Underground CBD tunnels

[jimmy_2486]

The Exhibition building was bulldozed for that 1960s Economics tower thing (forgotten name of building).

Im guessing your talking about the Napier Building, that is the ecenomics/commerce building

[stumpjumper]

I was digging at my place the other day and found a tunnel under the front garden. The first indication of the tunnel was the resuolt of me sticking a fork prong through the tunnel's roof. Seriously! The tunnel is quite small, and appears to be lined in some sort of continuous metal sheathing.

The tunnel also seems to be filled with water, which has continued to pour out from it, to the extent that exploration without scuba gear would not be possible, even if the tunnel were big enough. That's another constaint on entry - the tunnel is only about 20mm across.

Anyone else heard of anything like this?

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[Redback20]

The tunnel is quite small, and appears to be lined in some sort of continuous metal sheathing.

The tunnel also seems to be filled with water, which has continued to pour out from it.

You sure it wasn't a water main?

You can see I'm obviously as bored at work as you are Stump!

[jimmy_2486]

Wow 20mm, maybe we can get the trains to go under your house!!! heheh

Im guessing that would be ur water mains or ur sewerage.

[Heru]

Here is some more info on the Tunnels: http://kingstonscity.port5.com/Tunnels.htm

[Howie]

Here is some more info on the Tunnels: http://kingstonscity.port5.com/Tunnels.htm

Hi Heru, the link gives me a blank page.

[Heru]

Yeh sorry about that.

Might just post links to the pics instead:

http://kingstonscity.port5.com/images/Tunnels1.jpg
http://kingstonscity.port5.com/images/Tunnels2.jpg
http://kingstonscity.port5.com/images/c ... one600.jpg

One tunnel used to run from the Adelaide Railway Station under King William Road and came out at the rear of Government House and ran almost to Frome Road. It stopped at the back of the Exhibition Building and Jubilee Oval which used to be located where the Adelaide University car park and Law Department building are on North Terrace. The Oval covered an extensive to the rear of the Napier Building. The train line was used to bring stock and materials to the Exhibition areas during show times. It was also used for boarding soldiers who were departing for the Bore War.

A book on the Adelaide tunnels has recently been written by the Metropolitan Fire Service.

[Howie]

Thanks Heru!

A book on the Adelaide tunnels has recently been written by the Metropolitan Fire Service.

I'd really like to get a hold of this book, know where it is available and its title?

[Heru]

No I don't unfortunately. That information was given to me by someone from the City Archives a few years ago when I was researching the tunnels.

[Bulldozer]

I'd really like to get a hold of this book, know where it is available and its title?

Me too. I'd say the MFS would be a good place to start. If not, the State Library should be able to help as IIRC they are meant to receive at least one copy of every book published in SA.

Edit: Blank page? Google Cache to the rescue!

[Wiz]

Hi there, I have also read somewhere that there was a rail tunnel built from Adelaide Railway Station to the once Exhibition building at Adelaide Uni. The Exhibition building was bulldozed for that 1960s Economics tower thing (forgotten name of building). You can actually see the layout of the tunnel at the Torrens parade ground on the southern side. Where the nice garden starts, there is a sharp mound and then a footpath that goes from about Festival Theatre to Adelaide Uni. The tunnel is just under that mound so it wasnt really a deep tunnel. Interesting if it still exists under Adel Uni. I dont think it exists anymore where the Festival Theatre was built over the top of it.

The tunnel you're refering to was for the Jubilee train line. Although the line did run from the train station to the exhibition building (in the then royal agricultural showgrounds). The tunnel only actually ran for roughly 20 meters as it passed under King William St. The mound you can see on the edge of the parade grounds is simply an embankment that has resulted from leveling out the ground as it slopes down towards the Torrens. The Jubilee train line exited the tunnel in the south west corner of the parade grounds, ran along just north of the embankment, and then into the showgrounds. It didn't cross Kintore Avenue as at the time kintore ended roughly where the pedestrian crossing now is.

After the royal show society moved to their current location, it was decided that the tunnel was no longer needed. It was filled from end to end with rock and rubble sometime in the late 1920's. Excavating it would be an enormous task, especially when you consider how much King William st has been built up and widened in the past 80 years.

I've been in a fair few tunnels under Adelaide, and sadly i am yet to find one large enough to fit a train in

Wiz

Photos of tunnels under Adelaide: http://urbantwilight.net/thumbnails.php ... =sa%20down

[Shuz]

I'm hoping theres a road tunnel around Adelaide somewhere to help alleviate our traffic problems!