well this topped of a great weekend, they are becoming a bit of a regular thing at the moment
after a mammoth 22 mile bike ride from devizes to bradford on avon it was time to chillout in bristol for a good drinking session, oh was we wrong, me, petzl and urbanjunky hit the town at night, beers,cider and camera kit we decided to explore what the city have to offer for a couple of hours before meeting up with others.
history
constructed in the avon gorge around the mid 1860's it ws constructed as a railway tunnel for the bristol port and pier to connect with the mainline,taken over by the great western railway in 1871, but was shut down to make way for the A4 Bristol Parkway road in 1922, but during ww2 the tunnels served another purpose as a safe place to go during the bombing as bristol was a big target during the war, the place was sectioned of and corrigated roof and sides was put in place to create a nice little air raid shelter for a small number of residents in the area, obly to be left empty for many years before bristol rifle and gun club took over a small section and converted it in to a nice little shooting range, only to close after the goverment changed its policy in 1996 on the rights to own a gun in the uk, today its just sits empty and trashed
but a nice little explore, big shout to petzl for the grand tour, its not massive and the not the longest of tunnels but i enjoyed it
thanks for looking
after a mammoth 22 mile bike ride from devizes to bradford on avon it was time to chillout in bristol for a good drinking session, oh was we wrong, me, petzl and urbanjunky hit the town at night, beers,cider and camera kit we decided to explore what the city have to offer for a couple of hours before meeting up with others.
history
constructed in the avon gorge around the mid 1860's it ws constructed as a railway tunnel for the bristol port and pier to connect with the mainline,taken over by the great western railway in 1871, but was shut down to make way for the A4 Bristol Parkway road in 1922, but during ww2 the tunnels served another purpose as a safe place to go during the bombing as bristol was a big target during the war, the place was sectioned of and corrigated roof and sides was put in place to create a nice little air raid shelter for a small number of residents in the area, obly to be left empty for many years before bristol rifle and gun club took over a small section and converted it in to a nice little shooting range, only to close after the goverment changed its policy in 1996 on the rights to own a gun in the uk, today its just sits empty and trashed
but a nice little explore, big shout to petzl for the grand tour, its not massive and the not the longest of tunnels but i enjoyed it
nice passage way originally an emergency exit
small emergency exit door, looking in to the shelter its self
remains of the rifle range, the targets would of all been set up and the bullets would of fallen in to the breeze block barrier
trashed, but once would of been the main firing area of the club
a small bit of luxury, corner sofas and a big brother chair in the main part of the gun club sitting area
originally would of been a toilet but looks like it served as a sink area for the club
heading back up the tunnel past the club section in to the original tunnel
ammo case and on old lamp are just some of the old finds kicking about
one of the refuge sidings for the railworkers, some really nice arched stone work and some nice colouring on the walls over the years
blocked of section leading in to the old air raid shelter
constructed inside the old tunnel this was the main area for shelter, still containing the ventilation system in the roof for fresh air for all inside
original tunnel hiding away behind the corrigated sections
looking back up towards rifle range end
research suggests these where also chemical toilets as well but was also told they could of been decontamination shower area, not sure
small emergency exit door, looking in to the shelter its self
remains of the rifle range, the targets would of all been set up and the bullets would of fallen in to the breeze block barrier
trashed, but once would of been the main firing area of the club
a small bit of luxury, corner sofas and a big brother chair in the main part of the gun club sitting area
originally would of been a toilet but looks like it served as a sink area for the club
heading back up the tunnel past the club section in to the original tunnel
ammo case and on old lamp are just some of the old finds kicking about
one of the refuge sidings for the railworkers, some really nice arched stone work and some nice colouring on the walls over the years
blocked of section leading in to the old air raid shelter
constructed inside the old tunnel this was the main area for shelter, still containing the ventilation system in the roof for fresh air for all inside
original tunnel hiding away behind the corrigated sections
looking back up towards rifle range end
research suggests these where also chemical toilets as well but was also told they could of been decontamination shower area, not sure
thanks for looking
