page_title: Linslade Tunnel
section_title: Activity and services
hierarchical_section_title: Linslade Tunnel / History / Activity and services
caption_attribution_description: English: Up express emerging from Linslade Tunnel. View northward, towards Bletchley and the North: WCML. Linslade Tunnel was unusual in having single bores added later on each side of the original (1838) double bore: the Down Fast line runs through the western single bore (off to the left) and the eastern single bore takes the Up Slow line. The central double bore takes the Up Fast - on which the train is seen - and the Down Slow. The Up express is headed by Fowler 'Royal Scot' (not yet rebuilt) No. 46155 'The Lancer' (built 7/30, rebuilt 8/50, withdrawn 12/64).
context_page_description: Linslade Tunnel is a railway tunnel in Bedfordshire, England, on the West Coast Main Line about 0.54 miles north of Leighton Buzzard railway station and built under Linslade Woods. Consisting of three individual bores, the tunnel is somewhat unusual as there is a slight bend in its alignment.
  The first bore was constructed during the 1830s, the engineering of which having been performed by the pioneering railway builder George Stephenson. The only of the three bores to accommodate double track, it was first opened to traffic during 1837. During 1857, the eastern bore was opened to serve a branch line from Leighton Buzzard to Dunstable; this has since been closed. In 1876, the western bore was completed, being noticeably narrower than its predecessors. During the 1960s, Linslade Tunnel was outfitted with overhead electrification as part of a wider scheme to introduce electric traction on the West Coast Main Line. In the 1970s, the tunnel portals on either side of the tunnel were recognised as grade II listed buildings due to their connection to early railway engineering history. During the 2010s, remedial engineering works were performed in the tunnel.
context_section_description: During the 1960s, Linslade Tunnel, along with the majority of the West Coast Main Line, had overhead electrification apparatus installed, which facilitated the line's transition to using electric traction.
  On 9 December 1982, during the British Rail era, a fatal incident occurred at Linslade Tunnel, an inadequately secured load that had fallen from one train was struck by the next train passing through the tunnel, causing its derailment and the death of its driver.
  During the late 2010s, deteriorated parts of the brickwork within Linslade Tunnel were repaired. In early 2020, the tunnel was again subject to engineering works, largely focused upon a comprehensive track renewal, to improve service reliability.
  The eastern bore and the eastern side of the central bore are used by goods traffic and West Midlands Trains services to and from London Euston respectively to mainly local stations including traffic using the Northampton Loop Line connecting to and from Birmingham, Rugby, as well as several stations further to the north. The current maximum speed on these lines between Euston and Northampton for passenger traffic is 110 mph (180 km/h). The western side of the central bore and the western single bore are used mainly by Avanti West Coast services to and from London Euston respectively services, at up to 125 mph (201 km/h).
caption: A steam-hauled express emerging from Linslade Tunnel's southern portal, October 1948
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