Caitlin here. I'm a Editor/Producer at Possum Films, a post-production company I have started that's based in Sydney. Feel free to contact me via the Possum Films facebook page for any buisness matters.
I remember finding out about these tunnels and subsequently exploring them, around 30 years ago. Initially when I discovered these, #2 tunnel was still in use for mushroom farming, #3 tunnel had not long been abandoned for mushroom growing, #4 tunnel entrance at the northern end was still full of silt up to the tunnel mouth, and at this point in time I didn't know the old Helensburgh station was buried there. I didn't dare try and walk into this tunnel as it was too muddy and soft under foot. The other end - inside Metropolitan Colliery - was still closed off and water was visible leaking over the filled in tunnel mouth. Of further interest is that some of the brickwork from the original #1 tunnel can be seen in the opened out cutting just south of Waterfall. It initially took me some doing but I found tunnels 5 and 6 and had no issues walking through them, while Otford tunnel was still difficult to get to. I later walked in from the southern end but it was quite eerie, and I don't think I ever walked all the way. The only other tunnel I can recall walking into after the railway closed, was Glebe tunnel, in Sydney, before the tramline to Lilyfield was extended through it. I have walked trough the former "Southport Tunnel" on the former Queensland Railways South Coast line, last doing that around 2004, but even then that was nothing overly difficult or eerie in any way much.
4:16 Correction: *Not* courtesy "7news" but courtesy *STATION ATN-SYDNEY NEWS!* It's the *STATION* that creates the bulletin! The channel is nothing more than the frequency range(7 Mhz wide) on which the *STATION* transmits its signal!
Platforms 26 and 27 at Central were used for storage back in the day, went down there probably half a dozen times in the early to mid 90's when I was a maintenance electrician for the railway (pre-privatisation).
As a direct result of 9/11, a lot of the exploration (especially public expos conducted by the SCC) were sadly lost due to motion detectors/surveillance. No more just casually hoping down into the Tank Stream next to the SSX at 3AM. You could probably still reach the abandoned Bondi Junction tunnel with some effort though.
The central planners would be crazy to not maintain those abandoned tracks as a future shelter for not only air raids but the threat of nuclear warfare which is more real than the mainstream media cares to admit.
Ok film but there is a few details missing, the reason the tunnels had to be closed in the early 1900 was because the train crew were coming out unconscious due to the length and smoke, were the workers lived was the deviation village as my old family worked on the new lines and my aunt was the organist at the church which I still have the organ from the church also I gave Mr House a lot of the early photos of the work crews.
Can you get to the outside end of the blocked off Gloworm Tunnel ? I regularly ride my bike in both directions in the Otford to Stanwell Park tunnel. With a good light on bike of course. I reckon it would be ruined if it was pathed & had lighting put in there. It would lose all its character. Get rid of the Graffity vandalism would be a good start. Leave it as it is.
The northern end of the glowworm tunnel has fencing on it atm from what I heard so access from that end is limited. The southern end of it is unaccessible due to it coming out in the mining place in Helensburgh.
@@rhettcorbett3346 not sure if you’re still interested but both the lilyvale tunnels are along camp gully rd past the coal mine and can be seen on google maps by the road outline going darker
Thank you very much for this very interesting and informative video presentation which is very much appreciated by the people. The research that you have done here is very important in keeping the history of this area alive.
Very interesting! However, like just about everything else to do with this group of tunnels, there is next to nothing on Tunnel number 5, also known as Lilyvale number 1. Hopefully the first part of this video of mine will somewhat add to available information on this otherwise neglected tunnel. Exploring old Helensburgh Rail Tunnel on 2' Gauge an other 2' gauge Fun ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3vGaahva6bc.html
Great video! Very nicely done. It would be great if they made the Otford tunnel into a rail trail that connect to the cycle paths down Wollongong but I'm dubious that it will happen. We have ridden them on our ebikes but it's not easy. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-04DQvz-jCUo.html
About a year after this was made (2019) the State Government called for expressions of interest to develop these tunnels but, as far as I know, nothing came of it. The spare platforms at Central are being used now during the construction of the Central Walk pedestrian tunnels under the suburban platforms and will be used to house equipment for the walk. Was any part of The Matrix actually filmed at St James? The subway scenes certainly were not filmed there.
The scenes with the trainman from the third film were filmed there. You can see Morpheus, Trinity and Seraph jumping over the turnstiles on the main station concourse. After that, you can see the trainman jump in front of a train on a CGI version of the platform, which was filmed by putting a green screen up against the wall above the tracks. You can see it here from 1m 30s onwards: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bIl_V7WyA0I.html
My Cousin and I have been through all the tunnels on foot but the Lillyvale tunnels at the time. The most challenging part was finding and gaining access to the Cawley Tunnel Nth of the current Helensburgh tunnel. We had to climb down a 3m cliff face and found the ground at the entry was 3 feet of wet mud, but we had gum boots and short pant and was able to gain access. In the tunnel we found 3 1 foot holes filled with water with signs of life within the tunnel floor. I can comfirm at the time that the Metropolitan Tunnel next to the Helensburgh tunnel was flooded half way through and was very creepy, but not as creepy as the Otford Tunnel Sth of Otford. My Cousin went back 3 weeks later with a biking bubby and went through all of them from North to South (Cawley Tunnel to Otford Tunnel) on bikes.
Yes. Have done those tunnels on my bike as well. I got to Cawley St ( Eastern end) tunnel by following road beside railway on Eastern side & crossing over bridge & a short ride through the bush & came out on a concrete patch. Then a short ride to tunnel.
Possum Films surely in the repurposing of the mine upon its closure. It would be cheaper easier to convert the mine into tram depot infrastructure? while repairing restoring its lines tunnels platforms for light-rail. Approving land reclamation for the mine & company.As the technology exists now to make it all possible. While killing two birds with one stone. fixing the tunnels relocating the dirt soil sand cleaning it up moving it from the tunnels to the mine backfilling it replicating the westconnex tunnel hornsby council quarry park project technique. Making a park for the community with pond & other etc consulting the local community.Reducing cost of Reforming the mine. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-92jLa7yHC9s.html www.quarrymagazine.com/2020/03/19/transformation-project-salvaged-after-hiccup/
Possum Films True; But it would be considered nothing in ratio to the cost of building the Parramatta or Circularquay lines. Open or closed cut the tunnels.
They should fix the train tracks through the tunnels and put a old rail diesel car on for tourist rides !Years ago we did some demolishing work on the Lilivale station just south of the tunnel we walked through it many times !
Considered connecting the metro line platforms to the existing unused platforms Of Saint James & Central Station ?Along with expansion of Central station
@@gppsoftware simply not true, multiple routes were optioned. None of the routes optioned, including the one selected, prevent the Metro extension from going near St James and Central
Mum used to work a phone switch board in the St James tunnel during the 2nd world war in the control room tells a story about being escorted by a warden down a tunnel using a touch Her day job was working the switch board at Marcus Clarks building now the Tafe building right next to the Darling harbour goods line were in came out of the tunnel under Broadway as the troop trains came through the tunnel the train would blow there whistle mum and the other women would run to the windows next to the line and wave to the men that were going off to war
Ah the nation builders- the great leftovers of the Victorian era. Building always with the future in mind & achieving truly remarkable things. Then we come to today. Always building with the present in mind & still achieving truly remarkable things, but things which sadly cost more & more because there is no unified vision.
