Bridge/Tunnel Built in 1848 Rejected. How to improve?

Angeljho-PGOAngeljho-PGO Posts: 82 ✭✭✭
edited January 2022 in Nomination Improvement

My below nomination got rejected under "Other Rejection Criteria". I thought this would be the perfect place for a wayspot due to the history of this tunnel. It was built over what is now an old decommissioned railway line. Furthermore, this old railway line has since been converted into a walking/cycling path so I thought it would be the perfect location for a wayspot to help encourage exercise as well.

The tunnel is even mentioned and has a photograph on the Wikipedia page for the village, demonstrating it's historical importance: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakenshaw,_West_Yorkshire. The Wikipedia page also goes into detail about the former railway line and the walking/cycling path that replaced it.

I've already submitted an appeal, but I may end up needing to renominate the stop instead. Does this deserve to be a wayspot and, if it does, how can I improve my nomination for next time? I think taking a photosphere of the tunnel entrances when I'm next in the area might be a good idea.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/xxGHN3p81hiSUBNV8 (53.74563684352377, -1.7439812833501587)

Oakenshaw Tunnel

Description

An abandoned train tunnel built in 1848. This tunnel once crossed over Low Moor Fork of the Spen Valley Train Line, which was converted into a walking and cycling path in 2001.

Supplemental Information

This tunnel is on a popular walking and cycling route. I want to encourage more people to explore this route and learn the history of the old railway line that this walking path was built on.

Post edited by Angeljho-PGO on

Comments

  • sogNinjaman-INGsogNinjaman-ING Posts: 3,313 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It's a generic railway bridge, just like 1000s of others in the UK. I can't see how this would meet any of the Niantic acceptance criteria myself.

  • Angeljho-PGOAngeljho-PGO Posts: 82 ✭✭✭
    edited January 2022

    I don't really understand this. There are thousands of old Georgian postboxes in the UK and they get accepted as wayspots due to their historical significance.

    I wouldn't say this is just a "generic railway bridge" either. There's not as many railway tunnels you can walk inside and underneath due to the railway being decommissioned. It's also got the advantageous spot of being on a walking/cycling route and is one of the highlights of this walk as a historical landmark. These kinds of railway bridges/tunnels are not common to the area either, hence why I imagine it's highlighted on the Wikipedia page.

    Thank you for your input though. From your comment I think I'll just need to convince the reviewer this isn't just a "generic railway bridge" since that's probably why it got rejected.

  • Angeljho-PGOAngeljho-PGO Posts: 82 ✭✭✭

    Thank you for your advice! It's a relief to know that someone agrees that this should be a wayspot. I think I'll renominate the spot with your suggestions and some additions of my own too to help sell it to the reviewer. I.e. the fact this tunnel can be walked through, which makes it unique compared to most railway tunnels.

    Looking back at the nomination I can clearly see how a reviewer who is unfamiliar with the area would think it's just a generic tunnel.

    Again thanks for the help 🤩

  • Is there a sign or plaque that shows the history or even the name?

    I was also change the opening sentence "An abandoned train tunnel built in 1848." to "An historic rail tunnel first constructed in 1848, and recently converted to pedestrian/cyclist recreational usage." etc

    It needs something unique / historical which can be confirmed in a photo. Is there something at the tunnel to indicate 1848 for example? or any of the history written on wikipedia?

  • Cowyn2016-PGOCowyn2016-PGO Posts: 597 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @HankWolfman-PGO post was awesome.

    Take any nomination a step farther and think about the 3 Core Criteria.

    Explore, Exercise, Gather.

    You should always phrase your nomination with the idea of selling how it fits one of these core areas. Hanks post shows is a great salesman job on it as a place to "Explore" and even exercise. Notice how he worked those words into his supporting info description. Sometimes it helps to be even more direct and start a supporting info with "This nomination fits the Explore Criteria because... " and have the because

    Granted, if your nomination is a common slam dunk like Playground, Park, Baseball Field, Statue... you don't need to explain how those fit the 3 core areas because they have become common knowledge/acceptible. But for rest.... don't assume the reviewer is going to see why it fits the 3 core areas the way you do... tell them.

  • Angeljho-PGOAngeljho-PGO Posts: 82 ✭✭✭

    Unfortunately there are no signs nearby at all. Which I think is a shame to be honest. This would be the perfect location for an informational sign about the history of the old railway. I bet a lot of people pass through this tunnel and are completely unaware of how special it is, or that this walking path used to be an old railway at all (kind of why I think a wayspot here would be great to help with that).

    The main place I got my information about this tunnel from was here: https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMMB6J_Oakenshaw_Tunnel_Oakenshaw_UK

    There's some more information about the old railway line on this Wikipedia page (it also features a photograph of the tunnel): Spen Valley Line - Wikipedia

  • HankWolfman-PGOHankWolfman-PGO Posts: 4,845 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I just got this tunnel whilst reviewing, so I'm guessing you resubmitted it? If so, I hope you get a better outcome this time :)

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