Sunday

Schee Tunnel (Kauz U-Verlagerung)

The Schee Tunnel is a 721 meter long train tunnel in the north of wuppertal, germany. The first of the two tunnels was build in 1884 as part of the singletrack coaltrain from barmen to hattingen. In 1902, a second tunnel was build just next to it due to increasing use of the train tracks. Tracks however were never laid in the extension. Both tunnels are about 5 meter high and wide and slightly bend to the right which makes it impossible to see from one end to the other.

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During the second world war many tunnel and mines in germany were changed into small factories making war industry safe from attacks. The Schee tunnel was one of these U-Verlagerungen and as it was a train tunnel, gotthe codename Kauz, a birdname.
After three months of work the tunnel was converted and from August 1944 till March 1945 it was used by the company Homan for the assembly of the jet-powered fighter aircraft "Messerschmitt Me 262".
For this only the newer of the two tunnels was used. The other one was used as a ventilation shaft and access point. Today you can still see rests of the ventilation, the power cables, the supports of the cranes and the office.
In 1984 the tunnel were closed. Bats have been using it as a sleeping place and there are plans to convert it into an extension of the bicycle track through NRW.

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One of the two offices which also connect the two tunnel

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The power cables were laying in these channels and converted to a lower voltage inside the middle of the tunnel.

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One of the many ventilation points which exist between the two tunnel.

Some more here: The whole set

Shouts to the befahrer crew.

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