search archive

browse archive Up

029/030 - Great Western Railway - Box Tunnel Contract

Object Type: Folder
In Folder: Historical Engineering Collection

▲

Expand to show object metadata

029/030 - Great Western Railway - Box Tunnel Contract

Originally proposed in the Great Western Railway Act of 1835, building a tunnel through Box Hill was an impossible and dangerous engineering project according to its critics. Box Tunnel, located between Chippenham and Bath, was by far the most difficult single engineering work on the entire London to Bristol route as it contained the unusually steep gradient, by Brunel’s standards, of 1 in 100 over its length. Between 1836 and 1837 eight shafts were sunk at intervals through the hill and along the projected alignment to establish the nature of the underlying rock. Over the course of nearly two miles the tunnel dipped westbound through several overlying geological strata comprising of Great Oolite limestone (Bath Stone), and Inferior Oolite, Fuller’s Earth (which is particularly prominent in the Bath district) and a small amount of Lias Clay at the western end. At 9636ft (2,937m) with a 25ft (7.6m) diameter bore, contemporary reports put the total volume of material extracted from the tunnel at 247,000 cubic yards (189,000 cubic metres). Two contractors were appointed to construct the tunnel; George Burge from Herne Bay was the major contractor, responsible for 75 per cent of the overall length of the tunnel working from the west, and Messers Lewis and Brewer, who were locally sourced contractors responsible for the remainder. Construction of the tunnel began in December 1838. Working conditions when building the tunnel were not good. Construction of the tunnel was divided into six isolated sections, and for much of the time access to these was only via the ventilation shafts, made 25ft (7.6m) in diameter, which ranged in depth from 70 to 300ft (21.3 to 91.5m). Blasting, which consumed 1 ton of explosives per week, took place within these chambers and with the workmen present. The only illumination was by means of candles, of which 1 ton weight was also consumed every week. During the early construction of the tunnel, workmen often had to evacuate as quickly as they could, as water gushed in from the Great Oolite strata. Pumping facilities had to be increased to deal with the considerable inflow. The overdue completion of Box Tunnel was delaying the opening of the whole line from London to Bristol as by August 1839 only 40 per cent of the tunnel had been constructed. By the summer of 1840 the Paddington to Faringdon Road (just east of Swindon) and Bath to Bristol sections of line had been completed. In January 1841, therefore, Brunel cajoled his major contractor to increase his workforce from twelve hundred to four thousand men, and by means of their superhuman effort the tunnel was effectively completed in April 1841. Work on the tunnel had begun from both the east and west sides of Box Hill in 1836; Brunel’s calculations, and the skills of the contractors and navvies were such that when the two ends met in 1841 the difference in their alignment was less than 2 inches (5cm). Brunel designed a grand classical portal for the west end of the tunnel but the east portal is less flamboyant with simple stonework. It opened to through London – Bristol traffic on 30 June 1841, without ceremony.

Network Rail Corporate Archive

Level of Description: Series

Reference Code: NRCA110030 - NRCA161074

Title: Box Tunnel Contract

Extent and Medium: 34 drawings

Creator: Great Western Railway

Date: 07 July 1838

Scope and Content: 34 drawings from the Great Western Railway Box Tunnel Contract between the said railway company and George Burge. Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Contract Number: Box Tunnel Contract

Drawing Number: 1, 2, 3

Drawing Office Number: n/a

Keywords (Person): Brunel, Isambard Kingdom

Keywords (Country): England

Keywords (Structure Name): Box Tunnel

Keywords (Structure Type): Tunnel

Show more ▼

View Gallery

Title

Description

Date

Great Western Railway Box Tunnel Contract – Box Tunnel East Portal

Three drawings on one sheet. First drawing is of an elevation of the East Portal of Box Tunnel, second drawing is of longitudinal section at AB, third drawing is of plan of superstructure

07 July 1838

Great Western Railway Box Tunnel Contract No.4, 5 & 6 Drawing No.3 – Ventilation Shafts

Details of Box Tunnel ventilation shafts. Four drawings on one sheet. Drawing No. 3 for Contract No. 4, 5 and 6 Box Tunnel. First drawing is of a transverse section at AB, second drawing is of a longitudinal section at CD, third drawing is of a plan at GH, fourth drawing is of a plan at EF. This is one of the drawings referred to in the annexed contract between the Great Western Railway Company and Mr. George Burge bearing date the seventh day of July 1838. The drawing is signed by Brunel and George Burge.

07 July 1838

Great Western Railway Contract No.6 Box Extension Drawing No.1A – Three-arch Bridge over Railway

Details of masonry bridge over line. Three drawings on one sheet. Drawing No. 1A for Contract No. 6 Box Extension. First drawing is of longitudinal section at AB, second drawing is of transverse section at CD, third drawing is of transverse section at EF.

1835-1845

Great Western Railway Box Tunnel Contract Drawing No.2 – Box Tunnel West Portal Key Stone

Seven drawings on one sheet of ornamental details for Box Tunnel. First drawing is of an entablature, second drawing is of elevation of truss, third drawing is of balustrading, fourth drawing is of key stone side elevation, fifth drawing is of front elevation, sixth drawing is of spandril, seventh drawing is of bustics.

07 July 1838

Great Western Railway Contract No.6 Box Extension Drawing No.1 – Three-arch Bridge over Railway

Masonry bridge over line. Two drawings on one sheet. Drawing No. 1 for Contract No. 6 Box Extension. First drawing is of an elevation, second drawing is of a plan of foundations with plan of superstructure.

1835-1845

Great Western Railway Box Tunnel Contract – Section through Hill showing Progress

Longitudial section showing progress of works etc to 28 June 1839

28 June 1839

Great Western Railway Box Tunnel Contract – Section through Tunnel showing Progress

Longitudial section showing progress of works

undated

Great Western Railway Box Tunnel Proposed Centring for Strengthening

Proposed centring for the strengthening of Box Tunnel. Seven drawings on one sheet. First drawing is of cross section, second drawing is of a sectional elevation, third drawing is of detail at C, fourth drawing is of detail at A, fifth drawing is of section at B, sixth drawing is of plan from D, seventh drawing is of detail at E. Signed by James Charles Inglis.

14 June 1895

Great Western Railway Box Tunnel Contract – West Portal Sections

Details of Box Tunnel portal. Two drawings on one sheet. First drawing is of sections at CD, EF, GH and IK, second drawing is of plan of foundations at LM with superstructure.

07 July 1838

Great Western Railway Box Tunnel Contract No.4, 5 & 6 Drawing No.3 – Ventilation Shaft

07 July 1838

Great Western Railway Contract No.6 Box Extension Working Drawing No.3 – Three-Arch Bridge over Railway

Three drawings on one sheet. [Half drawing is missing]. Details of Bridge [at Box?]. First drawing is of longitudinal section at AB, second drawing is of plan of superstructure, third drawing is of transverse section at EF.

1835-1845

Great Western Railway Box Tunnel Contract No.5 & 6 Drawing No.2 – Cross Sections through Tunnel

Cross sections of Box Tunnel. Three drawings on one sheet. Drawing No. 2 for Contract No. 5 and 6. First drawing is of section No. 1, second drawing is of section No. 2, third drawing is of section No. 3.

07 July 1838

Great Western Railway Box Tunnel Contract Drawing No.1 – Long Section of Tunnel

Long Section of Box Tunnel. Two drawings on one sheet. Drawing No. 1 for Contract No. 6 Box Tunnel. First drawing is of a plan showing the line of the tunnel including the positioning of the shafts, second drawing is of a cross section of the area of land showing the locations for each contract and the position of shafts. This is one of the drawings referred to in the annexed contract between the Great Western Railway Company and Mr. George Burge bearing date the seventh day of July 1838. The drawing is signed by Brunel and George Burge.

07 July 1838

Great Western Railway Box Tunnel Contract – Section Through Hill Showing Progress

Longitudial section showing progress of works

undated

Great Western Railway Tunnels – Sections through Box Tunnel, Marley Tunnel and Newport Tunnel

Six drawings on one page. First three drawings are of sections of Box Tunnel, fourth and fifth drawings are of sections of Newport Tunnel, sixth drawing is of Marley Tunnel.

undated

Great Western Railway Box Tunnel Contract No.5 & 6 Drawing No.2 – Cross Section through Tunnel

Cross Sections of Box tunnel. Three drawings on one sheet. Drawing No. 2 for Contract No. 5 and 6. First drawing is of section No. 1, second drawing is of section No. 2, third drawing is of section No. 3.This is one of the drawings referred to in the annexed contract between the Great Western Railway Company and Mr. George Burge bearing date the seventh day of July 1838. The drawing is signed by Brunel and George Burge.

07 July 1838

Great Western Railway Box Tunnel Contract No.5 Drawing No.3 – Tunnel Air Shaft Sections and Plans

Ventilation Shaft of Box Tunnel. Four drawings on one sheet. Drawing No. 3 for Contract No. 5 Box Tunnel. First drawing is of fig. 1 transverse section at AB, second drawing is fig. 2 longitudinal section at CD, third drawing is of fig 4. plan at GH, fourth drawing is fig 3 plan at EF. This is one of the drawings referred to in the annexed contract between the Great Western Railway Company and Mr. George Burge bearing date the seventh day of July 1838. The drawing is signed by Brunel and George Burge.

07 July 1838

Great Western Railway Box Tunnel Contract – West Portal Elevation

Two drawings on one sheet. First drawing is of an elevation of Box Tunnel West Front, second drawing is of plan of foundations at AB.

07 July 1838

1 2