| Re: 'World's oldest underwater tunnel opened to public' - Thames Tunnel, Rotherhithe Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 00:34, 25th March 2026 |     |
From the London Transport Museum website:
A brief history of the Thames Tunnel and the East London line
...
In 1825, French engineer Marc Brunel started work on the Thames Tunnel, the very first underwater tunnel anywhere in the world. Beset by financial difficulties, frequent flooding and several deaths, the project wasn’t completed until 1843. However, it opened not as a thoroughfare for goods as it had been intended but as a pedestrian walkway.
The Thames Tunnel was immensely popular as a tourist attraction when it first opened on 25 March 1843 with one million visitors in its first ten weeks.
...
...
In 1825, French engineer Marc Brunel started work on the Thames Tunnel, the very first underwater tunnel anywhere in the world. Beset by financial difficulties, frequent flooding and several deaths, the project wasn’t completed until 1843. However, it opened not as a thoroughfare for goods as it had been intended but as a pedestrian walkway.
The Thames Tunnel was immensely popular as a tourist attraction when it first opened on 25 March 1843 with one million visitors in its first ten weeks.
...
| Re: 'World's oldest underwater tunnel opened to public' - Thames Tunnel, Rotherhithe Posted by RailCornwall at 12:50, 15th March 2010 | |
| Re: 'World's oldest underwater tunnel opened to public' - Thames Tunnel, Rotherhithe Posted by moonrakerz at 08:44, 15th March 2010 | |
"The World's oldest underwater tunnel is rumored to be the Terelek kaya t^neli under Kızıl River, a little south of the towns of Boyabat and Duragan in Turkey. Estimated to have been built more than 2000 years ago (possibly 5000) it is assumed to have had a defence purpose"
Wiki and other sources:
| Re: 'World's oldest underwater tunnel opened to public' - Thames Tunnel, Rotherhithe Posted by John R at 10:06, 14th March 2010 | |
That's really annoying. I was in Canary Wharf on Friday and could have gone along if I'd known.
| 'World's oldest underwater tunnel opened to public' - Thames Tunnel, Rotherhithe Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 23:32, 13th March 2010 | |
From the BBC:
The world's oldest underwater tunnel has been opened to the public for the first time in almost 150 years.
The Thames Tunnel in Rotherhithe in East London is welcoming visitors for two days to show why it was once regarded as the "Eighth Wonder of the World".
Director of the Brunel Museum, Robert Hulse, explains why the tunnel was initially built.
The Thames Tunnel in Rotherhithe in East London is welcoming visitors for two days to show why it was once regarded as the "Eighth Wonder of the World".
Director of the Brunel Museum, Robert Hulse, explains why the tunnel was initially built.
