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Report - - Burlington Emergency Government Headquarters/Secret Underground City), Corsham | Underground Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Burlington Emergency Government Headquarters/Secret Underground City), Corsham

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Rookinella

I should have danced all night
28DL Full Member
It's hard for me to know where to start with this report because it goes back such a long way.

If you're living in the dark ages and have dial-up, you may as well give up now! Back in around 2003-2004, my friend Matt and I used to work the nightshift at our local supermarket and at 6am, we'd clock out and jump in the car to find "somewhere cool". One of the first places we came across was Farleigh Down Sidings and that started off our summer of poking around Wiltshire. We had no idea what we were looking for but we had this book, "Secret Underground Cities" (the Bible) that we poured over whilst lying in the sun, eating reduced cakes from work and smoking fun stuff. In our naivity, we were convinced we would just stumble across it in Browns Folly wood. Not only were we in the wrong place, it had only just been declassified and the only juicy information we could find on it was on the BBC website. We scoured the internet for more information but by then, I was leaving for University and we both got sacked from our jobs at the supermarket (that's another story). I lost touch with Matt but continued to have an unhealthy interest with Wiltshire's underground which is when I signed up to the forums to ask for info. It was not forthcoming ha ha! :p

Whoosh forward two years and by hook or by crook, I'd managed to wangle my way onto a trip with Dark Places to Burlington. We had a guided tour of everything that was underground including Tunnel Quarry. The photos were pretty much kept under lock and key and hope of getting down there illegitimately was a distant fantasy. However, whoosh forward again another couple of years after dozens of fruitless missions climbing over deads and following tenuous leads, it became apparent that it may just be possible.

Cancel all arrangements until further notice and head to the West Country! Under the guise of a kidney infection (which was absolutely genuine and not recommended), I stayed at my parents house and crept out to Corsham to cause trouble. A nuclear bunker is a much better cure for these things than dyalisis! I think a massive thanks must go to everyone really for keeping the dream alive! (Oscar winning moment, tears at bedtime).

One of my reports wouldn't be complete without a copy and paste from Wikipedia even though it's a very sparse history. It gives you a basic knowledge of what the hell went on down here but for more reading, the following websites are a mine of information:

Burlington Bunker

BBC - Wiltshire - Wiltshire's Underground City - Burlington


British defence doctrine during the early Cold War period indicated a requirement for a fallback location for central government outside London, to assume national control in the event of London being destroyed. The quarry complex at Corsham was chosen for this location and development of the site commenced in the 1950s. In the event of imminent nuclear attack, it was assumed that the government would be evacuated from London by rail or helicopter. The facility would provide a safe haven for the Prime Minister, Cabinet, commanders of the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, and British Army and supporting civil servants and military personnel.

The site had a number of code names during its lifetime: Stockwell, Turnstile and Burlington.

Facilities inside the complex included accommodation and catering for nearly 4,000 people, including a hospital, self-contained electrical generation equipment, and the ability to seal off the complex from the outside environment, which could be contaminated by radiation, poison gas or other threat.

In practice the use of the facility would have required planning and a controlled migration since the warning times of an unannounced nuclear attack preclude mobilisation out of London, though this would have been more likely to be done late in the crisis phase.

The site was taken over by the Ministry of Defence in 1991 following the fragmentation of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, though it was kept on standby in case of future nuclear threats to the U.K. Finally, in December 2004, with its underground reservoir drained, emptied of fuel and supplies, and with a skeleton staff of just four, this site was decommissioned and abandoned.


The Laundry

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The telephone exchange

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Rookinella

I should have danced all night
28DL Full Member

Dining area

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Avenues leading up to the goods lift and industrial side

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Industrial canteen and kitchens

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Rookinella

I should have danced all night
28DL Full Member
Wow!!!

How much of the place did you get to see?

A good proportion of it. The hospital was locked and we couldn't get to the others murals but I've got the photos from the last visit so it's not the end of the world I guess.
 

The Engineer

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Yep definatly cool, yep well impressed what more can I say, just :Not Worthy The photo's are impressive to say the least. Welldone.
 

Speed

Got Epic?
Regular User
lol this makes the most epic set of explores we have ever undertaken look like an afternoon jaunt around west park! I need to do a proper report!
 

Rookinella

I should have danced all night
28DL Full Member
Aye it was tiring work waiting for the end of the world so I had a little nap. Speed get your report up :)
 

urbanity

28dl flâneur
28DL Full Member
Yeah Speed - we want to know the name of the newly discovered culvert in the West Lung ;)
 

Alias

like marmite
28DL Full Member
unfreaking believable well done, but just checked my post box and cant find my invite :(
 

nickg

Silent Assassin
28DL Full Member
Unbloodybelievable! The place is like a museum.. this is what exploring is all about... visiting an epic place like this, untouched & unchavved. Loved the write up too! Thanks for sharing.:)
 
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