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Union Street Tunnel [S Entrance]

Greenock West, Renfrewshire.

Railway tunnel (19th Century), disused.

The south portal is a modest stone affair, located behind a new block of flats on South Street. Inside, the lining is brick-built and forms a circular profile. Shallow refuges are found in both sidewalls. There is minor water ingress at this end, some of it issuing from a 100mm core hole...

After 220 yards the bore crosses the line of Newton Street Tunnel... After a further 45 yards, Union Street's only shaft is encountered. This is square in section and occupies the full width of the tunnel. Looking up, it becomes clear that the tunnel is barely 15 feet below ground level... North of this point the tunnel is quite wet, with a broken drain and calcite deposits forming on the brickwork. Around tablet 43 (470 yards), four monitoring arrays are fitted around the full profile. Further on there are two signal posts. As its passes beneath Union Street, the section changes to comprise vertical masonry sidewalls with beams to carry the roadway. Immediately beyond is the north portal. [Forgotten Relics]

Extends from NS 26979 76215 (South St / Kelly St) to NS 27225 76797 (Union St, nr junction with Robertson St).

Alternative Names: Double Darky

Notes: Tunnel operational from 1869-1966 and 1971-1991.

Given coordinates are for the SW portal, behind flats on the corner of South St & Kelly St.