Coulsdon Deep Shelter
This was the site of my first proper Urban Explore about 18 months ago. I remember scrabbling through the woods one October night with some friends (that I think were quite convinced I was trying to get them killed) trailing behind me to try and find the way in. Eventually of course we made it in and it was all worth it. I of course had no idea what I was really doing, I don't think any of use really do when we start this rather weird hobby.
Neither the less, 18 months later and I'm still hooked (and somewhat poorer with all the camera equipment I've bought).
I heard that this the shelter had been sealed up with a massive pile of dirt back in the middle of last year. However a few months later there was a report up in October saying it was back open again. So I made a mental note to go re-visit when I got a chance.
History
The History has been said many time about this locations, so I won't go into great detail. You can get a very detailed write up anyway if you look this shelter on Google, so I'm not going to try and compete with that.
The Visit
I tried to find 'the usual' way in, but as reported a massive (Its truly massive, it would take a digger hours to clear it all away) mound of dirt and bricks was piled on top of it.
Anyway, we dug about with sticks a bit to try and work out how someone got in previously, but gave up after a short while. We started to head back in defeat before accidentally stumbling across a totally new way in.
Compared to 18 months ago, not much has really changed in the shelter.
The only new thing is the bright pink speakers and DJ mixer that have been left in there from rave some people must have had in there. There was actually cable going into the entrance from outside, so I am assuming they ran a small generator outside and ran the power inside for the speakers. Pretty clever IMO.
Full album here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/grahamr123/albums/72157661916861733
This was the site of my first proper Urban Explore about 18 months ago. I remember scrabbling through the woods one October night with some friends (that I think were quite convinced I was trying to get them killed) trailing behind me to try and find the way in. Eventually of course we made it in and it was all worth it. I of course had no idea what I was really doing, I don't think any of use really do when we start this rather weird hobby.
Neither the less, 18 months later and I'm still hooked (and somewhat poorer with all the camera equipment I've bought).
I heard that this the shelter had been sealed up with a massive pile of dirt back in the middle of last year. However a few months later there was a report up in October saying it was back open again. So I made a mental note to go re-visit when I got a chance.
History
The History has been said many time about this locations, so I won't go into great detail. You can get a very detailed write up anyway if you look this shelter on Google, so I'm not going to try and compete with that.
- It was constructed in 1941
- It was bough by Cox, Hargreaves and Thomson Ltd, a manufacturing company that made Optical Equipment. They operated from the 1950s to the 1960s. However the moisture and cold made the tunnel unusable for manufacturing high precision equipment.
- It was bought by a motor vehicle repair company but they moved out for the same reasons sometime later.
- It was sealed up and left for years before being opened up at sometime later.
The Visit
I tried to find 'the usual' way in, but as reported a massive (Its truly massive, it would take a digger hours to clear it all away) mound of dirt and bricks was piled on top of it.
Anyway, we dug about with sticks a bit to try and work out how someone got in previously, but gave up after a short while. We started to head back in defeat before accidentally stumbling across a totally new way in.
Compared to 18 months ago, not much has really changed in the shelter.
The only new thing is the bright pink speakers and DJ mixer that have been left in there from rave some people must have had in there. There was actually cable going into the entrance from outside, so I am assuming they ran a small generator outside and ran the power inside for the speakers. Pretty clever IMO.
Full album here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/grahamr123/albums/72157661916861733
Well shot. Odd with the speakers and what not.
