Great North Road, Gibraltar: Difference between revisions
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==The road tunnel== |
==The road tunnel== |
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[[File:Great North Road map.gif|thumb|400px|Map '''A''' Brigade Headquarters '''B''' Doncaster Adit '''C''' Calpe Hole Generating Station. North is to the left]] |
[[File:Great North Road map.gif|thumb|400px|Map '''A''' Brigade Headquarters '''B''' Doncaster Adit '''C''' Calpe Hole Generating Station. North is to the left]] |
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The tunnel starts at |
The tunnel starts at Maida Vale behind the old Casino and travels behind the [[Rock Hotel]] north to [[Doncaster Adit]]. At this point there are several other minor tunnels which build to create a cooking area and an ammunition magazine which links with [[Wilson's Cave]] which was discovered during the magazine's construction. |
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The road continues north and includes the [[Raglan's Battery|Raglan Battery Shelter]].<ref name=ehlen>{{cite book|last=Ehlen|first=edited by Judy|title=The environmental legacy of military operations|year=2001|publisher=Geological Society of America|location=Boulder, CO|isbn=0813741149|page=116|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kbpS12tpG3AC&pg=PA116&lpg=PA116&dq=%22great+north+road%22+gibraltar&source=bl&ots=aUme8KGaVG&sig=02fUDh4t-hKtq2IOy6QU9ilv9eo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=g9acUf6RFoeOO--AgYAF&ved=0CGsQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=%22great%20north%20road%22%20gibraltar&f=false|coauthors=Harmon, Russell S.}}</ref> The tunnel named the Great North Road ends at the now abandoned [[Calpe Hole Generating station]] but access was possible all the way to the North face of Gibraltar. The tunnel would allow lorries to travel within the [[Rock of Gibraltar]] joining to other tunnels and chambers. With the addition of [[Fosse Way, Gibraltar|Fosse Way]] in 1944 it was possible to travel from the tunnel system within the [[Northern Defences]] down the complete length of the rock to emerge on the south east side of Gibraltar.<ref name=ehlen>{{cite book|last=Ehlen|first=Judy|title=The environmental legacy of military operations|publisher=Geological Society of America|pages=114–118|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kbpS12tpG3AC&pg=PA116&lpg=PA116&dq=%22great+north+road%22+gibraltar&source=bl&ots=aUme8KGaVG&sig=02fUDh4t-hKtq2IOy6QU9ilv9eo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=g9acUf6RFoeOO--AgYAF&ved=0CGsQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=%22great%20north%20road%22%20gibraltar&f=false}}</ref> |
The road continues north and includes the [[Raglan's Battery|Raglan Battery Shelter]].<ref name=ehlen>{{cite book|last=Ehlen|first=edited by Judy|title=The environmental legacy of military operations|year=2001|publisher=Geological Society of America|location=Boulder, CO|isbn=0813741149|page=116|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kbpS12tpG3AC&pg=PA116&lpg=PA116&dq=%22great+north+road%22+gibraltar&source=bl&ots=aUme8KGaVG&sig=02fUDh4t-hKtq2IOy6QU9ilv9eo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=g9acUf6RFoeOO--AgYAF&ved=0CGsQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=%22great%20north%20road%22%20gibraltar&f=false|coauthors=Harmon, Russell S.}}</ref> The tunnel named the Great North Road ends at the now abandoned [[Calpe Hole Generating station]] but access was possible all the way to the North face of Gibraltar. The tunnel would allow lorries to travel within the [[Rock of Gibraltar]] joining to other tunnels and chambers. With the addition of [[Fosse Way, Gibraltar|Fosse Way]] in 1944 it was possible to travel from the tunnel system within the [[Northern Defences]] down the complete length of the rock to emerge on the south east side of Gibraltar.<ref name=ehlen>{{cite book|last=Ehlen|first=Judy|title=The environmental legacy of military operations|publisher=Geological Society of America|pages=114–118|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kbpS12tpG3AC&pg=PA116&lpg=PA116&dq=%22great+north+road%22+gibraltar&source=bl&ots=aUme8KGaVG&sig=02fUDh4t-hKtq2IOy6QU9ilv9eo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=g9acUf6RFoeOO--AgYAF&ved=0CGsQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=%22great%20north%20road%22%20gibraltar&f=false}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 11:01, 23 May 2013
 submarine nets left inside the Great North Road tunnels | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Location | Gibraltar |
| Status | Open with guide |
| Start | Maida Vale |
| End | Calpe Hole Generating Station |
| Operation | |
| Constructed | 1940s |
| Owner | Government of Gibraltar |
| Traffic | was army lorries |
| Toll | Nil |
The Great North Road is a large road inside a tunnel that was built within the Rock of Gibraltar. The road allowed lorries to travel from the north to the south. Today the tunnel can be viewed by arrangement. The riad tunnel today has the remains of World War II buildings, kitchens, offices, a generating station and anti-submarine nets.
Background
During World War II an underground bombproof city was built for 16,000 troops with enough supplies to last sixteen months. Within the rock was a telephone exchange, a generating station, a water distillation plant. a hospital, a frozen food store, a bakery, ammunition magazines,a vast underground REME shed where damaged vehicles and equipment could be repaired and a road.[1] The road was built within a tunnel that was started when the 180 Tunneling Company of the Royal Engineers was created in 1940. The following year the 180 Company was joined by the 170 and 178 Company.[2]
The road tunnel
The tunnel starts at Maida Vale behind the old Casino and travels behind the Rock Hotel north to Doncaster Adit. At this point there are several other minor tunnels which build to create a cooking area and an ammunition magazine which links with Wilson's Cave which was discovered during the magazine's construction.
The road continues north and includes the Raglan Battery Shelter.[3] The tunnel named the Great North Road ends at the now abandoned Calpe Hole Generating station but access was possible all the way to the North face of Gibraltar. The tunnel would allow lorries to travel within the Rock of Gibraltar joining to other tunnels and chambers. With the addition of Fosse Way in 1944 it was possible to travel from the tunnel system within the Northern Defences down the complete length of the rock to emerge on the south east side of Gibraltar.[3]
After 1941 the spoil from mining was used to extend what is now Gibraltar Airport to 1550 yards long and later to 1800 yards in length with a width of 150 yards. Tunnelling created about 7500 tons every day and the surplus was used for land reclamation. The runway was required for Operation Torch, the allied attack on North Africa.[4] In November 1942, General Eisenhower set up his headquarters to plan the allied invasion of French North Africa which would lead with the help of Montgomery's victorious 8th Army to capturing the whole of North Africa.[1]
After WWII
Today the tunnel can be viewed by arrangement. The remains of World War II buildings, generating station and anti-submarine nets can be seen today.[1] The two hour tour normally starts at an entrance behind the Casino building, and proceeds through several large chambers visiting Brigade Headquarters and continues for almost one mile arriving at the Calpe Hole Generating Station.[1]
In 1956 a dinner was served within one Great North Road's large side chambers to celebrate the centenary of the Royal Engineers. An apt celebration as the engineers can trace their history back to the Soldier Artificer Company which was formed to tunnel Gibraltar.[1]
References
- This article contains both text and pictures from the web site DiscoverGibraltar.com
- ^ a b c d e Crone, Jim. "Great North Road (see tunnels in index)". DiscoverGibraltar.com. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
- ^ "THE GIBRALTAR TUNNELS" (PDF). siegebattlefieldtours.com. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
- ^ a b Ehlen, edited by Judy (2001). The environmental legacy of military operations. Boulder, CO: Geological Society of America. p. 116. ISBN 0813741149.
{{cite book}}:|first=has generic name (help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) Cite error: The named reference "ehlen" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page). - ^ Finlayson, Darren Fa & Clive (2006). The fortifications of Gibraltar : 1068-1945 (1. publ. in Great Britain. ed.). Oxford [u.a.]: Osprey. p. 47. ISBN 9781846030161.