# Paddock (Churchills Alternative Cabinet War Room) Tour - May 09 **VERY PIC HEAVY**



## Urban Mole (May 15, 2009)

Ok Ive finally got round to putting up my report of this place.
I think someone else posted up from the same tour, possibly, but heres my attempt.

Most of you are familiar with the history of this place, but for those who arnt, read on;



> In WWII, when air raid attacks became serious and the possibility of bombs feared, particularly on Whitehall, capacious shelter accommodation was urgently necessary. Chartwell Court, 151 Brook Road, originally a cutting edge wartime communications research station where boffins worked on the ENIGMA code breaking machine, was selected as the site of the new emergency auxiliary HQ to the Cabinet War Rooms at Storey’s Gate and Great George Street, Whitehall, to accommodate selected personnel in the event of crisis in a safe place.
> 
> Planned by the Committee of Imperial Defence, which was headed by Sir Warren Fisher, the arrangements effected by Ismay & Hollis created a purpose-built, reinforced concrete, totally bomb proof subterranean war citadel 40 feet below ground. Comprising a map room with useable wall space of 1000 sq ft, a Cabinet room with seating for 30 people and ancillary offices, housed within a sub-basement protected by a 5ft thick concrete roof, over which would be the first basement of a larger plan area containing office and a myriad of habitation amenities, 37 rooms in total, for the War Cabinet and its secretariat, chiefs of staff, joint planning committees etc. The entrance was purportedly concealed within a single storey building within the GPO research station. At a construction cost of £250k the work was completed in 18 months (Jan 1939 - June 1940) under the strictest secrecy - even King George VI was not privy of its whereabouts.
> 
> ...



For more info, see the following links;

Subbrit ---> http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/p/paddock/index1.shtml
Virtual tour ---> http://www.stadiumha.org.uk/files/ART118_paddock.pdf
BBC ---> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1932976.stm
Other ---> http://www.showcaves.com/english/gb/misc/Churchill.html

On we go;

Heres some plans of the bunker;






This is the level just below the street.
There is 6ft of concrete between the streets and the ceiling of this level, and 5ft between this and the one below.





And this is below the one above(lower level).





The steps leading down from the street into level 2.





Filtration room.





Filtration room.





Main level 2 corridor.





Control box in the air con plant.





The main air conditioning plant in level 2.





Electrics, and emergency stairs.





Emergency stairs.





Main corridor again, note the stalactites, the ceiling of level 2 was damaged during the building of the housing estate above, hence the need for constant pumps running.





And again.





Sinage.





The main plant room in the sub basement with the stand-by generator in the centre





Stand-by generator.





Control unit.





Close up of gauges.





More.





Stalactites.





Filing cabinates, note the tide marks.





Asbestos fire blanket, anyone...?





Tide marks.





This is inside the map room, where the various forces would be watching the progression of troops etc.
One window was for the Navy, one for the Army, and one for the RAF.





This is Churchills window into the map room, unsure why it was bricked up though.





The sub-basement main distribution frame (MDF) in one of the small offices adjacent to the map room.





Teleprinter room, note the message hatch into the cabinet room in the far wall(right).





Lower corridor.





Cabinet room, another of Churchills rooms.





Cabinet room, note the message hatch into the teleprinter room in the far wall.





Bottle of coke anyone...?





The BBC Studio, a few acoustic tiles still in place on the wall.





Emergency stairs.





Looking down the super thin emergency stairs.





Pump room.










Another decaying cabinet.





The Main Distribution Frame (MDF).





Dust covers over batches of relays on the Main Distribution Frame (MDF).





Dust covers over batches of relays on the Main Distribution Frame (MDF), this cover has the lettering CWR (Cabinet War Room).





This was the battery room; it housed two racks of lead acid batteries that would have powered the telephone exchange.





Mould, and lots of it.





Lots and lots of mould.




















On our way back upto the surface, note the same fire blanket box as ROCs.





Storage area next to the stairs, and lots of fire blanket boxes.

Well I hope that wasnt too drawn out for you, but I have to say it was an amazing trip, and well worth seeing if you ever get the chance.
The good thing was that, we were taken around by MarkR, so was able to keep well behind the main tour to get lots of clear people-less photos.

Comments and suggestions welcomed as per usual


----------



## sheep21 (May 15, 2009)

what a place, pretty bare but with enough to give the place some life. I love the rusty backup generator and its gauges, they make some top pics.

Nice report, interesting site


----------



## Krypton (May 15, 2009)

FANTASTIC. thanks for sharing this


----------



## Foxylady (May 17, 2009)

Such an amazing piece of WW2 history. Dunno why, but the MDF always fascinates me. 
Excellent tour, UrbM.


----------

