Saltford Tunnel East Portal (MLN11157)

MATERIALS: ashlar Bath stone portal and copings. Square and coursed Pennant stone retaining walls and tunnel lining. Small engineering brick patches.

DESCRIPTION: depressed, four-centred arch, with a span of 30ft (9m), consisting of ashlar voussoirs and a recessed roll and then hollow moulding. No stops to these mouldings are visible (though they are shown on the contract drawings; they may be buried beneath ballast). Two small sections of engineering brick patching. The arch is set within a giant square hoodmould with stops, which frames chamfered spandrel panels. This ashlar portal is itself set within a coursed Pennant stone retaining wall extending above and to the sides. This is topped by a plain coping course which rises gently to a peak over the centre. A low coursed rubble retaining wall abuts the south (Down) side. This has a segmental-arched niche with basin, which may be the outlet for a natural spring. It is not shown on the surviving contract drawings.

The tunnel is not very deep, and buildings and gardens of the village of Saltford crowd the low hill above the portal.

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 18/07/2012