Behind a sealed entrance in Noah's Ark Road, a set of steps leads down into a 1048 foot tunnel that goes 100 foot beneath a hill to emerge in the next valley.
Originally cut as a water main, it was enlarged for use as an air raid shelter during the last war. Because of its excellent condition, and because it had its own electricity, water and sewerage supply, it was re-examined in 1954 for use as a potential nuclear fallout shelter. Estimated construction cost was £7960 in 1939 and a planned extension never materialised unfortunately, the shelter was built to accommodate 850 people.
This place is almost on my doorstep, a neighbour told me how she used to go into the shelter during the war, but I wasn't prepared for the scale of the shelter.
The first part of the tunnel is lit with strip lights, and is very clean.
At regular points, toilet cubicle annexes were built, the first we came across were cleared out.
This looks to have been the shelter's kitchen area
DarkDog light painting!
As ever, there's something for everyone in my reports
:
Looking back from the kitchen area
We then passed through the door of death into the second part of the tunnel. This is unlit, and is virtually as it was at the war's end.
Moving onwards
At last, a complete toilet block....
.....and look at the light switch!
Horseshoe found on the floor
And a child's scooter
Loads of wartime graffiti in this section
Check out the price on the battery!
We found an original milk bottle from a Dover dairy
More toilets!
The tunnel ends at the Noah's Ark entrance
Another fuse box that has seen better days
Going back down the tunnel towards the blast doors
An interesting way of earthing the wiring!
Originally cut as a water main, it was enlarged for use as an air raid shelter during the last war. Because of its excellent condition, and because it had its own electricity, water and sewerage supply, it was re-examined in 1954 for use as a potential nuclear fallout shelter. Estimated construction cost was £7960 in 1939 and a planned extension never materialised unfortunately, the shelter was built to accommodate 850 people.
This place is almost on my doorstep, a neighbour told me how she used to go into the shelter during the war, but I wasn't prepared for the scale of the shelter.
The first part of the tunnel is lit with strip lights, and is very clean.
At regular points, toilet cubicle annexes were built, the first we came across were cleared out.
This looks to have been the shelter's kitchen area
DarkDog light painting!
As ever, there's something for everyone in my reports
:
Looking back from the kitchen area
We then passed through the door of death into the second part of the tunnel. This is unlit, and is virtually as it was at the war's end.
Moving onwards
At last, a complete toilet block....
.....and look at the light switch!
Horseshoe found on the floor
And a child's scooter
Loads of wartime graffiti in this section
Check out the price on the battery!
We found an original milk bottle from a Dover dairy
More toilets!
The tunnel ends at the Noah's Ark entrance
Another fuse box that has seen better days
Going back down the tunnel towards the blast doors
An interesting way of earthing the wiring!
