Part 2 of the lockdown archive trawl. I thought of posting these as individual threads, but combining them into one makes more sense for some reason as Surrey is littered with Deep Shelters, which have provided some fun over the years!
Our foray into the world of Deep Shelters in Surrey started out with Coulsdon Shetler as part of massive 28dl meetup way back in 2007, when about 30+ of us descended down into the old tunnels. This was a memorable explore as the Cane Hill guards came down to see what was going on, and were very very surprised when a steady stream of explorers exited the tunnels after we told them that were only a few down there! It was a cartoonish moment. From here, we discovered that Surrey was littered with deep shelters. Surrey County Council had constructed four large mined shelters, to protect the residents of Epsom, Coulsdon and Kenley, a large one was mined into the chalk hills by Vickers in Brooklands to protect their staff, and another in the old Quarry in the centre of Guildford. Alongside these, many cut and cover trench shelters were built around the county in recreation parks.
After messing about at Coulsdon Shelter, the only shelter not in use or not lost at the time, we were invited along to a evening organised by an old member at Ashley road shelter in Epsom. This has been previously used as a BB warzone, and I believe it is in use again! After this, and as is the way with underground tunnels, we didn't make it into anything for a year until Guildford Council opened up the Foxenden Quarry tunnels for the last time. Another year passed until the Vickers shelter suddenly opened up for the day, and we obliged by having a quick look!
After this, we forgot about the bigger shelters in Surrey as Cousldon opened and shut on a regular basis and we had visited it enough; all others were either sealed, buried or in use. Interestingly, the third and fourth shelter consutructed by Surrey Council have never been explored; one is still in use by a manufacturer and the other is buried somewhere up on the Downs! This didn't stop us though as we turned to some of the smaller shelters found around the suburbs. Initial research found that the large ones in and around Kingston had been backfilled and we didn't get far, we followed this with a fun evening popping lids around Caterham with another old member; including a few lucky moments were we got out of a few unseen, only to have the old bill drive passed as we dropped the lid! I lost my photos from this evening. shortly after this, a hole appeared in Carshalton and a trench type shelter appeared in the middle of a park! That evening saw just about every surrey explorer descend on the park for a look; the shelter made the news that day.
Other than a revisit to Ashley Road for some better photos when it opened up a few years ago, Surrey has been quiet on the deep shelter front. I am sure that will change at some point! Some of these were permission visits.
Coulsdon Shelter.
Ashley Road Shelter
Foxenden Quarry Shelter
Vickers Armstrong Deep Shelter, Brooklands
Carshalton Park Air Raid Shelter
Tunnel Road, Reigate
Our foray into the world of Deep Shelters in Surrey started out with Coulsdon Shetler as part of massive 28dl meetup way back in 2007, when about 30+ of us descended down into the old tunnels. This was a memorable explore as the Cane Hill guards came down to see what was going on, and were very very surprised when a steady stream of explorers exited the tunnels after we told them that were only a few down there! It was a cartoonish moment. From here, we discovered that Surrey was littered with deep shelters. Surrey County Council had constructed four large mined shelters, to protect the residents of Epsom, Coulsdon and Kenley, a large one was mined into the chalk hills by Vickers in Brooklands to protect their staff, and another in the old Quarry in the centre of Guildford. Alongside these, many cut and cover trench shelters were built around the county in recreation parks.
After messing about at Coulsdon Shelter, the only shelter not in use or not lost at the time, we were invited along to a evening organised by an old member at Ashley road shelter in Epsom. This has been previously used as a BB warzone, and I believe it is in use again! After this, and as is the way with underground tunnels, we didn't make it into anything for a year until Guildford Council opened up the Foxenden Quarry tunnels for the last time. Another year passed until the Vickers shelter suddenly opened up for the day, and we obliged by having a quick look!
After this, we forgot about the bigger shelters in Surrey as Cousldon opened and shut on a regular basis and we had visited it enough; all others were either sealed, buried or in use. Interestingly, the third and fourth shelter consutructed by Surrey Council have never been explored; one is still in use by a manufacturer and the other is buried somewhere up on the Downs! This didn't stop us though as we turned to some of the smaller shelters found around the suburbs. Initial research found that the large ones in and around Kingston had been backfilled and we didn't get far, we followed this with a fun evening popping lids around Caterham with another old member; including a few lucky moments were we got out of a few unseen, only to have the old bill drive passed as we dropped the lid! I lost my photos from this evening. shortly after this, a hole appeared in Carshalton and a trench type shelter appeared in the middle of a park! That evening saw just about every surrey explorer descend on the park for a look; the shelter made the news that day.
Other than a revisit to Ashley Road for some better photos when it opened up a few years ago, Surrey has been quiet on the deep shelter front. I am sure that will change at some point! Some of these were permission visits.
Coulsdon Shelter.
Ashley Road Shelter
Tunnel Road, Reigate
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keep em coming
