Talk:Thames Tunnel/Archive 1

Archive 1

Archive 2

First tunnel

According to london under london a subterranean guide The babylonians built a tunnel under the euphrates.Geni 20:39, 5 April 2008 (UTC)

I have now re-added the claim, with several qualifications, as this tunnel's pioneering nature seems to be an important point. Open4D (talk) 20:27, 31 August 2008 (UTC)

The Euphrates tunnel was, I understand, prefabricated, made of glass and lowered to the river bed. Thence, not a tunnel as such ... also not sure of the evidence for its existence - 'wonder of the world', later writers? Always difficult with pre-antiquity stuff. Safe to say 'first, of the modern era'. Kbthompson (talk) 12:10, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

Visiting

I have read that today the tunnel is open and again tomorrow for visitors, i am from Lancashire, UK and i would like to visit but have no chance of getting down there today or tomorrow, why are they closing them up forever? surely they are a tourist attraction and should be kept open? what a shame i will NEVER see them, im totally gutted cause I think it is a very interesting place from what i have heard and i think others who read this will agree! Bankhallbretherton (talk) 11:22, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

The tunnel is (will return to being) an active railway. The East London Line is currently under reconstruction; and will reopen soon. Access to an active railway is - of necessity - restricted. The 'great descent' will remain open - but has a concrete plug at the bottom to seperate the 'open part' and the railway tunnel. You can see into the tunnel from both the stations; north and south of the thames. For the price of a ticket, you can go through the tunnel - on a train. Hope that clarifies the situation. Kbthompson (talk) 12:03, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

The present wording is very misleading. Presumably the tunnel has been reopened to the public, not the line, but after the two days will be closed for public foot access. The tunnel is not being closed, which is what the article (now) and the sky news reference, both suggest. I know only what's been written here, so I can't presume to correct it.

However, I have found this "Associated Press" ref, which doesn't mention being closed for ever! -- EdJogg (talk) 13:12, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

Also see BBC - The guide - things to do in London this weekend and Thames Tunnel Walkthrough and Fancy Fair. Not surprisingly, the Tunnel Walkthrough has already sold out. -- EdJogg (talk) 13:22, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

Alistair, thank you for attending to the wording. After finding the above references I realised that I couldn't just leave it as it was, hence my edit (which clashed with yours, sorry). The Sky News reference is one of a huge number of similar available, as the story seems to have been syndicated around the world. (Except for the BBC!) The news story doesn't really give the whole picture though... -- EdJogg (talk) 13:58, 12 March 2010 (UTC)

I visited the tunnel and have a set of Creative Commons BY-SA photos from the event on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/criminalintent/sets/72157623496286695/. You are welcome to use the photos in the article or link to the set. Lars (talk) 22:52, 14 March 2010 (UTC)

You lucky so-and-so! Very nice photos. Presumably the reason they 'could not do this again' (apart from having to stop the trains) is that there will be a centre rail in place, leaving little room for safe walking.

EdJogg (talk) 01:09, 15 March 2010 (UTC)

Thanks Lars. I've uploaded one and added it to the article. --DavidCane (talk) 21:35, 26 September 2010 (UTC)

Cost of purchase by East London Railway

Source of East London Railway suggests that it was bought at the cost of 800,000 pounds but in Marc Isambard Brunel it says it was 200,000. Both sources are in physical form and no online access is available. Can anyone help verify the actual cost of purchase? -- Sameboat - 同舟 (talk) 07:36, 12 September 2013 (UTC)