Day 13 - Newcastle on Tyne - 20 September 2024

We had booked for a 10:00 a.m. tour of the Victoria Tunnel.  We also planned to look at the Cathedral and the Castle.  The entrance to the tunnel was around 25 minutes' walk from the hotel and so we set off at around 9:30 a.m. to give us spare time. We arrived with about 5 minutes to spare. 

The Victoria Tunnelwas built in 1842 to transport coal from Leazes Main Colliery to riverside staithes (jetties) ready for loading onto ships. In 1939, it was converted into an air-raid shelter to protect hundreds of Newcastle citizens during World War II. The tunnel is 2.4 miles long and was built because coal could not be taken through or around the city.  It was cut through clay which they used to make bricks to support the tunnel.

It is pitch black in the tunnel. The lights were turned off to show how dark it would have been for the people taking shelter during WW2.  It is an engineering marvel which was built by hand.  

There were clay kickers who used their feet to dig the clay whilst others removed it from the floor of the tunnel.

An image of a clay kicker

The tunnel goes underneath Newcastle and operated until 1860 when the colliery closed.  The coal was poor quality and so could not attract a high enough price to make a profit.  The tunnel then sat vacant.  

During WW2, those who did not have a private bomb shelter were able to go to the tunnel.  They stayed until the "all clear" signal was given and the longest wait was 18 hours.  That is a long time.

In the tunnel

This is the detail of the tunnel wall

It was fascinating to see.  Nurses assisted during WW2 and they had only four 14 watt bulbs to work in. It was only a little better that darkness.  They also had to contend with constant water on the floor as a the construction struck a spring. That is still flowing today and the water just continues along a gutter.

Spring water

We then walked back to town to see the cathedral and the castle which, thankfully are very close together. We strolled along the quay to have a look at the bridges.  Newcastle is well known for the bridges and the Vera series have made them even more famous.  

The most famous is the Gateshead Mellenium Bridge which is very modern.  The Swing Bridge commenced construction in 1873 and was the largest of its type at the time.  The Tyne  

Don and Julie on the Millenium Bridge

The Millenium Bridge

The other Bridges

Newcastle is a lovely town and has some really interesting streets. The people are very friendly and we feel welcome.

What a nice looking street

The cathedral is great. The detail of the place is remarkable and again, the congregation seems to be flourishing.  he building was completed in 1061. We spent a long time wandering through the building and appreciating the skill of the craftsmen.

Inside the cathedral

The Cathedral

Newcastle Castle has been converted into a museum and there is now very little resemblance to how it was when originally constructed. A fair bit was also removed when the railway was constructed as it separated the Keep from the Castle.  The views from the top though are stunning.

A statue on the top

The Keep

The main hall

That is a great fireplace

The castle

A fantastic view

Another view of the castle

The swing bridge

Then we went back to the hotel for a quiet drink before enjoying a meal at Babucho, a fabulous Italian Restaurant.

Happy Hour

We walked back along the quay at night and the bridges look great with the lights.  It gave the place a completely different feel. What a wonderful day.

That is pretty cool