Tunnel under Wilton Lane (updated August 08)
I know very little about this, I only picked up on its existence from a Flickr photo. It follows the path which exits the wood so its highly likely its to do with the ironstone mines in Eston.
The track continued in a cutting on the other side of the road, heading off towards Dunsdale, although on closer inspection that is to the north of this area.
A tunnel is marked on this map at Waggonways which also suggest a second tunnel closer to Dunsdale
By way of a disclaimer and warning, its located on a scrambler track (possibly on private land?)
It’s likely unsafe, you’ll get very dirty and need a torch.
*Update 2008* Having visited more mining sites subsequently and spoken to other, I now believe this to be actual ironstone workings rather than a rail tunnel. Its unlined and a bord and pillar arrangement of passages is running parallel to the road not just under it, here are some internal shot taken with a better camera.
January 18th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
You need a person in those picture, for scale. Hop to it.
January 18th, 2007 at 3:32 pm
What are you doing at the weekend, you can be the scale.
August 19th, 2008 at 12:35 am
I’ve been meaning to go into this as i believe there was a drift linking with Wilton Clay Pits Mine in the same cutting and if there are tunnels going off from the main one perhaps one of them linked to that drift.
There was a tunnel near dunsdale, it was made of concrete and was for Kirkleatham Mine but it has long since been filled or demolished.
August 29th, 2008 at 2:34 am
now mate yeah i know a bit about it but am yet to check it out! supposedley it links to a drift it was basically a train line to pull carts through rather than going over farmers land to avoid paying him royalties! so not that many people know about this site which is good and hopefuly access can be gained but the airs gotta be bad so get the ba out or a big arse hose pipe does the trick!
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Have visited the site and had a look around. There is a clearing due west which may have been some kind of pit yard or a continuation of the local surface tramway which I know ran through this site. I believe the original underground tramway linking the Lackenby/Eston area to the Chaloner area collapsed in the 1910/1920’s so a surface tramway was built, parts of which can be seen today. In fact the Wilton Lane/Eston hills area contains many such mining remnants, of which I know only a few!!