In 1936 Tunnel Quarry was acquired by the War Office as one of the four sub-depots of the Corsham Central Ammunition Depot, a vast underground munitions storage facility in the Corsham quarries which operated until 1962. The chamber has a central linear section with a railway turntable and an inspection pit set in the floor. Central Ammunition Depot Corsham consisted of three underground sites: Tunnel Quarry at Corsham, Ridge & Eastlays at Gastard and Monkton Farleigh Quarry. The openings have hinged steel covers. Tunnel Quarry was the largest of the CAD Corsham sub-depots, lying to the north of the Box Tunnel. Large iron tanks are resting on three of them. 4 Incline shaft has a central flight of concrete stairs, with handrails to either side, and a winch ramp to the right. The three depots were designed to hold all the war reserves of ammunition needed by the British Army during WW2, although as the war progress this requirement was to alter somewhat. CAD Corsham . The three depots were designed to hold all the war reserves of ammunition needed by the British Army during WW2, although as the war progress this requirement was to alter somewhat. However, the humidity of the depot was still unacceptably high, and large boilers were installed above ground to provide further ventilation. A winch track continues south to Platform 1. | ISBN: 9780850525854 | Kostenloser Versand für alle Bücher mit Versand und Verkauf duch Amazon. Sub Depot 1 Tunnel Quarry. Click on the button below to see around Tunnel Quarry. The Royal Engineers undertook the conversion works, which probably included the brick alterations to the East Portal. By 1943 the Central Ammunition Depot, Corsham, had developed into the largest underground arsenal in the world. Although this room was not inspected is it reported to contain the original monitor panels, and transformers and switchgear for reducing incoming electricity from 11,000V to 440V/240V. ( Log Out /  The below-ground Corsham complex is a result of the quarrying of Oolitic stone from the mid-19th and early-20th centuries. The Corsham Mines are a multi-layered historic site near Bath, beneath the southern end of the Cotswold Hills in Wiltshire. The War Office was primarily concerned with protecting its vast ammunition stores, and planned to move them away from the south-east of England to underground locations. 7 shaft of the Box Tunnel), Pockeredge Quarry and Tunnel Quarry, it was opened by Randell, Saunders & Co, between 1839 and 1844 as a direct result of the eastwards discovery of Bath stone by the Box Tunnel works. Sub Depot 1 Tunnel Quarry. The sidings led right up to the mouth of Box Tunnel, whose eastern portal is less than 1 mile (1.6 km) from the station. Air flow was generated by the mighty CDI (corsham depot inlet) fan at the far western end of the quarry, which drew air from the ‘box mine’ area. Sub Depot 1 was Tunnel Quarry. In 1940, during the Second World War, the site was acquired by the Minister of Aircraft Production and used as an underground engine factory. Tunnel Quarry [39] Slope Shaft (Emergency Exit) A [40] Kitchen, Canteen, Laundry, Dining and Washroom Areas [41] Prime Minister's Rooms and Operations Rooms [42] Radio Studio [43] GPO Telephone Exchange [44] Lamson Terminus Room and associated Fan Room [45] Quarry Operations Centre (QOC) Murals [46] Related Research Articles. Once the clearance was complete in each area, floors were levelled, overhead surfaces were reinforced with steel joists, and the stone pillar supports that had been left by the quarrymen were reconfigured and strengthened with concrete corsets. This is the only tunnel on which had been located in the tunnels to defend against Luftwaffe raids. Das Dorf Neston entwickelte sich um Neston Park herum, einen Landsitz, der 1790 gebaut wurde. It is located in Corsham, Wiltshire, in a former Bath stone quarry known as Spring Quarry, under the present-day MoD Corsham. To the rear is the electricity switching room. Critical to the flexibility of the site was its ability to continue operation in the face of potential breakdowns, and its multiple-entry points: the train platforms (opened 1939); the Main Surface Loading Platform (1941); and the refurbished Hudswell lifts (1940), were vital to contingency planning.The ammunition from Corsham supplied many of the British campaigns during the war, including the Normandy landings, and despite a high construction cost, the CAD sub-depot proved to be an adequate and efficient response to the dangers of aerial bombardment, particularly in the early years of the war. Secret Underground Cities: An Account of Some of Britain's Subterranean Defence, Factory and Storage Sites in the Sedond World War | McCamley, Nick J. Adjacent to this and linked underground are Browns Quarry, former RAF Sector Command (Now CDCN) and Spring Quarry. It is at the south - western edge of the Cotswolds, just off the A4 national ; restoration project run by the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. The railway tunnel is 1.83 miles (2.95 km) in length, straight, and descends on a 1 in 100 gradient from its eastern end. Shortlisted for ‘Best Rescue of an Industrial Building or Site’ Angel Award in 2012, Michaela Strivens: Upside down world, Wallington, London Suburbs, Read about our latest aerial investigation methods. The two-million square foot Spring Quarry underground aircraft engine factory at Corsham, and the smaller sites at Drakelow, Warren Row, Westwood and Dudley. Find out about listed buildings and other protected sites, and search the National Heritage List for England (NHLE). The bunker is located in Corsham, Wiltshire, in a former Bath stone quarry known as Spring Quarry. Our first visit to Box Mine was in March 2010 and since then, we’ve been back more times than I can remember! Lee Bank Tunnel was a railway tunnel on the Halifax to Queensbury section of the Queensbury lines south of Ovenden in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. The secondary entrance is via MOD Tunnel Quarry, an adjoining MOD facility attached to the SEF HQ site. 7 Quarry (because of its proximity to No. It was built to be a self-contained bomb-proof structure concealed below ground. Corsham is a historic market town and civil parish in west Wiltshire England. For a copy of the full scale map, please see the attached PDF - 1409857.pdf. * Rarity: only 13 quarries were requisitioned or bought in the 1930s/40s for this purpose, and this is the most extensive and fully fitted-out example of an underground ammunition depot. Ridge Quarry, a small underground Bath-stone quarry at The Ridge near Corsham in Wiltshire was taken over in 1915 for TNT and cordite storage. Across the site many areas of roof are reinforced with steel beams, notably at the train platforms. A number of areas have been stripped of fittings since this time, notably the telecommunications and office areas. The ceiling is reinforced by framed, vertical steel beams set in concrete plinths. It was in many ways ideal tit 44 acres of storage space directly connected to the GAR main branch line that entered a side tunnel at the east portal of Box Tunnel. Further quarries were also bought by 1937, in response to an increased need for anti-aircraft ammunition, and these were collectively known as Central Ammunition Depot (CAD) Corsham. Five sub-chambers for storage lead off it, three to the left and two to the right. PRINCIPAL ELEMENTS: this sub-depot of CAD Corsham is an approximately 50 acre site within Tunnel Quarry. Much of the architecture in Bath is built using Bath stone. The west portal is Grade II* listed and the east portal is Grade II listed. The conveyor is approximately 1m wide and constructed of steel on concrete supports. It was abandoned shortly after the war but subsequently was to figure as a key progenitor of the vast schemes undertaken at Corsham in preparation for the Second World War. Part is known as the Corsham Computer Centre and part is used by RAF Rudloe Manor. We apologise for this delay. The bunker is located in Corsham, Wiltshire, in a former Bath stone quarry known as Spring Quarry. © Historic England Archive. Tunnel Quarry is still used by the MOD. Tunnel Quarry was the largest of the CAD Corsham sub-depots, lying to the north of the Box Tunnel. The scheduled area extends to 1m around the designated boundary, and above and below. Historic England holds an extensive range of publications and historic collections in its public archive covering the historic environment. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Spring Quarry was home to a … Intense quarrying followed, leaving a network of quarries with worked-out chambers and air shafts, including Spring Quarry. Fixed concrete steps stand to the side of the north conveyor at intervals, and there are access points between the two platforms as well as two toilet facilities. It comprises two parallel train platforms with a conveyor control box, the District 10/11 conveyor system including No. They are constructed of concrete and stand on the levelled tunnel surface. By June 1944 Tunnel Quarry was moving over 10,000 tons of ammunition per week. Details. For years, explorers like myself would marvel at the MOD area of Box Mine and the mysterious ‘red door’ that sits at the end of the passage. OCLC 55853736. Books and journalsMcCamley, N J, Second World War Secret Bunkers, (2010)McCamley, N J, Secret Underground Cities, (2000). 1901 Census: Alderton PDF Wiltshire OPC. Eastlays Quarry is a commercial site used for wine storage. ( Log Out /  It was abandoned shortly after the war but subsequently was to figure as a key progenitor of the vast schemes undertaken at Corsham in … Conserving the Fog Battery Station on Lundy Island. Most of the ammunition during the war arrived and left by the former quarry … * Period: the peril from the threat of enemy aerial attack at the outbreak of the Second World War is inherent in the need to provide this facility to store ammunition and supply it to British forces. The final stage, completed in December 2007, was to build a tunnel near the Great Western Way at . At the south end of the conveyor is a raised platform under a barrel-vaulted roof, beside the track by Platform 1. The central ammunitions depot 1, at Tunnel Quarry, was the most impressive of the sub depots. Discover and use our high-quality applied research to support the protection and management of the historic environment. Welcome to Wiltshire’s Secret Underground City… the 35 acre subterranean Cold War City that lies 100 feet beneath Corsham. To provide an under- Its direct rail link provided a branch running off the main line at the eastern end of box tunnel straight into the quarry. These lines continued up to sidings, a loco shed and 2 … A ventilation system was installed, vertical lift shafts were refurbished to carry increased loads, inclined slope shafts were cut, and the branch line from the Box Tunnel was upgraded with two train platforms built at its termination point. If you wish to report an issue with a contribution or have a question please email [email protected]. Nahegelegene Landsitze Hartham Park ist ein um ein georgianisches Herrenhaus entstandener Ort. Reasons for Scheduling. The southern portal of Lee Bank tunnel was infilled when the main Keighley road was doubled to a dual carriageway, the northern portal was bricked up. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The entrance for Spring Quarry was beside the East entrance of Box Tunnel. The conveyor on Platform 2 has mostly been removed. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. No. This opened after fourteen years of construction in 1841, revealing the industrial potential of the area. Central Ammunition Depot Corsham - Tunnel Quarry, Monkton Farleigh, and the Ridge/Eastlays underground complex. These are contained within the worked-out chambers of a Bath Stone quarry which was converted into a 50 acre ammunition depot: Central Government War Headquarters (CGWHQ). A 20 foot thick concrete barrier was built along the south perimeter to protect the neighbouring Box Tunnel from accidental explosions. No above ground structures are included in the designation. Tunnel is on the summit pound of the Kennet and Avon Canal between Wootton Top Lock and Crofton Locks in Wiltshire England. Spring Quarry was a Ministry of Aircraft Production factory and in later years a store for the Royal Navy. The concrete render surrounding the District 10 entrance is blown, revealing red brick structure. For small corrections to the List Entry please see our Minor Amendments procedure. Tunnel Quarry has remained in MoD hands. The improved railway links helped the quarry develop as it allowed the stone that the quarry produced to be transported around the country quickly and easily. The west end of Tunnel Quarry was also used as a Signals Centre which continued in use for communications into the 21st Century. The bunker is located in Corsham, Wiltshire, in a former Bath stone quarry known as Spring Quarry. ... Also visited Box tunnel on the Corsham side to try and find a way into the side tunnel at the bottom of the steps. Tunnel Quarry 1.1 km; MOD Corsham 1.3 km; Burlington Cold War Bunker - E.G.W.H.Q 1.4 km; Cottles Wood 3.9 km; Colerne Airfield (formerly RAF Colerne) 4.2 km; Kingsdown Golf Club 4.3 km; Ashley Wood 5.6 km; Somerset 64 km Click on the button below to see around Tunnel Quarry. Its direct rail link provided a branch running off the main line at the eastern end of box tunnel straight into the quarry. * Group Value: the location within an extensive mine complex that also includes extant C19 quarry areas, a former aircraft factory, and the CGWHQ site during the Cold War confers added national importance as a highly rare and historically significant site. CAD Corsham . Corsham is an historic market town and civil parish in west Wiltshire, England. Tunnel Quarry, part of Central Ammunition Depot Corsham, in CGWHQ, below MoD Corsham is designated as a Scheduled Monument for the following principal reasons: The central ammunitions depot 1, at Tunnel Quarry, was the most impressive of the sub depots. Concrete steps stand opposite each other on either side of the conveyor at intervals, with a steel handrail straddling the conveyor. This branch, complete with underground platform and refuge sidings, fed a narrow gauge railway system with diesel locomotives, turntables and workshops. Approximately 73m from its south end, the District 10 conveyor adjoins another conveyor that diverts up No. Steps lead down from the trackside into the main generator rooms that have two five-cylinder Ruston Hornsby 5VLB diesel engines for use in the event of the failure of the national grid. This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. It was 267 yards long and was very close to Woodside Viaduct and Woodside Tunnel. Light units in steel cages are fixed to the roof at intervals. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Read about our current news, projects and campaigns nationally and in your area. The central ammunitions depot 1, at Tunnel Quarry, was the most impressive of the sub depots. The mine complexes stretch from near Corsham and the famous Box Tunnel, down to near the town of Bradford on Avon. It is at the south-western edge of the Cotswolds, just off the A4 national route, 28 miles (45 km) southwest of Swindon, 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Bristol, 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Bath and 4 miles (6 km) southwest of Chippenham. The following information has been contributed by users volunteering for our Enriching The List project. A main line siding also extended to an underground wharf in Corsham Down Quarry near the tunnel. Our website works best with the latest version of the browsers below, unfortunately your browser is not supported. The area under consideration for designation includes the core infrastructure of the facility, and covers 5,385 square metres. Then 100 feet below the surface there are the underground Corsham Bath stone quarries, including Spring, Browns, and Tunnel Quarry (amongst others). In addition to the primary construction, further works were essential for Tunnel Quarry to fulfil its new function. Since 2005, MoD have been de-commissioning the site and clearing it in order to conform with Working Mines Regulations. The quarry was divided into 10 districts, each of five acres, via concrete lock partition walls for the storage of ammunition.