Discovering the Toon – Ouseburn

Being a local means I’ve sometimes taken my beloved Newcastle for granted. Dating Raf meant I saw the Toon through a new set of eyes, and it made me want to explore and find out more. One feature I’d only recently found out about is the Victoria Tunnel, which is located in the Ouseburn Valley area of the city. Raf lived across the road from the entrance for two years and was unaware of its existence, so I didn’t feel too ashamed!

I decided to book this as an adventure for all three of us, hoping Jnr would be willing to participate. The history of the Tunnel, I hoped, would be engaging enough for him. It’s not very often you get to walk 75ft under Newcastle. The main fear was there’d be all sorts of creepy crawly things living down there, but was assured during our orientation chat in the warmth of the office that there’s nothing alive down there due to a lack of food. We were told not to take any refreshments with us to keep it that way 🙂  As someone who is mildly claustrophobic I was concerned about being in a confined space for 2 hours, but decided to be brave. The group was around 20 people, so it couldn’t be too restrictive for Health & Safety reasons. Our guides were a local girl and a rather amusing older gentlemen, who has the look of St.Nick about him, called Bill. We set off in the pouring rain from the meeting point to the entrance, passing The Cluny and Seven Stories along the way. Interesting facts were imparted on our journey, like the bars on the windows weren’t there historically to keep burglars out, but to prevent the employees of the whisky company (as it was back then) passing the barrels out to steal themselves!

The weather wasn’t great, but as we had waited 6 weeks to secure a Saturday booking I wasn’t going to waste the opportunity. We were told to make sure we had warm clothes and sturdy shoes and, once in the tunnel, I understood why. We were issued with hard hats and torches upon entering the tunnel, then sat on some benches inside while we heard some facts about the tunnels’ use as an air raid shelter during the war. The trip was split into two parts – one part focused on the the war and the other took us back to 1839 when it was used as a waggon-way to transport coal from the pit at Spital Tongue down to the Quayside.Walking through the dark tunnel was quite the eerie experience. It’s hard to believe around 7000 people piled down here during the blackout for safety. It’s made me wonder what happened to my family during the War, who lived on the other side of the river Tyne.
Apologies for the poor quality of the photos, but it is difficult using an iPhone in the dark. It wasn’t as cold as anticipated in the tunnel, and we were told that the temperature remains a steady 12 degrees all year round. There is a reason for this, but I can’t tell you all the secrets!The picture above is of the bricks that line the tunnel walls. The 3 marks are from the child who made the bricks during the war effort. This being pointed out to us added a poignancy to the visit. These were hard times, and there was a strong sense of community. Apparently this was voted the worst air raid shelter in the country, which prompted one Byker resident to respond ‘It’s better to be damp than deed’. Brilliant!There is a steep climb up to view one of the shelter entrances, located near the Tanner Arms. It’s amazing to think that the tunnel remained closed between 1860 and 1939, and ingenious on the part of the Council at the time to utilise it in that way. There is a man-hole cover outside the pub that is the only above ground clue to what lies beneath.

The second part of our journey focused on the beginnings of the tunnel, which took 3 years and 200 men to build. The story of the Arkless Brothers was particularly interesting, especially as it featured the only fatality in the tunnel’s history. Yet again, I won’t spoil this for you! We were shown what appears to be an honour scroll on the wall, but the guides said they had no firm evidence of what it was in relation to. Other interesting tales we were told were about how the Toffee Factory came to have its unusual moniker, and the sad tale of the little girl who went searching for shrapnel.After nearly two hours it was fabulous to see the sunshine and breathe fresh air again. The stories and anecdotes shared were great, and it gave us an appreciation for the standard of life we now have in Newcastle. Times were tough, but there was a definite sense of community. We Geordies are made of tough stuff! I don’t think I could have used the toilets in the tunnel however, which are pictured below. I pity the wardens who used to empty those every day.Our trip cost us £15 for the three of us, which I think is the best money I’ve spent on a trip in recent history. All of us were utterly engaged and fascinated the whole time we were in the tunnel. The guides, who are volunteers, were stars. I think it’s a crying shame locals may not be aware of this rich subterranean history, and I’d highly recommend it. I also think it is a great visitor attraction, and one we should champion. Book now!

Thanks for reading,

Pip x

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