| Wast Hill Tunnel | |
| Waterway: | Worcester and Birmingham Canal |
| Location: | Hawkesley, Birmingham, West Midlands, and Worcestershire, England |
| Os Grid Ref: | SP041769 |
| Owner: | Canal & River Trust |
| Engineer: | Thomas Cartwright |
| Length: | 2726yd |
| Width: | Double |
| Passable: | Yes |
| Towpath: | No |
| Construction: | 1794-97 |
| Status: | Open |
Wast Hill Tunnel is a canal tunnel on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal. Its northern portal is in Hawkesley, Birmingham. Its southern portal is in fields just outside the city's boundaries, in Worcestershire.[1]
The Wast Hill Tunnel was built in 1796 and is 2726yd long, making it one of the longest in the country.[1] There are several ventilation shafts along its length which were initially used for the tunnel's construction.[2] It is wide enough to accommodate two narrow boats but there is no towpath.[3]
Work started on the tunnel in 1794 and was completed in 1797.[4] Until 1904 canal boats were legged through the tunnel; it took three hours to navigate. Leggers were replaced by a steam tug to pull a chain of barges through.[5] The tunnel used to carry telegraph lines placed through iron brackets attached to the roof.[6] On 23 November 1979, two workmen were killed when part of the tunnel roof collapsed while undergoing repair.[7] The tunnel remained closed until 30 May 1981.[8]