Perridge Tunnel, Devon, UK
Posted by: 
Team Sieni
N 50° 42.051 W 003° 37.113
30U E 456318 N 5616741
An abandoned, and collapsed, tunnel on the closed Exeter to Heathfield line.
Waymark Code: WM3P62
Location: United Kingdom
Date Posted: 04/28/2008
Views: 122
The Perridge tunnel is on The Teign Valley branch railway, which ran from Heathfield to Exeter. This and the nearby Culver tunnel (Waymark WM3P62) are the only tunnels on the route. Tunneling began in 1896, and the Perridge and Culver tunnels were completed in 1902. Passenger service was withdrawn in 1958 and the line was closed altogether by 1968.
Nearby Longdown station is still standing and in a good state of repair, 50 years after passenger services were withdrawn.
The Perridge tunnel has collapsed and is dangerous.
Sources of info:
Update 16 Mar 2009: A planning application was made to Teignbridge District Council on 4 Feb 2009 by BRB [Residuary] Ltd to infill the tunnel with concrete in the area where it has collapsed.
Update 8 April 2009 Permission was granted on 6th April 2009, subject to a few conditions (Work to be carried out within 3 years; work to be in accordance with submitted plans; Work to comply with ecological report; work not to be carried out between Sept-April inclusive to protect hibernating bats) All information available at the Teignbridge council link above.
Update 2 Nov 2009 On 12 July 2009, the Torbay Line Rail Users Group made a submission to the Select Committee for the South West Region on Transport, which states "The Teign Valley line could serve as a diversionary route should the mainline from Exeter to Plymouth and Penzance be cut at Dawlish or of that section require extensive and long repairs. The British Rail Board wishes to block the Perridge Tunnel half way along the line with concrete. Blocking the Tunnel would prevent further use of this line. Estimates that have been obtained show it would be cheaper to repair the Tunnel than to block it with concrete." This makes no reference to the fact that permission for the work has been granted.
Update Dec 2011 Nothing much seems to have happened. The only news since the granting of planning permission for the infill seems to be: "In January, 2010, the BRB engineer advised that both mouths of the tunnel were to be sealed and that internal examinations would cease." See Political Campaigning on the Teign Valley Railway website. However, the three year window granted in the permission of April 2009 expires in April 2012, and as work can not be carried out in Sept-April, it seems likely to lapse.