Stockport had an advantage over most other towns and cities at the start of the WW2 – it had some relatively soft sandstone bluffs beside the River Mersey (now largely hidden under buildings) with small tunnels and cellars already carved into them. All that was needed was a bit more digging, a blast offset or two, and the Luftwaffe could do their worst.
Dodge Hill is an interesting contrast to Chestergate, the publicly open shelter in the town – Dodge Hill is messier both in terms of what’s lying around and the spray painted arrows, it’s dustier, the bunk beds are more broken down, there’s someone living or been living down there (sorry mate for taking a look at your home if you’re reading this), and it’s a bit more tricky to get into unless you haven’t been eating for a week or so (maybe the occupant/s had a sandwich when they visited and had to wait there a few days till they could get out?). But it's also a nice place to spend time, and not just because it was raining.
It’s by a long way the smallest of the 3 surviving shelters (the third group is at Brinksway). It's funny they didn't do the usual waffle-iron plan - it seems like they missed the chance to add in more cross-corridors. Perhaps they didn't need to take more people with Stewart Street and Chestergate relatively close by?
The numerous triple-decker bunk beds are something else – a much better way to wait out a bombing raid. No wonder they called the main complex in town the Chestergate Hotel.
Cheers O2E - a much better approach than my idea which must have saved me having to have several stitches, bones being reset, rabies shots, etc. (the normal sort of injuries you get on a day out)
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Dodge Hill is an interesting contrast to Chestergate, the publicly open shelter in the town – Dodge Hill is messier both in terms of what’s lying around and the spray painted arrows, it’s dustier, the bunk beds are more broken down, there’s someone living or been living down there (sorry mate for taking a look at your home if you’re reading this), and it’s a bit more tricky to get into unless you haven’t been eating for a week or so (maybe the occupant/s had a sandwich when they visited and had to wait there a few days till they could get out?). But it's also a nice place to spend time, and not just because it was raining.
It’s by a long way the smallest of the 3 surviving shelters (the third group is at Brinksway). It's funny they didn't do the usual waffle-iron plan - it seems like they missed the chance to add in more cross-corridors. Perhaps they didn't need to take more people with Stewart Street and Chestergate relatively close by?
The numerous triple-decker bunk beds are something else – a much better way to wait out a bombing raid. No wonder they called the main complex in town the Chestergate Hotel.
Cheers O2E - a much better approach than my idea which must have saved me having to have several stitches, bones being reset, rabies shots, etc. (the normal sort of injuries you get on a day out)
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