13 Group Fighter Command Filter Room/Newcastle County Control Bunker - Newcastle-upon-Tyne

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Riskybex0

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Built & used in WW2 upgraded/fitted out in the Cold War as Newcastle County Borough Main Civil Defence Control Centre and then passed on and used by the Sea Cadets Corps/Navy before becoming abandoned.

Lower level was unfortunately flooded to the point waders wouldn't do the job as the water is nearly door frame height in some places.

After 1940 it was recognised that the central command structure was in danger of being overloaded with information from the various radar stations and observation.

To sort this potential problem each Group HQ were provided with a Filter Room.

The purpose of this facility was to receive all reports of aircraft locations, to assimilate and assess this information in order to provide the most accurate possible picture to the Operations Room.

The bunker was then passed to the Military Police there was plans to convert it into a USAF Command Centre (Maintenance Unit) but this never happened.

Later on in the year the Filter Room was turned over and used by 321 Squadron & 22 Group.

In 1952 during the early stages of the Cold War Newcastle Council purchased the bunker to become Newcastle County Borough Main Civil Defence Control Centre with a purpose built Sub Control Bunker built elsewhere. It remained in use as Newcastle County Borough Main Civil Defence Control until 1968 when Civil Defence stand down had taken place.

After this the bunker was retained on care and maintenance for sometime as the County Borough War HQ.

During 1982 the Sub Control which was built elsewhere was designated as Main War HQ.

Tyne Wear County Council was abolished around this time.

The new Tyne and Wear Civil Defence Authority wanted to turn the bunker into a modern emergency centre.The scheme never went ahead by the end of the Cold War in 1991 and this happened.

In 1984 the bunker was rented out to the local Sea Cadets Corps becoming TS Nelson which used the facility right up until early 2000s when they vacated and the bunker entrances demolished and backfilled shortly after.

Plan of the bunker credit subbrit
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Now onto the explore.

Visited this bunker while being in the area checking out other locations.

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Compressor & Air Reciever
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Bunker corridor
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Toilets
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Sea Cadets Corps sticker on a door
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Main Operations Room unfortunately flooded lower level was not possible to explore even with waders!
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FFilterRoom Cable Intakes
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Old maps of English Channel & Seas
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Old Fire Extinguisher
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Stairs down to lower level of the bunker which is unfortunately flooded. Water tank above the stairs.
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TS Nelson Gun Safe
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Old graffiti pencil possibly WW2?
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Old switch off lights stickers
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A Bar
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Backfilled entrance
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