History and Information
The tunnel is a single-track rail tunnel drilled through sandstone and operational for 31 years.
- length 865 metres
- width 4 metres
- height 5 metres
- style Gothic Arch, lined for 10 metres from each end
- gradient 1 in 66 for 523 metres from the Caversham end, then level to Kaikorai Valley
- 21 September 1871 Construction begins
- 26 September 1872 Tunnel breakthrough
- 13 December 1873 Line opened to Green Island by The Hon. Julius Vogel (Premier)
- 1 July 1874 First passenger service Dunedin to Green Island Terminus.
- Closed 1910 with the line switching to the longer and dual track tunnel 130 metres to the South