Hindhead Tunnel. Who's done it and is it any good?
Hindhead Tunnel. Who's done it and is it any good?
Author
Discussion

ecain63

Original Poster:

10,639 posts

198 months

Tuesday 6th September 2011
quotequote all
I'm off to Essex in 2 weeks, driving up in something quiet and returning in something noisey. I might detour through the tunnel if its worth it. What's your verdict?

Eddie

W4X LG

1,029 posts

213 months

Tuesday 6th September 2011
quotequote all
Did it the other morning on a little hoon, good fun but wouldn't go massively out of your way just to do it.

DC

665 posts

217 months

Tuesday 6th September 2011
quotequote all
Me and Luke (LG Auto) took a trip early'o'clock t'other weekend. If you are travelling that way then defo give it a go. The acoustics are fantastic. However, it has a number of speed cameras and 120+ CCTV cameras so fun is possible only in lower gears. However be warned they are massively clamping down on the 'mindless thugs in Lamborghini's, Ferrari's, Aston's etc' and it is getting a lot of local residents fired up- such as this article: http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/law-and-order/pol...

It's not worth going out of your way for.

DC.

DC

665 posts

217 months

Tuesday 6th September 2011
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Ha - he beat me to it!

AndWhyNot

2,359 posts

222 months

Wednesday 7th September 2011
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On the one hand it's just another tunnel, but even going through in a rented Transit brought a smile to my face.

Coming from Essex and heading back to Dorset, if I had chance to alleviate the dual-carriageway tedium with a mini-hoon I'd be looking at either down to Petersfield and straight along the A272, passing the West Meon Hut halfway; or exit the A3 immediately after the tunnel and take the A287 back up to Farnham, then the A31 to Winch. But probably the best compromise between fun roads and unnecessary mileage is a blast up Little Switzerland (Hampshire's answer to Zig Zag hill), then down the A32 and join the Morestead Road - all SC favoured tarmac.

LMK if you want map pointers.

ThunderSpook

3,886 posts

234 months

Wednesday 7th September 2011
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There are only the average speed cameras at the start and end AFAIK. As said the acoustics are excellent. Nice round tunnel so lots of reverberation.

notax

2,091 posts

262 months

Wednesday 7th September 2011
quotequote all
Has anyone noticed the extra police presence mentioned in the article? I'm intending to take a run over there soon and my car isn't the quietest laugh

ecain63

Original Poster:

10,639 posts

198 months

Wednesday 7th September 2011
quotequote all
ThunderSpook said:
There are only the average speed cameras at the start and end AFAIK. As said the acoustics are excellent. Nice round tunnel so lots of reverberation.
That's because its an AVERAGE. Lol

thebutch

249 posts

223 months

Wednesday 7th September 2011
quotequote all
I am now living about 1 mile from the tunnel and have been going through it pretty regularly, still puts a smile on my face each time I go through biggrin and thats in a clio!

Wouldn't say I have noticed any major police presence around although they do patrol it throughout the day. Dont think anybody minds people passing through and enjoying the acoustics, its just the minority which drive through, peel off, attempt to drift round the roundabouts and then go back through again like a race track that cause all of the wrong sort of attention and tend to ruin it for the rest of us.

If your heading up this direction then its worth a drive through but as already mentioned I wouldn't go massively out of your way to do so.

.Mark

11,104 posts

299 months

Wednesday 7th September 2011
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Only done it in the boring car, but I like tunnels. biggrin

Like others, wouldn't go too far out of the way to do it, but then I'm through there pretty regular.

70mph limit is dull, but daughter decided to try and see if she could hold her breath all the way through smile

mgbond

6,749 posts

255 months

Wednesday 7th September 2011
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We had fun on way back from Brands the other week. smile

http://s73.photobucket.com/albums/i208/mgbond/?act...

sadlerj

855 posts

307 months

Wednesday 7th September 2011
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It’s there, it’s just got to be done, not that good for acoustics compared with some tunnels in Switzerland etc. Personally I more enjoyed a walk in the Devils Punch Bowl and along the, being dismantled, old A3, remembering the hours of my life I wasted away sitting there in my Astra GTE, around 16 years ago. Infact one June morning seeing a boat full of car porn queuing at the lights wondering where they have been, and then realising they were on their way back from Le Mans, and thus started many years of heading to that event.

y2blade

56,261 posts

238 months

Wednesday 7th September 2011
quotequote all
I have been through it on my Bike. smile
It is a good tunnel but not worth going out your way for.

Bear in mind a handful of idiots are getting the locals backs up.



ecain63

Original Poster:

10,639 posts

198 months

Wednesday 7th September 2011
quotequote all
Looks like i wont bother then. I'll stick to the M3 and M25.

Eddie

CarlT

3,424 posts

270 months

Wednesday 7th September 2011
quotequote all
ecain63 said:
Looks like i wont bother then. I'll stick to the M3 and M25.

Eddie
Do the A3 and A31 back from the M25 - just the same time wise, but much nicer roads...

P101

1,256 posts

181 months

Wednesday 7th September 2011
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ecain63 said:
Looks like i wont bother then. I'll stick to the M3 and M25.

Eddie
Ignore all the haters, it is fun. Or maybe it doesn't take a lot to entertain me.

y2blade

56,261 posts

238 months

Wednesday 7th September 2011
quotequote all
P101 said:
Ignore all the haters, it is fun. Or maybe it doesn't take a lot to entertain me.
What "Haters"?

OP looks like it would make a nice detour in your new car, enjoy

P101

1,256 posts

181 months

Wednesday 7th September 2011
quotequote all
y2blade said:
What "Haters"?

OP looks like it would make a nice detour in your new car, enjoy
I am pisssed, probably worded to wrong


diddly69

695 posts

200 months

Sunday 11th September 2011
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Yes. Vtec through the tunnel sounds pretty good! biggrin

don4l

10,058 posts

199 months

Sunday 11th September 2011
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I've done it, and enjoyed it enormously. Mind you, I did it without annoying any of the locals, and without breaking any speed limits.

I took some video which you can see here:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fExO9Yban1g

Don
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