Flourishing excesses and eccentricities were a feature of some of the early railway builders, but can anything top the bizarre folly that is the mock castle built across the northern portal of Clayton Tunnel on the main London to Brighton line? It's ironic that today's passengers on one of the country's busiest main lines only get the briefest of glimpses of the story book like structure as they hurtle into the tunnel beneath the South Downs - but the facade is just that - the tunnel has a grizzly past. It was built in 1841 and is over a mile long. It is claimed over 6,000 navvies toiled in its construction. The folly-like castle, finished in white Caen stone, was designed by engineer David Mocatta who was also responsible for the beautiful Ouse Viaduct a few miles to the north. By contrast the south portal has an unremarkable brick finish. The charms of the castellated show piece did little to calm the nerves of early travellers who were said to be terrified of the journey 250 feet beneath the downs. To remedy this, the tunnel walls were whitewashed and the entire bore was lit by gas.
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