and shrubs that have taken root around the entrance are a powerful symbol of nature's relentless reclamation. They are weaving themselves into the man-made structure, blurring the line between the natural world and the engineering marvel that once existed here. The reflection in the water adds a ghostly dimension, mirroring the overgrown surroundings and creating an ethereal portrait of a place in transition.

Together, these images paint a compelling picture of the Queensbury Tunnel at Holmfield. The concrete disc in the field and the flooded entrance at the hillside's edge are two sides of the same coin—one represents the hidden infrastructure on the surface, while the other reveals the silent, submerged reality of the tunnel itself. They are not merely pictures of a forgotten place but an invitation to contemplate the passage of time, the power of nature, and the fascinating stories that lie just beneath our feet. The Queensbury Tunnel, in its quiet, waterlogged state, continues to hold its secrets, inspiring a sense of wonder and curiosity about a remarkable chapter in our industrial heritage.

I took these pictures with a Polaroid is2132 camera on the 5th July 2015, clicking any of them should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

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