▁railway ▁tunnel ▁in ▁Britain ▁prior ▁to ▁its ▁closure ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁tunnel ▁was ▁opened ▁by ▁the ▁Lanc ash ire , ▁Derby shire ▁and ▁East ▁Coast ▁Railway ▁( l ater ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Great ▁Central ▁Railway ▁and ▁subsequently ▁the ▁L NER ) ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 8 9 7 . ▁As ▁originally ▁planned , ▁this ▁was ▁a ▁highly ▁am bit ious ▁scheme , ▁as ▁its ▁name ▁suggests , ▁but ▁only ▁the ▁central ▁section ▁between ▁Ch ester field ▁Market ▁Place ▁and ▁Lincoln , ▁together ▁with ▁a ▁branch ▁from ▁Lang with ▁J unction ▁to ▁the ▁out sk ir ts ▁of ▁She ff ield , ▁were ▁ever ▁built . ▁ ▁The ▁tunnel ▁hit ▁problems ▁during ▁construction ▁which ▁were ▁never ▁satisf actor ily ▁resolved ▁throughout ▁its ▁life . ▁Chief ▁among ▁these ▁was ▁heavy ▁water ▁ing ress . ▁This ▁was ▁t apped ▁to ▁supply ▁the ▁nearby ▁town ▁of ▁Bol so ver ▁and ▁at ▁ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁gall ons ▁( 9 0 9 , 2 1 8 ▁lit res ) ▁per ▁day ▁was ▁sufficient ▁to ▁supply ▁its ▁needs . ▁The ▁water ▁problem ▁was ▁ex ac erb ated ▁by ▁min ing ▁subs idence . ▁Tra ffic , ▁not ably ▁coal , ▁east ▁of ▁Lang with ▁J unction ▁was ▁heavy , ▁but ▁little ▁material ised ▁on ▁the ▁Ch ester field ▁to ▁Lang with ▁section . ▁These ▁three ▁factors , ▁plus ▁an ▁estimated ▁cost ▁of ▁£ 1 ▁Mill ion ▁( in ▁ 1 9 5 1 ) ▁and ▁un cost ed