Rowthorn Tunnel is a former railway tunnel between Glapwell and Rowthorn and Hardwick stations southeast of Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England. Some sources refer to the tunnel as "Rowthorne". ^[1]

The tunnel was built by the Midland Railway on the circuitous Barrow Hill to Pleasley West line known as "The Doe Lea Branch", because it ran for much of its length along the valley of the River Doe Lea.

v t e Midland Railway
Legend
Clowne and Doe Lea branches
Key open ex-Midland Railway Lines Clowne Branch Doe Lea Branch other closed Midland Railway Lines ex-London and North Eastern Railway Lines
Context
Great Central Main Line to Sheffield Victoria Midland Rly "Old Road" to Rotherham Masborough Robin Hood Line to Worksop Staveley Town Whitwell Staveley Central Seymour Junction Barrow Hill Clowne and Barlborough Whittington Creswell Junction Midland Main Line to Sheffield Creswell Chesterfield Midland Main Line to Derby Langwith Whaley Thorns Bolsover Castle Doe Lea Viaduct Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway Palterton and Sutton Glapwell Langwith Rowthorn Tunnel Rowthorn and Hardwick Shirebrook Pleasley West to Teversall Manor Mansfield Woodhouse Mansfield Robin Hood Line to Nottingham (MR)
Detail
Lanc's, Derbyshire & East Coast Rly to Spinkhill Robin Hood Line to Worksop Barlborough Colliery Southgate Colliery Clowne and Barlborough Whitwell Clowne South Creswell Junction Great Central Main Line to Sheffield Victoria Elmton & Creswell Hartington Colliery Creswell and Welbeck to Barrow Hill Lanc's, Derbyshire & East Coast Rly to Shirebrook North Bell House Sidings Staveley Central Oxcroft Colliery Staveley Town Seymour Colliery Ireland Colliery Seymour Junction Markham Colliery/Vale Coalite Chemical Bolsover Colliery Bolsover Castle Doe Lea Viaduct (Lanc's, Derbyshire & East Coast Rly) Bolsover South (LD&ECR) to Shirebrook North Byron Bricks Palterton and Sutton Ramcroft Colliery Glapwell Colliery Great Northern Railway to Shirebrook North Glapwell Pleasley West Pleasley East Rowthorn Tunnel Pleasley Colliery Rowthorn and Hardwick Mansfield Woodhouse to Teversall Manor Mansfield Great Northern Railway to Nottingham Victoria Robin Hood Line to Nottingham (MR)

The tunnel was single track and 929 yards (849 m) long.^[2] The line from the north approached on a gradient of 1 in 50 which continued through the tunnel,^[3] making it very difficult to work coal trains southwards.

The line was opened without ceremony on 1 September 1890. It initially provided a service of three trains each way between Mansfield and Chesterfield, taking about an hour from end to end.^[4][5]

Normal passenger traffic along the branch dwindled over the years and finally ceased on 28 July 1930.^[6] Glapwell Colliery, to the north of the tunnel was still going strong at this time. As its sidings left the passenger line to the north of Glapwell station and all coal went out northwards, Glapwell station was abandoned along with the track through the tunnel^[7][8] almost to Pleasley Colliery West Junction which was a short distance south of Pleasley West.

After closure the tunnel found two new uses, first as a mushroom farm then, during the Second World War, as an ammunition store. It has since been filled in.^[9]

• Rowthorn Tunnel on an Edwardian 6" OS map National Library of Scotland
• Rowthorn Tunnel on a navigable 1947 OS map npe Maps
• The line and tunnel on various maps with overlays Rail Map Online
• The line and mileages, the tunnel lay between the station and the junction with BOC2 Railway Codes

53°11′7.23″N 1°17′35.75″W / 53.1853417°N 1.2932639°W / 53.1853417; -1.2932639