Site at Church Hill Road, Cheam
Janice Cunningham
Hill Road it is (except was under a block of flats). It is a very long road
- can anyone be more specific?
James Samuel
lights. I'll try and find a map to send you/
Richard Lamont
"Janice Cunningham" <janice.c...@btinternet.com> writes:
> I live very near here and the RSG site does not specify where in Church
> Hill Road it is (except was under a block of flats). It is a very long road
> - can anyone be more specific?
IIRR, the bunker was on the north side, right at the western end of
Church Hill Road.
This is from memory, some 15 years back, so it may be inaccurate.
NGR SU235651.
The bunker was a stand-alone Regional War Room (RWR), just like the one
at Wanstead (photo on RSG site). AFAIK it was never underneath flats,
unless they have been built on top of it since I saw it in 1984-ish.
--
Richard Lamont
ric...@stonix.demon.co.uk
http://www.stonix.demon.co.uk/
Edward
on it. There is a allday store (7-11 or smiliar) in manor road, next
to it is a pub in Church Hill Road. A small access road leading
to behind the pub and shops and beside that is the new housing
development which was the site used by London Fire Brigade.
The old black square railings are still in place are are visible from
Church Hill Road.
Hope this helps
Edward
David Wakefield
I think the site was behind the shops in North Cheam (by the crossroads/near
the Victoria pub - i.e. on your left after crossing the lights from
Worcester Park and heading towards Cheam Village) but has now been removed &
flats built on the site.
That, of course is if it's the war room/centre that you are referring to,
though I'm not aware of any others in Cheam...
Regards,
Dave.
Janice Cunningham <janice.c...@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:01bf202f$8feeb200$1c618cd4@default...
Janice Cunningham
and found the black square railings and the new two storey block of flats.
Found another building behind parade of shops which had a single and a
double iron door with no handles, windows concreted up and barbed wire.
This building is attached to some of the shops in the parade others at the
back of the parade, but is self-contained. Went into Ladbrokes who told me
they had no access to this building, they knew nothing about bunker and
some were excited, some rather afraid. Hit gold when I went into the
stationers shop and the male owner in front of everyone else in the shop
said he knew about it. He proudly told me he was a teleprinter operator
during his National Service ( continued service following WWII my mum who
was also a teleprinter operator in WWII thinks) hence his interest in
things subterranean. He knows a JP who is also into this and is going to
try to find out more and I said I would go back in a couple of weeks.
What he told me was he had visited the site on the open day back in the
Seventies. He was particularly interested because it was behind his shop
but he told me knows of a lot of other shelters and so on in the Cheam and
Sutton areas. He said it was a blockhouse positioned where the flats are
now and inside it was "very depressing". The place had been stripped and
lorries had taken away everything a few days before, only thing left was
lockers. The walls were about six feet thick. He could see no access doors
which might lead underground anywhere and specifically asked the official
in charge if there was a bunker underground. The official said no there was
not. He also told the visitors that it was a command centre for fire and
ambulance sservices. Subsequently, our man said the blockhouse was
demolished and he saw all the rubble. The new flats were built on a
concrete base and he often wondered if there was a bunker under there
despite what he was told.
I asked him about the building with the iron doors without handles and the
concreted windows. There had been visitors to it, the last ones a couple of
years ago. He had been told it was an electricity sub-station. He thought
it was possible that access to an underground bunker could be from this
sealed up building and had wondered about it.
His wife was getting irritable as he was getting excited about this and the
customers were not being attended to so I had to end this conversation. But
he did just say before we left that he "had heard rumours of something on
Wimbledon Common". Do all you experienced people out there know anything
about this? And, was there originally a bunker underground or was there
ever only the thick walled blockhouse overground?
Janice
Nick Catford
> about this? And, was there originally a bunker underground or was there
> ever only the thick walled blockhouse overground?
>
> Janice
Although living in Cheam until 5 years ago I never took any interest in the
bunker and didn't bother to go to the open day in the 70's although I read
about it in the local paper. I have however seen plans of Cheam and there is
no bunker below ground shown. It was identical to the bunker remaining at
Wanstead and from what I remember there were a few steps down so I guess
the building could be described as slightly sub surface. You might be able
to arrange a trip to Wanstead. I have lots of photies which hopefully will
be appearing on a web site soon. Other similar bunkers were at Mill Hill
(sold last year) and Chislehurst (recently converted into a house to be sold
for £1,000,000)
I can't help with anything about Wimbledon Common, there were some large
Victorian covered reservoirs at the Putney Heath end that were demolished a
few years ago. I had a trip into those a few weeks before demolition. There
is a tunnel at the top end of Wimbledon Park accessed from the rear garden
of a 124 Home Park Road. 20 years ago it was also accessible amongst bushes
on the edge of the golf course but that entrance has now been blocked. The
tunnel was probably a servants entrance to a large house that is no longer
standing and was used as an air raid shelter during WW2.
Nick
thebs4u
I'm sorry if I'm going over old ground (no pun intended) but I'm new to
your ng
and also a newish resident of Wanstead...
...what goes at Wanstead ?
> no bunker below ground shown. It was identical to the bunker remaining
at
> Wanstead and from what I remember there were a few steps down so I
guess
Thanx IA
C.
Nick Catford
thebs4u <the...@netscapeonline.co.uk> wrote in message
news:3823...@plato.netscapeonline.co.uk...
the early 1950's and redundant within few years. There were four in London
(Wanstead, Cheam, Chislehurst, Mill Hill). They were all surface blockhouses
with little or no underground element to them. Only Cheam has been
demolished although Chislehurst has been changed out of all recognition
during its conversion into a luxury dwelling. (See Chapter 8 of War Plan
UK).
The one at Wanstead is at the end of Northumberland Avenue.
Nick
Janice Cunningham
Sutton that anyone knows about? As I live in the area and have met a local
who is also interested in such things, I would like to hear about them.
Nick Catford
CHEAM - There is a vault below a cottage at Cheam that is originally
rumoured to have been the start of a tunnel leading towards Nonsuch Palace.
Next to Whitehall (about 100 yards back toward Worcester Park from Cheam
crossroads) there are some cottages, the vault is at the rear of No. 5
(TQ243639). It was accessible in the 1960's but I'm unsure of the access
now. You could try knocking on the door.
WORCESTER PARK - There is a 150 foot long 2 foot square brick lined culvert.
Which taps springs and takes the water into an artificial canal. This tunnel
was open in the 1970's but again I don't know if it is still accessible. The
entrance was behind the Hogsmill Pub (TQ210654)
EWELL There is a very interesting network of tunnels accessed from the rear
garden of a house called 'Bowood'; I think the road is Ewell House Crescent
or Grove (if not its a cul-de-sac half way up Ewell High Street). It was
probably the former servants and tradesmen's entrance to Ewell House (Now
demolished). Quite an extensive network of tunnels also used in WW2 as air
raid shelters. I visited about 5 years ago so this should definitely still
be accessible.
REIGATE - Former sand mines either side of Tunnel Road in the town centre,
another under Reigate 6th Form College and another under Mr. Exhaust on the
one way system. All still accessible. I have a key to the tunnels accessed
from Tunnel Road.
MERSTHAM - Very extensive underground stone mines. One of the mines has a
total of 11 miles of passages but should not be explored without a guide as
it's very easy to get lost. Access is down a 12 foot shaft., This mine is
very old believed to have been operational in the middle ages and disused by
1700.
GODSTONE - More stone mines, again one of them is very extensive with up to
4 miles of passages. All are securely gates but I have the keys. More
recently worked than Merstham with the last mine at Colley Hill Reigate not
closing until the mid 1960's. There is tramway, plate-way and evidence of
mushroom growing and use as a bonded store during the war.
I hope that wets your appetite a bit.
Nick
>
Janice Cunningham
if the tunnel in Cheam which was accessible in the 1960s still is for a
start (woof!)
Janice
Dan McKenzie
What about organising one of your trips to the mentioned sites
Dan McKenzie
Janice Cunningham <janice.c...@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:01bf2834$67be5300$baecabc3@default...
Lightbulb
to the cemetary. If you travel along the road from the Green Man roundabout
towards the cemetary, then look south across the grass you will see some
black railings with trees inside. Amongst the trees is a 'block of cheese'
concrete structure.
This is very similar to the structures I've seen leading to underground WW2
Civil Defence bunkers, like the Council ones at Stoke Newington and Hackney.
I've been down these two, they are typically 20 feet below ground, with
escape tunnels leading to manhole covers in adjacent areas, air pumping /
filtration / gas filter systems, generators, toilets, dormitories, map rooms
etc.
Let me know if you find out what it is, I'd be very interested.
--
Andy Wells.
Janice Cunningham
former WW2/National Service teleprinter operator in a couple of weeks as he
is making enquiries of someone he knows and should know a bit more by then.
I understand from Nick Catford that Wanstead has exactly the same layout as
Cheam so as there is an underground bunker at Wanstead, then there will be
one at Cheam too?
Lightbulb <Ligh...@tesco.net> wrote in article
<80261j$ln4$1...@epos.tesco.net>...
Michael Sanders
Lightbulb <Ligh...@tesco.net> wrote in message
news:80261j$ln4$1...@epos.tesco.net...
> I'm sure there is a sub surface bunker on Wanstead Flats, near the
entrance
> to the cemetary. If you travel along the road from the Green Man
roundabout
> towards the cemetary, then look south across the grass you will see
some
> black railings with trees inside. Amongst the trees is a 'block of
cheese'
> concrete structure.
>
>
As I understand its part of the Northumberland Ave Complex but I could
be wrong.
Michael (Who used to live in Northumberland Ave until 1991!)
Richard Lamont
"Nick Catford" <Ni...@swanley1.freeserve.co.uk> writes:
> Although living in Cheam until 5 years ago I never took any interest in the
> bunker and didn't bother to go to the open day in the 70's although I read
> about it in the local paper. I have however seen plans of Cheam and there is
> no bunker below ground shown. It was identical to the bunker remaining at
> Wanstead and from what I remember there were a few steps down so I guess
> the building could be described as slightly sub surface.
I visited the Wanstead bunker on the same occasion as Nick and I do not
remember any significant underground space. There may have been a small
`cellar', in effect, used for storage, or possibly for a water tank or
something, but nothing that could be considered a sub-surface level of
the bunker proper. If there had been anything at all significant below
the surface then Nick and/or I would have photographed it, or at least
remembered it!
On the other hand, I have a newspaper cutting from the Bromley News
Shopper, 12/8/1998 p.21, about a project to convert the Kemnal Manor
war room (another of the four identical London mini-RWRs) into a big
posh house. It says the developer "has no plans to dig into the
underground chambers as these were filled with concrete when the
property was no longer required by the government".
So, is it possible that these four mini-RWRs *did* originally have
significant underground areas, which were later filled in?
Andrew P Smith
<ric...@stonix.demon.co.uk> writes
>
>On the other hand, I have a newspaper cutting from the Bromley News
>Shopper, 12/8/1998 p.21, about a project to convert the Kemnal Manor
>war room (another of the four identical London mini-RWRs) into a big
>posh house. It says the developer "has no plans to dig into the
>underground chambers as these were filled with concrete when the
>property was no longer required by the government".
This project has now been completed by the developer and I understand
that the house has been sold. I saw the plans as we bid for the home
entertainment system side of things and I can confirm that they only
worked on the surface level apart from removing some of the floor for
the proposed swimming pool (if that was actually built).
--
Andrew
E Mail can be altered electronically and therefore the integrity of this
communication can not be guaranteed.
Views expressed in this E Mail are those of the author and not associations or
companies I am involved with.
thebs4u
I took a walk round Wanstead today and found the Blockhouse.
No external signage but all in very good order - obviously still
in use by some agency - does anyone know who ?
I took some jpeg's - I guess it's not in order to post these to this ng
but if anyone wants I'll mail personally...
I failed to find the structure on the Flats...any more precise location
?
Thankx
C.
Michael Sanders <mic...@expl.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:941974821.8411.0...@news.demon.co.uk...
Steve Fox
They were early 1950s A bomb era sub-regional war rooms. There
were no underground levels.
Steve
--
Steve
majik...@cix.compulink.co.uk
janice.c...@btinternet.com (Janice Cunningham) wrote:
> he did just say before we left that he "had heard rumours of
> something on Wimbledon Common". Do all you experienced people
> out there know anything about this? And, was there originally
> a bunker underground or was there ever only the thick walled
> blockhouse overground?
Aside from the Wombles, I seem to recall that there was something under
either Clapham or Wimbledon Common - a secret factory during the Second
World War, methinks.
Cheers
Gary
dun...@g8knf.freeserve.co.uk
The structure you describe opposite the cemetery entrance was the
emergency exit. The Wanstead flats site was sold about a year ago by
Redbridge Council for redevelopment. The site is featured in War
Plan UK.
Duncan
E17
Nick Catford
> > news:80261j$ln4$1...@epos.tesco.net...
> > > I'm sure there is a sub surface bunker on Wanstead Flats, near the
> > entrance
> > > to the cemetary. If you travel along the road from the Green Man
> > roundabout
> > > towards the cemetary, then look south across the grass you will see
> > some
> > > black railings with trees inside. Amongst the trees is a 'block of
> > cheese'
> > > concrete structure.
> > >
> > >
I think there is some confusion here. There are two structures in the
vicinity, the war room at the end of Northumberland Avenue which definitely
has no underground element to it, the emergency exit as I recall being at
the rear of the building.
There is a second purely underground structure, which I assume to be a local
authority bunker in the middle of a triangle of land bounded by Forest
Drive, Forest View Road and Aldersbrook Road. Although not far from the
blockhouse at the end of Northumberland Avenue it would still be one hell of
a long emergency exit! (Which it definitely wasn't) It is amongst trees and
bushes in a fenced compound in the middle in a public grassed area. the
compound gate is open. Within the compound is the top of a stairway down
into the ground, the 'block of cheese, concrete structure earlier described.
The door is open and you can go down a few steps, round a corner and then it
is flooded to the roof. There is a similar structure behind one of the East
London town halls (sorry I can't remember which one).
If anyone has any more information on this I would be interested to hear it.
A Sub Brit member, Roger Cleaver lived in the area when he was a young boy
(late 50's) and remembers it being built although he knows no more about it.
Nick
Nick Catford
Dan McKenzie <daniel....@lineone.net> wrote in message
news:8014sd$oer$1...@supernews.com...
Reigate. I doubt if I will have time to arrange anything this year as I have
a very full diary but if you would like to ring the Wealden Cave and Mine
Society's surrey mines agent, Vince Alkins (01883 344005) he leads regular
trips into all the systems.
Alternatively I could lead some trips any time from January onwards.
There are 4 accessible mines at Reigate, three easy to get into and one that
involves SRT or climbing down a 25 foot electron caving ladder. There are
three mines in Merstham one involves a 30 foot fixed iron ladder, and the
other two a 15 foot electron caving ladder, this includes the very extensive
medieval system. There are four accessible mines at Godstone, three are easy
walk in entrances and one involves a 60 foot electron ladder or SRT
(abseiling).
The sites at Cheam and Worcester Park are small and not really worth the
bother. The tunnels at Ewell under 'Bowood' are worth visiting but the owner
has recently rented his house out and I don't know the new tenants. Perhaps
somebody in the area could knock on the door and sound them out.
Nick
Nick Catford
> Shopper, 12/8/1998 p.21, about a project to convert the Kemnal Manor
> war room (another of the four identical London mini-RWRs) into a big
> posh house. It says the developer "has no plans to dig into the
> underground chambers as these were filled with concrete when the
> property was no longer required by the government".
>
> significant underground areas, which were later filled in?
>
>
developers. This was a bunker and it 'should have had' underground rooms
because that's what bunkers have. That is a popular misconception of what a
bunker should be, many people do not realise that a bunker isn't necessarily
below the surface.
Nick
Richard Lamont
"Nick Catford" <Ni...@swanley1.freeserve.co.uk> writes:
>> So, is it possible that these four mini-RWRs *did* originally have
>> significant underground areas, which were later filled in?
>
> I think that is probably misinformed speculation on behalf of the
> developers. This was a bunker and it 'should have had' underground rooms
> because that's what bunkers have.
Agreed.
> That is a popular misconception of what a
> bunker should be, many people do not realise that a bunker isn't necessarily
> below the surface.
It's not helped by Chambers' 20th Century Dictionary, which defines a
bunker as an "underground bombproof shelter". Do other dictionaries do
any better?
Paul
if anybody else is too ?
Regards
Paul
On 31 Oct 1999 10:18:00 GMT, "Janice Cunningham"
Nick Catford
Richard Lamont <ric...@stonix.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:809pnn$7aq$1...@stonix.demon.co.uk...
shelter', If its a surface structure I usually refer to it as a blockhouse
which is defined as a 'reinforced concrete military shelter' in the Oxford.
Nick
Nick Catford
Paul <pa...@paul-n.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:M54oONTg4Vaplm...@4ax.com...
Lightbulb
Bunkers, drop me a line. I've been in both of them, both are in use for
storage, both have got lights etc and neither is flooded. The Hackney one
is in the car park at the side of the town hall, off of Hillman Street,
the SN one is behind the old Town Hall by Clissold Park, underneath a
portable two storey building. Interestingly enough, the two storey ground
level building adjacent to the SN bunker is still known amongst Council
Staff as the Civil Defence building, althgough it's now an IT centre.
The Hackney one has got electric powered ventilation gear with bicycle back
up[!!!] consisting of bicycle frames welded to a main frame [no wheels of
course] with the chains linked to a spindle that drives the ventilation
gear. There is a large cut off valve in case of gas attack, still labelled
up.
The SN one had [last time I went down] a diesel gennie about the size of a
horse, with ducted exhaust, air inlet / outlet up to ground level, bunk
beds in the dormitories and about six separate rooms, with toilets etc.
They are both about 20 feet below ground level.
--
Andy Wells.
Nick Catford <Ni...@swanley1.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:8090bk$ksf$1...@news8.svr.pol.co.uk...
Janice Cunningham
next week who knows a lot about the local sights and will try to get him to
come along. I replied twice to your posting today, but it does not show up
in my message list, so I am posting as well.
Janice
Paul <pa...@paul-n.demon.co.uk> wrote in article
<M54oONTg4Vaplm...@4ax.com>...
dun...@g8knf.freeserve.co.uk
Interesting! I had always assumed that the cheese was the Wanstead
exit.
I used to work for the Home Office Directorate of Telecomms, in the
depot responsible for Wansteads maintenance although I was not in that
team. I'll go away and try to find one of the riggers who actually
went there.
(HO DOT long since sold off to NTL)
Duncan
E17
John Murrell
If yo look in today's Sunday Telegraph (14th Nov 1999) you will find an
underground complex in Epson for sale ! Asking 90k UKP for 4.5 acres - seems a
little low. Complex was designed to house 1500 people & built in 1941. I also
havve a suspicion about a location in Carshalton but have no confirmation
John Murrell
Janice Cunningham
details from the Ad about about the "underground complex" in Epsom so I can
find out more? Thanks.
Nick Catford
ago and the new owner installed new wiring and fitted lights but it is very
damp and was unsuitable for his purpose so it is obviously on the market
again.
It is listed in Appendix 4 of War Plan UK as having a total passage length
of .46 miles.
There are two main passages with various cross passages, toilets (mainly
smashed|) bath, canteen. Two shafts to the surface were filled about ten
years ago. There is some asbestos. The door is usually locked but from time
to time vandals have broken in.
Sub Brit members have made several visits in the last ten years, the most
recent being in 1998.
Nick
Mike Burgess
<janice.c...@btinternet.com> dipped the pen in the ink and
wrote...
>John, I don't have today's Sunday Telegraph, could you let me have contact
>details from the Ad about about the "underground complex" in Epsom so I can
>find out more? Thanks.
If you are quick you can go to your local Asian emporium and get a copy
- as I have just done...
Anyway, the article is on page 17 of the main paper, entitled 'Royal'
war bunker up for sale...
The Governments agents: Conrad Ritblat
Location: Hidden under a copse near Epsom
History: very hazy..
On another note, I don't know how old you are Janice, but I was a
teenager in the sixties, and can remember 'Nonsuch Camp' - now the site
of Nonsuch trading Estate in Epsom. It was a Civil Defence training
centre, half of it being a barracks and motor pool, the other half being
ruined buildings - they had been built this way, with underground rooms
and passageways, for rescue training... As a kid it was an adventure
playground... :-)
The Civil Defence moved out in the mid sixties and after occasional use
by the Met Police for Noddy Bike training it was demolished in the late
60's or early 70's..
--
Mike Burgess : University of Life...
Slough, Berkshire, UK : If it ain't broke
Email: Replace 'nospam' with 'g7hid' : don't fix it !
John Murrell
The network of tunnels is for sale by Conrad Ritblat on behalf of the a
government agency Property Advisors to the Civil Estate (PACE) - tunnels are
described as 3/4 mile long and 50' deep for sale at £90UKP with 4.6 acres of
land above. The doors were opened last week to allow prospective buyers to
view. Tunnels are 8' wide & 9' high - brick lined from the photographs, They
appear to be only slightly vandalized in the picture. Location map would agree
with Ashley road as quoted by Nick Catford. Also this still appears to be in
Government hands which does not agree with Nicks view. This is very near
Woodcote PArk which was I believe the scene of WW2 military activity also the
area was extensively used in WW1 for a camp.
Regards
John Murrell
Nick Catford
> with Ashley road as quoted by Nick Catford. Also this still appears to be
in
> Government hands which does not agree with Nicks view.
It was definitely sold a few years ago, there was a large 'For sale' sign in
the ground which I saw and I rang the agent with to try and arrange a
viewing only to be told it had already been sold. I don't know whether or
not the sale fell through at a later date but when I visited two years ago
it had some brand new, expensive electrical fittings which were soaking wet
with condensation and useless. Vandals had forced the door and smashed most
of them. The door was open for about a month then the locks were repaired.
Nick
Peter Hamilton
> It was definitely sold a few years ago, there was a large 'For sale' sign in
> the ground which I saw and I rang the agent with to try and arrange a
> viewing only to be told it had already been sold. I don't know whether or
> not the sale fell through at a later date but when I visited two years ago
> it had some brand new, expensive electrical fittings which were soaking wet
> with condensation and useless. Vandals had forced the door and smashed most
> of them. The door was open for about a month then the locks were repaired.
I remember visiting this site many years ago, and it had been extensively
'redecorated' by vandals. According to CSS Records Vol. 5 the shelter has
a total passage length of about 1000ft.
Two or three hundred yards away there's a well (TQ210598) dug through the
chalk. It's about 6 1/2 feet in diameter and 75 feet deep. Near the
bottom a date can be seen: 1773. I think the well was orginally deeper,
as the bottom is filled with earth and branches.
Pete.
P.S.: Does anyone have any details of the Ironstone mine at Round Hill,
Esher?
--
"I was the only survivor. The other members of the crew...well...you
understand...uh sooner or later. So I decided to act sooner.
And I have acted sooner ever since." -- W.S. Burroughs.
Nick Catford
Peter Hamilton <pe...@hamil.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:80spqm$8hb$1...@yuri.quake...
> Nick Catford <Ni...@swanley1.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
> > It was definitely sold a few years ago, there was a large 'For sale'
sign in
> > the ground which I saw and I rang the agent with to try and arrange a
> > viewing only to be told it had already been sold. I don't know whether
or
> > not the sale fell through at a later date but when I visited two years
ago
> > it had some brand new, expensive electrical fittings which were soaking
wet
> > with condensation and useless. Vandals had forced the door and smashed
most
> > of them. The door was open for about a month then the locks were
repaired.
>
on a nearby tree indicating that the site was going to be used for document
storage which would seem to indicate that the sale had gone through.
Nick
Fin
>If you want any information on the Hackney CD bunker or the Stoke Newington
>Bunkers, drop me a line.
I'd love to know more...
> the SN one is behind the old Town Hall by Clissold Park, underneath a
> portable two storey building. Interestingly enough, the two storey
ground
> level building adjacent to the SN bunker is still known amongst Council
> Staff as the Civil Defence building, althgough it's now an IT centre.
Had to take some books back to library, so checked S Newington one out. It's
amazing how obvious a shelter entrance is when you know where to look.
Doesn't look too secure though - gates wide open and just one padlock on the
door.
>The Hackney one
> is in the car park at the side of the town hall, off of Hillman Street,
But won't that be right under where they're building the new Training and
Learning Centre (complete with Cyber-cafe)?. Does that mean this shelter
will be dug up - or will it simply be incorporated into the foundations of
the new building? I'd hate to see that bike-powered ventilation gear
scrapped.
Finally - what of the third old LCC town hall in LBH - anything at
Shoreditch?
______________________________________
Fin (f...@no-spam.albedo.no-spam.demon.co.uk)
______________________________________
Andy Wells
Fin <f...@albedo.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:943628507.16032.0...@news.demon.co.uk...
> Lightbulb <Ligh...@tesco.net> wrote in message
> news:809n8m$rbj$1...@epos.tesco.net...
>
> >If you want any information on the Hackney CD bunker or the Stoke
Newington
> >Bunkers, drop me a line.
>
> I'd love to know more...
>
> > the SN one is behind the old Town Hall by Clissold Park, underneath a
> > portable two storey building. Interestingly enough, the two storey
> ground
> > level building adjacent to the SN bunker is still known amongst Council
> > Staff as the Civil Defence building, althgough it's now an IT centre.
>
> Had to take some books back to library, so checked S Newington one out.
It's
> amazing how obvious a shelter entrance is when you know where to look.
> Doesn't look too secure though - gates wide open and just one padlock on
the
> door.
>
> >The Hackney one
> > is in the car park at the side of the town hall, off of Hillman Street,
>
> But won't that be right under where they're building the new Training and
> Learning Centre (complete with Cyber-cafe)?. Does that mean this shelter
> will be dug up - or will it simply be incorporated into the foundations of
> the new building? I'd hate to see that bike-powered ventilation gear
> scrapped.
No, that's the car park off of Reading Lane. The car park the bunker is
below is the other side of the town hall, behind the public toilets behind
the Hackney Empire. It's surrounded by a six foot stone wall, but the
bunker entrance and some vent stacks are visible from Reading Lane, if you
stand outside Christopher Addison House. The Bunker entrance is next to the
wall, nearest CA House, and the escape tunnel leads off towards the toilets,
coming up in a man [person?] hole cover nearer the bogs.
>
> Finally - what of the third old LCC town hall in LBH - anything at
> Shoreditch?
Good point, unfortunately this isn't LBH property anymore so it's difficult
for me to snoop around. I take it you live in the LBH? That trouble torn
battlefield? A great place to work, as you can imagine!
> ______________________________________
> Fin (f...@no-spam.albedo.no-spam.demon.co.uk)
> ______________________________________
>
>
>
>
>
Andy Wells
> > But won't that be right under where they're building the new Training
and
> > Learning Centre (complete with Cyber-cafe)?. Does that mean this shelter
> > will be dug up - or will it simply be incorporated into the foundations
of
> > the new building? I'd hate to see that bike-powered ventilation gear
> > scrapped.
>
> No, that's the car park off of Reading Lane. The car park the bunker is
> below is the other side of the town hall, behind the public toilets behind
> the Hackney Empire. It's surrounded by a six foot stone wall, but the
> bunker entrance and some vent stacks are visible from Reading Lane,
MISTAKE!
SHOULD READ 'visible from Hillman Street,'
andrewj...@gmail.com
> Hi Y'all
>
> I'm sorry if I'm going over old ground (no pun intended) but I'm new to
> your ng
> and also a newish resident of Wanstead...
>
> ...what goes at Wanstead ?
>
> > no bunker below ground shown. It was identical to the bunker remaining
> at
> > Wanstead and from what I remember there were a few steps down so I
> guess
>
> Thanx IA
>
> C.
Did you have any luck finding out about the Bunker?
Kind regards
Andrew
Marc Hampson
> Janice Cunningham <janice.c...@btinternet.com> wrote in message
> Cheam,
> > Sutton that anyone knows about? As I live in the area and have met a local
> > who is also interested in such things, I would like to hear about them.
> rumoured to have been the start of a tunnel leading towards Nonsuch Palace.
> Next to Whitehall (about 100 yards back toward Worcester Park from Cheam
> crossroads) there are some cottages, the vault is at the rear of No. 5
> (TQ243639). It was accessible in the 1960's but I'm unsure of the access
> now. You could try knocking on the door.
> WORCESTER PARK - There is a 150 foot long 2 foot square brick lined culvert.
> Which taps springs and takes the water into an artificial canal. This tunnel
> was open in the 1970's but again I don't know if it is still accessible. The
> entrance was behind the Hogsmill Pub (TQ210654)
> EWELL There is a very interesting network of tunnels accessed from the rear
> garden of a house called 'Bowood'; I think the road is Ewell House Crescent
> or Grove (if not its a cul-de-sac half way up Ewell High Street). It was
> probably the former servants and tradesmen's entrance to Ewell House (Now
> demolished). Quite an extensive network of tunnels also used in WW2 as air
> raid shelters. I visited about 5 years ago so this should definitely still
> be accessible.
> REIGATE - Former sand mines either side of Tunnel Road in the town centre,
> another under Reigate 6th Form College and another under Mr. Exhaust on the
> one way system. All still accessible. I have a key to the tunnels accessed
> from Tunnel Road.
> MERSTHAM - Very extensive underground stone mines. One of the mines has a
> total of 11 miles of passages but should not be explored without a guide as
> it's very easy to get lost. Access is down a 12 foot shaft., This mine is
> very old believed to have been operational in the middle ages and disused by
> 1700.
> GODSTONE - More stone mines, again one of them is very extensive with up to
> 4 miles of passages. All are securely gates but I have the keys. More
> recently worked than Merstham with the last mine at Colley Hill Reigate not
> closing until the mid 1960's. There is tramway, plate-way and evidence of
> mushroom growing and use as a bonded store during the war.
> I hope that wets your appetite a bit.
> Nick
> >
I remember the tunnel in Cheam Village at the rear of Yew tree Cottage(white timber building) you went down and actually 3 entrances the main one went down 40 feet below ground and you could cruel another 40 feet before you hit a dead end. in the late 60's me and a couple of mates were always hiding down there with torches and candles.
Marc in Bletchley Bucks