The World’s Oldest Surviving Railway Tunnel

Built in 1793, the Fritchley Tunnel in England is the oldest railway tunnel on the planet. It predates the modern era of steam locomotives and was originally designed for horse-drawn wagons.

Long before high-speed trains existed, this stone passage was constructed to transport limestone across Derbyshire. It was part of an early industrial system called the Butterley Gangroad, which used animal power to pull wagons along iron rails. The tunnel remained in active service until 1933, standing as a quiet witness to the very dawn of railway history. Today, it is protected as an official historic monument.