Been a long time since I posted any reports, not for lack of explores though. This one was fun from start to finish!
After a first attempt failed, myself & Lamb Phall finally had a brief moment of luck to finally answer our question on whether this was actually a shelter or not.......obviously, it was.
Even though it's not the best shelter I have seen, it was nice to document another on the list & totally unexpected. Exact location will not be revealed but let's just say it was quite surprising considering recent developments.
Built to hold around 200 people, this was one of the precast concrete type, with four passageways, around 40' in length basically forming a square. Steel girders were a later addition as the original construction was not though to withstand the shockwave of bombs. Accessed via 2 stairwells, it had four pairs of toilets, one set in each corner & 2 escape hatches with ladders still in place. Little sign of benches, apart from the concrete pillars that the wooden slats once rested upon.
Grafitti was unfortunately scarce in this one, but a few artefacts remained including food tins, milk bottle, shoes, the original square toliets with rotten seats, & anti-gas ointment tin.
Around 3' under the surface, this was a fairly unique shelter in that it had a sump that has had a pump attachment at some point. It was a good 10" of water in some parts when we visited. On with the pics....
The passageways
To give you an idea of how cramped condtions would have been down here. Think of it with 200 plus!
Original stairwell blocked
Toilets
Escape hatch
Rusty girder
Artefacts
Grafitti
Final one from me. V for Victory!
After a first attempt failed, myself & Lamb Phall finally had a brief moment of luck to finally answer our question on whether this was actually a shelter or not.......obviously, it was.
Even though it's not the best shelter I have seen, it was nice to document another on the list & totally unexpected. Exact location will not be revealed but let's just say it was quite surprising considering recent developments.
Built to hold around 200 people, this was one of the precast concrete type, with four passageways, around 40' in length basically forming a square. Steel girders were a later addition as the original construction was not though to withstand the shockwave of bombs. Accessed via 2 stairwells, it had four pairs of toilets, one set in each corner & 2 escape hatches with ladders still in place. Little sign of benches, apart from the concrete pillars that the wooden slats once rested upon.
Grafitti was unfortunately scarce in this one, but a few artefacts remained including food tins, milk bottle, shoes, the original square toliets with rotten seats, & anti-gas ointment tin.
Around 3' under the surface, this was a fairly unique shelter in that it had a sump that has had a pump attachment at some point. It was a good 10" of water in some parts when we visited. On with the pics....
The passageways
To give you an idea of how cramped condtions would have been down here. Think of it with 200 plus!
Original stairwell blocked
Toilets
Escape hatch
Rusty girder
Artefacts
Grafitti
Final one from me. V for Victory!
im still shocked that i arrived 30 minutes before you went down... and i put it off as "just a dugged hole in the ground!" think of the moment of awkwardness of you coming down whiles i was snapping away... haha!
