Merstham tunnels

About

The Merstham and Quarry tunnels are two neighbouring railway tunnels on the Brighton Main Line between Merstham and Coulsdon (formerly Stoats Nest) in Surrey, Great Britain.

The Merstham Tunnel was the first to be built, with construction commencing in 1838 and being opened on 12 July 1841. Built by the London and Brighton Railway (L&BR), it formed a key element of the original route between London and Brighton. Nearly sixty years after the Merstham Tunnel's completion, the Quarry Tunnel was built amid tensions between the South Eastern Railway (SER) and the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR). The Quarry Tunnel bypasses the SER stations of Coulsdon South, Merstham and Redhill, and thus has been mostly used by fast trains, while the Merstham Tunnel is used by stopping services instead.