I finally made the trip to see some of Dover's many underground sites. I thought I should put them all in one as I did not get many photos in the channel tunnel due to not being in focus and lots of mud and clay.Big thanks to Wevsky and space invader for showing us around, good to meet you guys.
we left at 8am on a misty day and a in a hour and a bit were at our first stop. Done with pirate and datsun
CHANNEL TUNNEL 1880 ATTEMPT
Many proposals had been made for a Channel Tunnel dating as far back as Napoleonic times and in 1875 serious planning began on both sides of the Channel. However, early attempts on the English side were not very successful and flooding was a continual problem. In 1880 a test shaft was sunk at Abbot’s Cliff near Folkestone, followed by a second shaft at Shakespeare Cliff in 1881. The tunnel was expected to be completed by 1886, but the British Government were beginning to grow increasingly concerned that the Tunnel would render Britain extremely vulnerable in the face of an invading army from Europe (by this time recently unified Germany were perceived as posing the greatest military threat to Britain). The government remained concerned; very little work proceeded after 1882 and the project was forcibly abandoned in 1898 when bring was permanently restrained through the High Court.
Today the wooden props within the original shaft are rotten and crumple very easily and chalk falls are numerous. As the tunnel slopes downwards, the height of water begins to increase until a point is reached beyond which access is not possible.
(history from underground kent)
sorry only got this one worth showing
next we meet up with wevs and space, we headed for langdon hole deep shelter. this was one of many deep shelters in the area and was used in WW2
next we went over to Weston heights to do the North Centre Bastion and detached bastion
First given earthworks in 1779, the high ground west of Dover, England now called Dover Western Heights, was properly fortified in 1804 when Lieutenant-Colonel William Twiss built the Citadel at the western end, North Centre Bastion to the north, and Drop Redoubt overlooking the town. The unique triple spiral staircase, the Grand Shaft linked barracks on the hill to the town below. At the far west are the Outer workings and what is locally known as the Citadel Barracks. Next to the barracks is a Victorian gun battery called Citadel Battery; and behind this lie the remains of the mine field control.
Much of the site is open as a country park. The barracks have been demolished; the Grand Shaft is only open occasionally; and the Citadel has been a Young Offenders' Institution - and is now an Immigration Removal Centre.
we left at 8am on a misty day and a in a hour and a bit were at our first stop. Done with pirate and datsun
CHANNEL TUNNEL 1880 ATTEMPT
Many proposals had been made for a Channel Tunnel dating as far back as Napoleonic times and in 1875 serious planning began on both sides of the Channel. However, early attempts on the English side were not very successful and flooding was a continual problem. In 1880 a test shaft was sunk at Abbot’s Cliff near Folkestone, followed by a second shaft at Shakespeare Cliff in 1881. The tunnel was expected to be completed by 1886, but the British Government were beginning to grow increasingly concerned that the Tunnel would render Britain extremely vulnerable in the face of an invading army from Europe (by this time recently unified Germany were perceived as posing the greatest military threat to Britain). The government remained concerned; very little work proceeded after 1882 and the project was forcibly abandoned in 1898 when bring was permanently restrained through the High Court.
Today the wooden props within the original shaft are rotten and crumple very easily and chalk falls are numerous. As the tunnel slopes downwards, the height of water begins to increase until a point is reached beyond which access is not possible.
(history from underground kent)
sorry only got this one worth showing
next we meet up with wevs and space, we headed for langdon hole deep shelter. this was one of many deep shelters in the area and was used in WW2
next we went over to Weston heights to do the North Centre Bastion and detached bastion
First given earthworks in 1779, the high ground west of Dover, England now called Dover Western Heights, was properly fortified in 1804 when Lieutenant-Colonel William Twiss built the Citadel at the western end, North Centre Bastion to the north, and Drop Redoubt overlooking the town. The unique triple spiral staircase, the Grand Shaft linked barracks on the hill to the town below. At the far west are the Outer workings and what is locally known as the Citadel Barracks. Next to the barracks is a Victorian gun battery called Citadel Battery; and behind this lie the remains of the mine field control.
Much of the site is open as a country park. The barracks have been demolished; the Grand Shaft is only open occasionally; and the Citadel has been a Young Offenders' Institution - and is now an Immigration Removal Centre.
