London Road Air-Raid Shelter Portsmouth (Pic Heavy)

[Harry]

The Air-Raid Shelter was constructed in the chalk underneath Portsdown Hill for the citizens of Portsmouth during WWII.

There are various different areas within the 30,000 sq ft tunnel system which could officially hold 2,535 people, although this was doubled in times of need.

A fantastic site, huge and which unfortunately i could only spend an hour inside. It's difficult to access, and hard to convey the feeling you get from being in there, amazing place!!!

More infomation can be found here http://www.portsdown-tunnels.org.uk/tunnel_shelters/london_road_shelter_p1.html

Onto the pic's...

Just a few pictures of the network of tunnels, most would have lined with three tier bunk beds either side.

Two mopeds

A Ladies Lavatory block, signage and ventilation duct.

A Gentlemans Lavatory block, roll holder, cistern etc

A Generator Room, the concrete plinth would have housed a generator, although only the fixing bolts remain.

Main entrance, thoroughly blocked! Rusty mattress stood against the right wall.

Blast wall, located just behind the main entrance.

The entrance and inside the Wardens office which housed an electrical switchgear and tannoy system. (2nd picture taken from http://www.portsdown-tunnels.org.uk/tunnel_shelters/london_road_shelter_p1.html)

West side ventilation shaft. Similar shaft on the East side of the shelter.

Unsure of its purpose?

Assortment of other bits

Bunks (Picture taken from http://www.portsdown-tunnels.org.uk/tunnel_shelters/london_road_shelter_p1.html)

Mattress

Medical area, half brick walls either side to improve hygiene etc

 

[sam1990]

Nice post! Well preserved place too.

Perhaps the mystery trough is some type of drain which could then be pumped out once it was getting full? It appears to have some pipe going into it.

 

[night crawler]

Great report on somewhere you don't see much of though I don't think I'd like to have been down there in a raid, so oppressive.

 

[ChrisR]

Nice report and photos, you captured it well! This is one of my favourite places to explore in Portsmouth. I've been down a few times.

 

[Bunker Bill]

Nice report Son, shame i couldn't get in, must try harder next time or loose some weight

 

[mexico75]

Nice first report, the mystery trough is for drinking water, there used to be a sign above it where the blank mark is, looks like someone s nicked it or its fallen in there. I got proper wedged in the access to this place, thought I was going to die

 

[mexico75]

P.S. heres a map of the tunnels to show the scale,

A Western escape route
B Main entrance.
C Eastern escape route
D Blast wall built of brick
E Shelter wardens office
F Canteen
G First aid post
H Toilets
J Ventilation / rescue shafts
K Emergency generator room

 

[Munchh]

Very well done. Not many people have been in here as access is extremely difficult, great first report.

 

[gingrove]

Lots of orbs! Dont tell Most Haunted or the place will be knee deep in ghost hunters!

 

[ChrisR]

The 'drinking water' sign which used to be above that trough is now on the floor by the access point, next to two bottles of smart price water

 

[Badoosh]

Great first report. Nice to see some different images from here. Looking forward to seeing this one!

 

[skeleton key]

Lots to see here could easily spend the day wandering no problems.
Great first post and look forward to some more.
Cheers mate

SK

mex, nice one posting the map up

 

[Hessian]

Nice report Son, shame i couldn't get in, must try harder next time or loose some weight

The entrance is indeed a bit tight, I thought I was going to be stuck half-way in myself. A lot easier getting out than it was getting in I felt.

 

[® Andy]

One of my all time favourites when I did this a few years back. A great vibe and you really feel you're stepping back in history where it's so big and intact down there. Had heard it was doable with some squeezing, and so nice to see a recent report.

 

[spitfire]

This place is superb it should be bought and restored by the Imperial War Museum as an attraction!

 

[Bunker Bill]

This place is superb it should be bought and restored by the Imperial War Museum as an attraction!

I thought that, i've chatted to a few oldies that were there during the war, and i'm sure if it were to be re-opened a lot more would come forward with all their tales. i'm sure people would pay to have a tour , I know I would

 

[Harry]

The access to the shelter has been blocked off again

 

[Bunker Bill]

Found this about the shelter, quite interesting,

EDNA O`SHEA

There were tunnels in the hill above Cosham for the people in Portmouth who didn`t have an Anderson shelter. You had a ticket for a numbered bunk whichyou had to have checked every week even if you didn`t sleep there; if you didn`t you lost the right to a bunk. Each evening people came by bus and then trudged past our house with their night things; in the morning they trudged back down the hill. It was like a stream of refugees. I had a cousin who had a bunk and once I went inside with her.I seem to remember that there were shops inside the tunnels - a hairdressers and a place where you could get refreshments.
I didn`t sleep there because we had an Anderson shelter in our garden.
Dad was often away at night working in the docks and my mother got very
frightened. Sometimes we just spent the whole night in the shelter rather than going in and out to the tune of the sirens.