Well, I was in the area, so it would have been rude not to! Opened in 1958, and closed in 1991 due to a local shortage of mushroom clouds this ROC post had enviable views across the Somerset countryside.
Hadn't seen anything written about this one since Subbrit's visit in 2000, when it was reported as:
"LOCKED All surface features remain intact with some flaking of the green paint. There is an added concrete plinth on top of the ventilation shaft with a GZI mounting. The hatch is locked"
Now, much as I think Mr Catford is a demi-god, the use of the word LOCKED twice in one sentence was not what I wanted to hear!
Anyway thought I'd take a wander.
The site was approached across a gentle rise in the field...
Well it looked like a gentle rise - you see it was dark, and I couldn't see that it was a slurry pile with a (not very tough) crust on top!
(won't be wearing those jeans tomorrow!)
Found the post entrance... and as Subbrit said, it was painted green! (just like all the others)
(this presumably helped camouflage them - thus stoping the USSR aiming their big a-bombs straight down the hatch!)
Joy of Joys.......
Both hasps cut through!!..
And the hatch not locked..
Well I peered down...
Nice view - but always worrying when the flash finds water to reflect back off!
So, down I go, water is about six inches deep
(but what do I care - I've got boots full of cow shit)
Elec bill clearly not paid - cos it's dark down here...
Taking care not to get my camera equip wet I'm overjoyed to realise that the water will not damage my tripod in the slightest
(because I've left it on the back seat of my car :crazy )
Concequently rest of photo's with flash.
Someones been busy removing all the polystrene from the walls (it's now in the big plastic bag thats floating in the bottom right of the pic above)
Most of the big stuff gone (as you can see)
But still some paperwork left..
(The 'clouds' poster may look like the standard one issued to other posts - but is in fact the much rarer mark two version as it has the word FUCK scrawled accross it) (I think this required extra training)
And a few signs of real people having been based here..
Real people, lets remember, that at a time when the rest of us would have been listening to sirens, and kissing our asses (and loved ones) goodbye would have been prepared to leave their family, and climb down into this hole - without even the luxury of any form of filtering to stop the fallout getting in!
And talking of sirens - my favourite piece of paperwork - the instuctions for their siren...
These were floating in the scummy water on the floor - so I've rescued them, and once dry I'll scan them, then return them when I next pass (but walking round the shit this time)
So it's back to my car - OH SHIT, it's at this stage that I realise that I have boots full of smelly water, and jeans covered in shit...............
And I borrowed the wifes car! (never mind, I'll be at work tomorrow before she smells it!
Full set here if you think you can stand any more!
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