Tunnel Vision

Today we went into Newcastle, over by Ouseburn, and went into the Victorian Tunnel. This was a tunnel that ran from the coal mines to the river to enable the coal to be loaded onto the coal ships.
During the second world war they were used as air-raid shelters, where anything between 5.000 -9,000 men, women and children took refuge from the bombing.
With only 84 toilets between them.
The Victoria Tunnel runs beneath the city from the Town Moor down to the Tyne. It was 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. A programme of repairs in 2007-8 was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the TyneWear Partnership, and part of the Tunnel is now open to the public.