Hi all !!
Just noticed in Colin Haggerty's report about a type 23 pillbox at St Martins battery that Outkast has enquired about the adjacent shelter being open again. So this has prompted me to post a few shots of our recent visit !!
St Martins Battery shelter was constructed in the early 40's to house the crews manning the guns incase of a heavy attack from the enemy. It is unusual in that although it is of typical construction it was built into the entrance passageway of a Napoleonic magazine.
The entrance passageway, with the stairs leading down to the shelter on the right and the entrance to the Napoleonic magazine slightly further on to the left.
Inside the old Magazine
First set of steps leading down to a landing....
...followed by the next set down into the main passageway itself.
This brings you into the main tunnel which runs parallel to a spur tunnel connected by three cross passageways !!
This is the view looking back to the stairs with a cross passageway off to the right.
The main tunnel runs on until it meets the spur tunnel which comes in at an angle (rather like a set of points on a railway) Unfortunately at the point where the two tunnels meet there has been a roof collapse which has partially blocked the secondary exit passage.
This is looking along the main tunnel to the blockage.
Over the blockage the secondary entrance/exit has been completely backfilled and this is the view looking back towards the main tunnel.
Back over the blockage once again and into the spur tunnel.This used to house the toilets and some wash facilities, unfortunately long since gone !!,however you can see where the wasstands used to be !!
A couple more of the spur tunnel with the first showing the curved approach to the wash room and the second showing the partitions for the toilets.
Cross passageways.
Another view looking towards the stairs from the main tunnel
And lastly a random object caught in the beam of Newage's new torch !!!
All in all a quite interesting little explore and another Dover shelter off the to do list. Owing to the fact that i am over 6 inches tall and have a waist size that exceeds that of a size 0 model, i never thought i'd see the inside of this shelter but sometimes patience pays off !!! Bloody vandals !!!
Just noticed in Colin Haggerty's report about a type 23 pillbox at St Martins battery that Outkast has enquired about the adjacent shelter being open again. So this has prompted me to post a few shots of our recent visit !!
St Martins Battery shelter was constructed in the early 40's to house the crews manning the guns incase of a heavy attack from the enemy. It is unusual in that although it is of typical construction it was built into the entrance passageway of a Napoleonic magazine.
The entrance passageway, with the stairs leading down to the shelter on the right and the entrance to the Napoleonic magazine slightly further on to the left.
Inside the old Magazine
First set of steps leading down to a landing....
...followed by the next set down into the main passageway itself.
This brings you into the main tunnel which runs parallel to a spur tunnel connected by three cross passageways !!
This is the view looking back to the stairs with a cross passageway off to the right.
The main tunnel runs on until it meets the spur tunnel which comes in at an angle (rather like a set of points on a railway) Unfortunately at the point where the two tunnels meet there has been a roof collapse which has partially blocked the secondary exit passage.
This is looking along the main tunnel to the blockage.
Over the blockage the secondary entrance/exit has been completely backfilled and this is the view looking back towards the main tunnel.
Back over the blockage once again and into the spur tunnel.This used to house the toilets and some wash facilities, unfortunately long since gone !!,however you can see where the wasstands used to be !!
A couple more of the spur tunnel with the first showing the curved approach to the wash room and the second showing the partitions for the toilets.
Cross passageways.
Another view looking towards the stairs from the main tunnel
And lastly a random object caught in the beam of Newage's new torch !!!
All in all a quite interesting little explore and another Dover shelter off the to do list. Owing to the fact that i am over 6 inches tall and have a waist size that exceeds that of a size 0 model, i never thought i'd see the inside of this shelter but sometimes patience pays off !!! Bloody vandals !!!
