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Fun story about the Severn tunnel When my grandad was at school, they went on a school trip to Bristol zoo by rail. As the train went into the tunnel, one of his mates bet him sixpence that he wasn't brave enough to pull the emergency chain. The train came to a stop at the bottom of the tunnel, and due to the slope going in both directions, it was unable to get going again. Another engine had to be brought into the tunnel from the English side and assist, rocking the train backwards and forwards until it was able to get enough speed up to make it out of the tunnel again. By the time they got to Bristol, the zoo was closed and they had to just turn round and head for home again

Love the shot at 2:44 showing the outside turns of the combine harvesters

Very interesting as usual,didn’t know anything about that tunnel, well done, thanks

That was interesting. It would seem the technology of the day didn't match their ambitions. Can't knock them for trying though.

Hi Paul and Rebecca, another very interesting video about tunnels, I recently discovered an interesting fact about Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s famous Box Hill Tunnel, that on his birthday every year when the sun rises it shines directly through the entire tunnel..!!!

As soon as you said "What could possibly go wrong?" My WiFi connection went and you started buffering! lol

What an interesting clip! Worth a sub on this alone. Well filmed, edited and the enthusiasm of both of you shines through.

That was fascinating, your enthusiasm for history and your presenting skills are a pleasure to watch, thanks a lot 👍

Really enjoy your videos. Also it’s great to see how well your videos are put together and seeing progression of your editing and video construction.

That's the southern bridge at Bullington village that crosses the road and the River Dever. And that telegraph pole that still stands as a reminder. Great video by the way about the first tunnel under the Severn. That I didn't know. Many thanks again, you two.

Thanks for another very interesting video! I really enjoyed it and as usual you both made it really interesting and informative. Thanks again Paul and Rebecca.

As always, a most interesting video. Thanks so much, both of you.

That was short and sweet. I was just getting into the video and it ended! Bugger.

Brilliant, well presented and illustrated throughout.

Another fantastic video. That tunnel was quite lovely and so was the history. Thanks so much for taking me along. Please stay safe and take care

hi paul and rebecca , really interesting video again , loved the bit at the end lol , well done and thank you :)

The Red Lion at Arlingham is one of my favourite pubs!

& I thought with that intro & the linking of arms, we were going to follow the yellow brick road 🤣 Alas

Thanks to you both for another interesting (railway) vid, and about a partly built tunnel I knew nothing about!

Nice story and didn't knew about the first Seven Tunnel but did knew about the Seven Tunnel that still stands today.

So... What did the researcher find out? Why was the man and his wife shot? What happened next? You left us in suspenders.

This reminds me, I meant to mention it before, you should do a video of Adelina Patti. She was the first passenger through the Severn Tunnel (although she didn't plan to be) and had her own station built at Penwyllt so she could travel by train without having to ride to Cray station. The story works well with Rebecca's channel theme of famous women too - a win win 👍

Fascinating! I had no idea there had been another. An idea before its time bolstered by inadequate technology and geological data, perhaps.The current tunnel had quite a few difficulties too. One breach was actually sealed from above at low tide- there is a 45 foot tidal range at Clevedon Pier- second only to The Bay of Fundy ( in Canada between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia ).

That was brilliant! I love it when I discover something I know little about, but it is even better when it is all new! 😀 Fascinating- and indeed very sad- tale...and many thanks for ensuring I am now aware of it! 👍👏 🍀

Fascinating story. Super video too. Thanks for posting it

I've lived in sub tropical Dursley all all my life thus far and never knew a tunnel was attempted there. There's a pub called the passage which is much closer to the severn at Arlingham than the Red Lion.. It's mad that if your over at Newnham , and you want to get back to Dursley, you have to drive for 42 mins at least as you have to drive up to Gloucester and come back down as there are no crossings near enough at that point. If you could get across the severn from Newnam to Arlingham, it would take 15 mins. Thanks for that short yet informative video.

That's a fascinating story, i knew nothing about this tunnel. Water is a huge issue in the Severn rail tunnel of today. The pumps must be working overtime 24/7 to keep it dry.

Another fascinating gem from you. I had never heard of this tunnel before.

While constructing the CEGB tunnel under the Severn and Wye rivers, we hit water twice on the Severn section. Two rock diggers were purchased but proved too slow, one started a Aust towards Beachley and the other Beachley under the Wye. It make up time the drill and blast was used to meet up with the machines. One firing left an outcrop that would interfere with the precast lining, so it was drill and a half stick pop round used, well this found a fissure. A steel plate was fixed over it to control the spray of water and the lining progressed past it. Once suffient lining had past the leak was grouted up with success. Friday night the drillers would drill 3 holes forward to prove the ground for the next weeks work, the drill shot forward into a void and when detached from the air drill the drill length shot out into the tunnel with the high water pressure. The miners managed to inert a cut off valve into the drill hole and for the next 10 days grout was pumped into the void. Water was always a problem the pump out rate at the Beachley shaft was 1800 gals per min during excavation. On completion of the lining it was 50 gals per week from the entire tunnel length.

Very interesting tale. The Great Western tunnel was delayed because the Great Spring broke, must have been a clockwork train ;)

Nice one seeing both I remember my College teachers,since they always showed me the correct path.

I 've worked on many modern long tunnels and how they did it back then absolutely baffles me.

Always with the facts and interesting stories you two!

If you go looking for it, the Red Lion in Arlington is a brilliant pub, we don't live far from there and it's always done great food. I hope it survives post-covid.

... and that's how Rebecca will be remembered... as the hoarder of the m and m's

As always excellent video. There have been a few attempts at building a crossing over the Severn below Gloucester. Have a look at the Enock Williams pontoon bridge, at Newnham, and not too far from this tunnel. Enock Williams was the owner of the Aust to Beachley Ferry’s, another story in its own right.

Great video, lovely couple... Subscribed!

Thanks again always a interesting videos thank you so much from NZ

I love your tunnel videos. Probably because I have been through quite a few in my boat

Fascinating stuff - thanks for this fascinating factoid - I’m now going to annoy my family with this new found tunnelling facts! 😆

Absolutely no previous knowledge of any of this, so thank you! Really interesting, I need to find out more!

".. links in the dooblydoo below..." where have I heard that before... ;-D

Wow, I lived 13 miles from Cinderford for more than 10 years and visited the Forest of Dean frequently; my father was also interested in industrial archeology, and yet I had never heard of the Bullo Pill tramway, nor the earlier attempt at tunneling under the river Severn, before today!

Enjoyed that interesting story from the shire l am sure local industrial archaeology group did a full survey of the the remains on the banks of the severn. Also it was on the channel 4 documentary Britain at low tide.

Top stuff guys..

£20,000 in 1805 England is equivalent to about £1.7 million in 2021. Not to be sneezed at!

Gday Paul and Rebecca love the video and history.

Great work and very close to my Home

Have to investigate the Isle of Wight tunnel that was stated to be dug in the new forest

I tend to assume all the engineering works were instigated by the railway building after the S&DR. And I know I’m wrong because of the canal building and little tramway enterprises like this one. Fascinating. Thanks.

My old friend Lucy Swainson used to run the Red Lion ar arlingham

Excellent video guys 🙂🍻🥂👍🏻

Yippee I've done it, I've caught up with all your fantastic video's. I now need to finish catching up with Rebecca's Nest!

You should make a video about the passage at Newnham. People claim to have walked across at low tide.

Interesting as ever. Is that Keith Walker from Bristol? I know of someone here in Horfield with that name.

Very interesting video about an early attempt to build under the seven. Luckily all the navvies managed to get out!!😎🚂🚃🚃🇬🇧

Interesting story, Don't think I've heard about that before.

Great!!! Fascinating information, I never knew about this tunnel. P.S. I like "M&M's" too ☺

Very interesting and nicely presented as usual. Just a thought.... TV news tonight did a brief piece about old railway lines that people are planning to try and get re-opened. Maybe this could be a new line of material for you? don't know? just an idea....

A very interesting video, Well done....🙂👍🏼👍🏼

Poor Paul. All that work and no M&Ms for him. 🍭🤣

The red lion is in Arlingham NOT Arlington. I'm not usually that fussed but I'm a local.

Rebecca, try the dark chocolate M&M's. And buy enough for Paul, they are the best!

What about getting time team to sort it,that kink in the roman road

I's good to hear about my tunnel

What tunnel is pictured at 4:52?

Another greta video both ! who knew Rebecca is a secret sweet eater !.... I have one of those in my house !

My home town of cinderford is mentioned 😊

Loved the outtake. Did either of the Tipping survive the shooting? Whodunnit?

Paul (or Rebecca :) ), just an item of curiosity from a non-British viewer. Who actually owns these old abandoned railroad right of ways? From the drone shots overhead, that's quite a fair bit of land left to go wild on this one. Thank you!

Is a doobledoo the same as a whatchamacallit and a thingamajig??

Thank you, very interesting. I've just discovered your channel and have subscribed. Rebecca - please share your sweeties next time 😉😊🚂

Great and so interesting. Thank you for that. I like m and ms too.

Great now I want some m&m's! 😋🤣

ArlingHAM!! NOT ArlingTON!! ArlingHAM!!! First time our lovely little village has been mentioned on KZfaq and you get the name wrong! Public apology please! (Love the videos BTW)

Local to me, worth a mooch!

Very good 🙂🚂🚂🚂

would you share your last rolo/m&m NO!!

I am suprised you got away with using the word 'sod' (sod cut) as I was warned by KZfaq about using the phrase 'dicky birds'.

A doo-bee-doo is a mop.

So the builder of the failed tunnel was shot five times and his wife once? Did they survive? Was the shooter hung? More please!

Seriously... does Rebecca only have one pair of trousers?!

But they did build a Forth tunnel in 1964 ;)

Quite funny, clicked on the link to Nordvpn safari could not open it and google chrome said this site could not provide a secure connection.😀😂

nords been hacked so many times . even nord doesnt know any more.

Cool

Very rude not sharing ur sweets, I'm sure the present tunnel in use was the 3rd if not 4th attempt, I could be wrong but didn't they try do go through at sudbrook or blackrock p.s. have you seen james fox ghost train green park to templecombe or barntaple to Ilfracombe, i think you'd like them.

Roood.

'Longest tunnel in the wowld.'. lol

hang on did i miss something?? feels like half a video not nasty or anything maybe because of covid

Can you imagine opening your door and getting shot five times , yes that will teach him to post hurty words on ye olde Facebook lol

😀

From this video it isn't very clear as to what you found what remains or doesn't on site of the actual first tunnel - surely not the tunnel you walked thru...

M&M`s rude..

LOL. The last quarter of the video is advertising junk.

That was quite a confused presentation. You show all sorts of scenes without telling us what they were, the tunnel you showed was clearly not the tunnel in question and only the drawn maps explained much.

What happened to the Covid lockdown rules ?

Tunnel construction is boring.

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