Use as a World War II Air-raid Shelter
Links
There is little information on the Internet about the Victoria Tunnel however the following sites might be of interest:
The Victoria Tunnel Education Project forms part of the wider Newcastle Community Heritage Project. This project is about working with local residents and groups, schools and visitors to create opportunities for learning about cultural heritage and community history. The Newcastle Community Heritage website has some information about the history of the Tunnel and also about the Rainbow Code, a new piece of inactive artwork created by Adinda van't Klooster, that has been installed in the Tunnel.
Brian Pears has put online the North-East War Diary which he and Roy Ripley compiled from official records. It is a fascinating diary of wartime events in the north east of England and includes some information about the Victoria Tunnel. Of particular interest are some photographs taken during two visits to the tunnel in the 1970s.
Steve Ellwood's vast archive of photographs of Northumberland and Tyneside include a large number taken in the Victoria Tunnel. As he explains in his introduction, Steve is happy for people to use his photographs as long as acknowledgement is made.
Another site with a large archive of local photographs, including some taken in the Victoria Tunnel, may be seen at: Newcastle Photos
The University of Newcastle's Structural Images of the North East SINE is another interesting site which includes photographs taken in the tunnel. It should be pointed out however that the photograph taken of the "wet section" is not where the Victoria Tunnel passes under the Metro but where it passes under the tunnel that used to convey the Quayside Branch Railway from Newcastle Quayside to the New Bridge Street Goods Depot.
Another site containing photographs has been put online by Tim Pickford-Jones. Timmonet shows some photographs and a description of the Spital Tongues area and also includes a picture taken in the tunnel in 1939. This is one of a number of photographs of the tunnel held by Newcastle Central Library.
The Spital Tongues History Society website has information about the area, including the Victoria Tunnel. This Society holds regular meetings and may be of interest to anyone with associations or interest in this part of Newcastle.
BBC - WW2 People's War is described as "An archive of World War Two memories". Among the messages that have been submitted is one describing the air-raid shelters in Newcastle including the Victoria Tunnel.
Durham Mining Museum has much general information about coal mines, particularly mining disasters listing the names of the victims where known.
For general information about the Ouseburn Trust and the Ouseburn Heritage Group, as well as businesses, organisations and attractions in the area, Ouseburn Valley acts as a good "portal".
© Phil Thirkell April, September 2006, December 2008, January 2010
Page updated: January 2010
