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View Full Version : The Miley Tunnel, Preston, Nov 08



boxfrenzy
29-11-2008, 11:45 PM
If you're from Preston, or nearby, then the Miley Tunnel is a place used to scare small kids about, for teenagers to dare each other to go in, to tell stories about the Grey Lady of the Miley Tunnel. I lived in neighbouring Lancaster for 5 years in the early 1990's and i'd heard stories about it. Today, with a 150 mile round trip planned, i'm off to see what all of the fuss is about.
There is still a single track down, coming from the main line, although the line has been shut since the early 1990's
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Miley%20Tunnel%20Preston/Picture113.jpg

Numerous bridges cross the cutting before you get to the portal. A number of people have been seriously hurt or killed falling off these in recent years
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Miley%20Tunnel%20Preston/Picture104.jpg

Dallam Forge, Warrington 1883, who cast the bridges 125 years ago.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Miley%20Tunnel%20Preston/Picture111.jpg

There's a short tunnel before the Miley Tunnel. On our arrival, a group of about 12 emo kids wander out of it, blinking in the fog after the dark.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Miley%20Tunnel%20Preston/Picture100.jpg

With the kids gone, we thought that would be it for living things for the rest of the explore. We were wrong. In the litter were rats, scurrying around and dodging in and out of the holes around the sleepers. Also in the rubbish was a large knife. We moved on quickly.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Miley%20Tunnel%20Preston/Picture002.jpg

Stories of apparitions and strange goings on have always surrounded the Miley tunnel. Claims of children who died in the 1800's during its construction, and the murder of a woman passenger as she held on to the hand of a man on the nearby platform and was pulled under the wheels of the train surround this place.
Onwards, into the dark...
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Miley%20Tunnel%20Preston/Picture093.jpg

The last passenger train steamed through here in 1930, although the goods trains carried on for another 60 years. The tunnel is now silent, save for the rats.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Miley%20Tunnel%20Preston/Picture079.jpg

Throughout the tunnel, a single track remains.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Miley%20Tunnel%20Preston/Picture031.jpg

The tunnel is in good shape, and is dry. It was built in 1850 and is 862 yards long.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Miley%20Tunnel%20Preston/Picture014.jpg

Ahead is something on wheels. Is this the resting place of the Strategic Steam reserve? Alas not.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Miley%20Tunnel%20Preston/Picture058.jpg

The middle of the tunnel is interesting, as it appears to be two tunnels, covered with a flat roof. You can see the portal of the next part of the tunnel.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Miley%20Tunnel%20Preston/Picture048.jpg

I love the sweeping "S" shape of the tunnel, and silence. On today's trip there were no appearance by the Grey Lady, or strange goings on. Just another silent railway tunnel, with a track to nowhere.
Into the light.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Miley%20Tunnel%20Preston/Picture040.jpg


For reference, the Miley tunnel is not related to Miley Cyrus.

gibbo
07-12-2008, 11:56 PM
I went on Saturday with a mob of NWEX reprebates. I though I'd just tag my pics onto yours than start another report:



http://s192798389.websitehome.co.uk/urbex/mileytunnel/miley1.jpg

http://s192798389.websitehome.co.uk/urbex/mileytunnel/miley2.jpg

http://s192798389.websitehome.co.uk/urbex/mileytunnel/miley3.jpg

http://s192798389.websitehome.co.uk/urbex/mileytunnel/miley4.jpg