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The Binnian Tunnel (2.5 miles long) was constructed between 1947 and 1950/51 and is located under the Mourne Mountains in County Down,
A Century of Water from the Mournes - Part 4 (BBC)
Northern Ireland coast and countryside County Down Water tunnels Tunnels in Northern Ireland Tunnels completed in 1952 {{NorthernIreland-struct-stub
The Binnian Tunnel (2.5 miles long) was constructed between 1947 and 1950/51 and is located under the Mourne Mountains in County Down, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
. The main purpose of the tunnel is to divert water from the Annalong Valley to the Silent Valley Reservoir
The Silent Valley Reservoir is a reservoir located in the Mourne Mountains near Kilkeel, County Down in Northern Ireland. It supplies most of the water for County Down, surrounding counties and most of Belfast. It is owned and maintained by Northe ...
underneath Slieve Binnian
Slieve Binnian () is one of the Mourne Mountains in County Down, Northern Ireland, 9 km north of Kilkeel. It is the third-highest mountain in Northern Ireland at . The summit is broad and flat with rocky tors at the north and south ends, wi ...
, after which the tunnel was named.
A workforce of 150 was involved in two tunnelling teams which started from opposite ends and met in the middle nearly 800m under the roof of the mountain. When the two teams met in the middle on 6 December 1950, they were only inches out. The tunnel was created using drilling and blasting
Drilling and blasting is the controlled use of explosives and other methods, such as gas pressure blasting pyrotechnics, to break rock for excavation. It is practiced most often in mining, quarrying and civil engineering such as dam, tunnel ...
techniques. The shelters for the workers can be found on Slievenaglogh.
The tunnel was designed to carry of water per day, be long, high and wide. The tunnel was officially opened in August 1952.
See also
*Silent Valley Reservoir
The Silent Valley Reservoir is a reservoir located in the Mourne Mountains near Kilkeel, County Down in Northern Ireland. It supplies most of the water for County Down, surrounding counties and most of Belfast. It is owned and maintained by Northe ...
* DRD Water Service
References
External links
A Century of Water from the Mournes - Part 4 (BBC)
Northern Ireland coast and countryside County Down Water tunnels Tunnels in Northern Ireland Tunnels completed in 1952 {{NorthernIreland-struct-stub