Blorenge Tunnel, Abergavenny, Wales, UK - Abandoned Train Tunnels on Waymarking.com

The Blorenge tunnel is a tunnel on Hill's Tramroad[1], which was a 2ft gauge horse drawn tramroad. This stretch of the tramroad ran from Pwll Du at the head of Cwm Llanwenarth, past the Garnddyrys forge, around the side of the Blorenge hill to Brecon and Abergavenny Canal at Llanfoist. It carried limestone from the Tyla quarry and iron products from Garnddyrys and Blaenavon to the canal.

There are three tunnels on Hill's Tramroad. The very long Pwll Du tunnel[3], a shorter cut and cover tunnel below the Garnddyrys forge, and this one, the shortest of them all, on the North flank of the Blorenge hill.

The tunnel is a Scheduled Ancient Monument [4].

The opening date of the tunnel is unclear. Reference [1] says that land was acquired from 1817 onwards that the tramroad was operational by 1821. Reference [2] concurs and gives ca. 1817-22. A closing date is even harder determine. The tramroad ran down a steep incline to the canal, and this was damaged by a collapse of the canal bank in 1860, after which the incline was probably not re-opened [1] and hence the tramroad probably stopped operating at this date.

The tunnel is a "cut and cover" tunnel and quite short - only 40m (about 130ft) - and it's a little hard to understand why it was built, when a cutting would have been seem to have been adequate, and easier. It's possible that it was there to protect the tramroad from falling debris from the steep slopes above.

The old stone sleepers that held the rails are clearly visible at various points along the tramroad (see gallery).

There are parking places beside the B4246 road nearby

References

1. Tramroads of the Brecknock & Abergavenny Canal by Gordon Rattenbury. 1980. (Oakham: Railway and Canal Historical Society) ISBN: 9780901461247
2. Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Blorenge and Gilwern Hill
3. WM7AHH Pwll Du Tunnel
4. Coflein online database for the National Monuments Record of Wales