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Ross-on-Wye

Ross to Rotherwas Junction

Ballingham Bridge

The Ballingham Railway Bridge (09-04-12)
The Ballingham Railway Bridge (Click for a larger image)

Ballingham Bridge (also known as Fawley viaduct) runs north from Fawley Tunnel towards Ballingham station. The only remains are the piers as seen in the photos.


The Ballingham Railway Bridge (09-04-12)
The Ballingham Railway Bridge
(Click for a larger image)
Ballingham Railway Bridge piers (09-04-12)
Ballingham Railway Bridge piers
(Click for a larger image)

Ballingham Station

Site of Ballingham Railway Station (09-04-12)
Site of Ballingham Railway Station
(Click for a larger image)

Ballingham Station has been rebuilt as a private house (dated as 1973) but it can be seen that the platform still exists.

Holme Lacy and Fawley were the originally the only stations between Ross and Hereford; Ballingham and Backney Halt were later additions.


The causeway and track bed are clearly visible when looking south from the road bridge that is just below the station.

Track bed south of Ballingham Station (09-04-12)
Track bed south of Ballingham Station
(Click for a larger image)

Ballingham Tunnel

The start of the cutting on the north end of Ballingham Railway Tunnel (09-04-12)
The start of the cutting on the north end of Ballingham Railway Tunnel
(Click for a larger image)

Ballingham Tunnel is 1208 yards long and is the region's longest (32nd longest disused tunnel in the UK). The tunnel is straight except for a slight turn to the east close to the southern end.


The north end of the tunnel is not too difficult to access and the cutting has been cleared making it even easier to get to. The tunnel mouth is completely open.

The north end tunnel mouth of Ballingham Rail Tunnel (09-04-12)
The north end tunnel mouth of Ballingham Rail Tunnel
(Click for a larger image)

The deterioration at the north end tunnel mouth (09-04-12)
The deterioration at the north end tunnel mouth
(Click for a larger image)
The face of the tunnel mouth has started to deteriorate and has begun to collapse. The mouth is stone faced but the bricks show clear signs that there have been significant repairs made when the tunnel was in service.

The view looking north up the cutting is an impressive view.

Looking out of the north end tunnel mouth (09-04-12)
Looking out of the north end tunnel mouth
(Click for a larger image)

North end brick liner (09-04-12)
North end brick liner
(Click for a larger image)

Looking south it is clear to see that there is a brick liner to the tunnel at this point.


The brick liner does not extend that far into the tunnel and is in a good condition. The rest of the tunnel is lined with what looks like local sandstone.

End of the brick liner (09-04-12)
End of the brick liner
(Click for a larger image)

Original brick reinforcements (09-04-12)
Original brick reinforcements
(Click for a larger image)

At a number of points at the north end some brick reinforcements have been added to the tunnel walls. These are substantial structures and are also in good condition.


Inside Ballingham Tunnel looking north (09-04-12)
Inside Ballingham Tunnel looking north
(Click for a larger image)
Ballingham Tunnel looking north from further in (09-04-12)
Ballingham Tunnel looking north from further in
(Click for a larger image)

The walls of the tunnel have a number of brick patches in them that were made either during the building or when in service.

Patches in the tunnel walls (09-04-12)
Patches in the tunnel walls
(Click for a larger image)

Roof of Ballingham Tunnel (09-04-12)
Roof of Ballingham Tunnel
(Click for a larger image)

The roof of the tunnel has the usual brick strip used to reinforce the centre.


The tunnel is not fully stone lined as the builders have clearly has to work with particularly large intrusions of harder bedrock and have built these into the walls.

Ballingham Tunnel wall (09-04-12)
Ballingham Tunnel wall
(Click for a larger image)

A refuge in the tunnel wall (09-04-12)
A refuge in the tunnel wall
(Click for a larger image)

All of the refuges are of a similar design with a red brick caps. Some are brick lined, some are stone lined and others are cut straight into the bedrock. This one has used both brick and bedrock as part of its surround.


There are a number of small collapses in the refuges. These photos show that the bricks in this refuge have begun to push out and another refuge the red and green marl has flowed out into the tunnel.

Bricks collapsing in a refuge (09-04-12)
Bricks collapsing in a refuge
(Click for a larger image)
A refuge collapsed into the tunnel (09-04-12)
A refuge collapsed into the tunnel
(Click for a larger image)

There are a number of places where water is seeping into the tunnel, predominantly near to the tunnel mouths and some calcite deposits have formed on the walls. The roof has a few small stalactites but overall the water ingress is appears to be relatively low and there is not a large amount of hanging water on the floor of the tunnel or significant gullies where water has run.

Calcite deposits on the walls (09-04-12)
Calcite deposits on the walls
(Click for a larger image)
Calcite deposits on the roof (09-04-12)
Calcite deposits on the roof
(Click for a larger image)

Calcite deposits (09-04-12)
Calcite deposits
(Click for a larger image)
Calcite deposits around a refuge (09-04-12)
Calcite deposits around a refuge
(Click for a larger image)

When looking out the south tunnel mouth it is clear that the cutting is in a poor condition at this end. There have been a number of collapses and landslides into the cutting and it is very overgrown.

Looking out of the south end tunnel mouth (09-04-12)
Looking out of the south end tunnel mouth
(Click for a larger image)
Collapsed cutting at the south end (09-04-12)
Collapsed cutting at the south end
(Click for a larger image)

The south tunnel mouth is in good condition and shows no sign of deterioration or previous repairs. It also appears to be more ornate than the northern tunnel mouth. The southern end is stone lined from the mouth inwards and no brick liner or reinforcements have been used.

South end tunnel mouth (09-04-12)
South end tunnel mouth
(Click for a larger image)

Bridge over the Road

Just to the north of the tunnel is this bridge over the road (GCT 138M-16). The bridge is well maintained and gives a 12' 9" clearance for the vehicles to pass beneath.

Road bridge - east side (09-04-12)
Road bridge - east side
(Click for a larger image)
Road bridge - west side (09-04-12)
Road bridge - west side
(Click for a larger image)



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[Page updated: Feb 21 2018 19:58:01]






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