Sorry – Now sold out
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Later this month, for one weekend only, there’s a chance to walk through a railway tunnel under the River Thames.
Thames tunnel (c) ianVisits
The tunnel, built by Marc and Isambard Brunel, was called the eighth wonder of the world when it first opened 180 years ago as the first tunnel to be built underneath a river. Originally intended as a road tunnel, it opened for pedestrians before being converted to a railway in 1865.
As the railway, now the London Overground, will be closed later this month for engineering works – they’re letting the public walk through the tunnel, for the first time since 2014.
You’ll start at Rotherhithe station, and once down at the platforms, you’ll be invited to step down where the public never go — onto the railway tracks and then walk through the railway tunnel under the Thames to Wapping, and then back again to Rotherhithe — so you walk along both tunnels.
The tours take place over the weekend of 25th and 26th November 2023. Tours run from throughout the day and cost £75 per person. You can book tickets here.
(Tickets had sold out to their newsletter subscribers prior to going on public sale, so they’ve released more timed slots for the Saturday only)
Note • Children under 14 are not permitted on the tour • Every ticket must be assigned to a named ticket holder • Each ticket holder must bring photo ID for security purposes
To get to Rotherhithe station where the tours start and end, you could either go to the closest station, Canada Water and walk to Rotherhithe station, but it’s a bit of a winding route through side streets to get there. An easier, but slightly longer route is to get off at Bermondsey tube station, and then it’s a simple walk along the main road to Rotherhithe, or you can catch the C10 or 381 bus, which goes directly between the two stations roughly every 10 minutes.
I know inflation’s been pretty high lately, but in 2010 the same tour cost me a mere fiver.
Me too!
According to the Bank of England Inflation Calculator, £5 in 2010 = £7.38 today.
So many ‘events’ and tours run by all sorts of organisations (not just LT Museum) are ridiculous prices now. It’s pure profiteering – not ameliorated by the fact that there are always people able and willing to pay, because it’s just making such events the preserve of the better-off.
Time for some searching questions to be asked of LT Museum and others.
I agree! £75 to walk down a tunnel? Seriously outrageous..I would have loved to take my 14 year old for his birthday but am a single parent on low wages.
How long is the walk?
I don’t know but it’s pretty quick by the overground ..
20 minutes each way?
£75 pounds might reduce the crowds though. There was a huge mob last time with a snaking queue in those little streets. I have a feeling that the opening last time was a Boris mayoral sponsorship. Costs must’ve been very high with many safety staff around. Then there were steps down and barriers. Lots of H&S to manage.
It is worth doing if you’ve had a scratch card win. Its shape is unique and there’s much to admire in its historic workmanship. It may have flooded a few times during its building but it’s done pretty well since it opened. It looks very dry.
You can walk for free under Thames from Greenwich (Cutty Sark) to Island gardens on Isle of Dogs!!
Also free in the Woolwich foot tunnel and the Rotherhide Road one. The second comes with a dose of traffic fumes.
It’s dry because it was lined in a waterproof render during one of the long closures waybackwhen. Due to its importance, the architectural details were retained, and the original surfaces have been left exposed at one end for historical reference.
Agree with previous respondants regarding the pricing. I was fortunate to do the 2014 walk which I think was around a resonable £10 (some of my images in this flickr album: https://flic.kr/s/aHsjYqeMQG ).