This ROC shelter went underground in May, 1960, after being
resited in 1954. The original wartime ROC post was
slightly further West, towards Belle Vue roundabout. The
underground UKWMO site described here is located on a
back road to Bridekirk, NGR NY 124 330.
Although this post was one of the ones closed down in the 1968 Civil Defence cutbacks, it was in remarkably good condition, and not much the worse for standing empty since then.
The latest information regarding this site is that all of the surface structure has been removed, and all that remains is some fencing and a mound, with the Fixed Survey Meter pipe cut off at ground level. Nick Catford visited on the 28th May 2000, and was able to look down the FSM pipe into the room below.
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The telecomms termination for the wire-broadcast receiver and the 'Teletalk' can be seen on the left hand side of the shelter, under the 12V lamp (note this post still had an incandescent lamp. Some of the more modern posts were equipped with an inverter-driven fluorescent tube for added luxury). Above the bunks is one of the air-vents, with sliding shutter. The Observer crew of three would be expected to stay down here a week or so, until fallout had dropped to a safe level.
On the left of the door is the light switch, the 12 Volt battery for it being on the RHS at ground level. Bilge pump visible through door. The small pipe where the bomb power indicator baffle plate can be seen on the small concrete square, to the left of the fixed survey probe pipe.
The 'ground-zero' indicator was mounted adjacent to the entrance hatch. This was effectively a pinhole camera which picked up the fireball image from a nuclear burst. The elevation and bearing of the explosion could then be read off.
Lift the hatch and down we go! (about 4 Metres).The pipe on the left is to drain water. Pictured also is the lavvy, with the 'Elsan' thunder-box still in position.
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| Looks like the grim reaper used it last.... |
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