I kept hearing about a rave that took place in a bunker in some woods near Worsley, Manchester. I probed a little and located it on Google earth! For a bunker it is quite huge - hardly discreet on a hillside and surely an easy target? Much of it vanishes into the ground and there are bricked up outlets that may be either escape tunnels or the remains of the old hall. There are open manholes that caused some of the ravers to gain broken ribs!
This is what Subterranea Britannic had to say:
The Worsley post war anti aircraft operations room was opened in 1952 on the site of Worsley New Hall which had been pulled down after the first world war. The AAOR served the Manchester Gun Defended Area (GDA) and was of the standard two level design built into the edge of the hillside in Middle Wood.
Unusually one entrance is on the upper level and the other on the lower level; only one other AAOR, at Frodsham in Cheshire, has this entrance layout.
By the mid 1950's the network of AAOR's had become redundant and in 1958 the building was used as a Royal Navy food stores deport attached to RNAS Riseley, various papers found in the building verify this use. In 1961 it was bought by Salford Corporation and used as a Joint Area Control with Lancashire County Council and in 1966 it was redesignated as a Sub County Control for the Stretford and Turton areas, one of numerous sub controls reporting to County Main at Lea Road Preston. Following the disbanding of the Civil Defence Corps in 1968 the building was put into care and maintenance until 1974 when it was handed over to Greater Manchester County Fire Service. They in turn sold it on to a local gun club in the early 1990's. In 1998 it was sold to a Manchester property investment and development company who are hoping to develop the estate as a golf course, if possible retaining and restoring the AAOR and incorporating it into the new complex.
Sadly, the doors are welded shut so it is impossible to enter, I have read reports that it was left open for some time and basically trashed with nothing of any significance remaining.
So, to the pics!
The East wall
Looking South, the West wall was the most exposed.
North entrance porch.
An air vent
South entrance porch, this was a floor below the North one.
The East wall, and a staircase that gives you an idea of the scale.
The West wall with rave debris scattered all over.
A cheeky shot through an air vent.
The roof was the size of a carpark.
A chimney? Or communications apparatus mounting?
No Santa here!
An open manhole cover – one of many. If you like snapped ribs, step on in!
Escape tunnel? Or old foundation.
Reinforced entrance light!
The gates that remain from when the old hall was standing. Quite magnificent!
This is what Subterranea Britannic had to say:
The Worsley post war anti aircraft operations room was opened in 1952 on the site of Worsley New Hall which had been pulled down after the first world war. The AAOR served the Manchester Gun Defended Area (GDA) and was of the standard two level design built into the edge of the hillside in Middle Wood.
Unusually one entrance is on the upper level and the other on the lower level; only one other AAOR, at Frodsham in Cheshire, has this entrance layout.
By the mid 1950's the network of AAOR's had become redundant and in 1958 the building was used as a Royal Navy food stores deport attached to RNAS Riseley, various papers found in the building verify this use. In 1961 it was bought by Salford Corporation and used as a Joint Area Control with Lancashire County Council and in 1966 it was redesignated as a Sub County Control for the Stretford and Turton areas, one of numerous sub controls reporting to County Main at Lea Road Preston. Following the disbanding of the Civil Defence Corps in 1968 the building was put into care and maintenance until 1974 when it was handed over to Greater Manchester County Fire Service. They in turn sold it on to a local gun club in the early 1990's. In 1998 it was sold to a Manchester property investment and development company who are hoping to develop the estate as a golf course, if possible retaining and restoring the AAOR and incorporating it into the new complex.
Sadly, the doors are welded shut so it is impossible to enter, I have read reports that it was left open for some time and basically trashed with nothing of any significance remaining.
So, to the pics!
The East wall
Looking South, the West wall was the most exposed.
North entrance porch.
An air vent
South entrance porch, this was a floor below the North one.
The East wall, and a staircase that gives you an idea of the scale.
The West wall with rave debris scattered all over.
A cheeky shot through an air vent.
The roof was the size of a carpark.
A chimney? Or communications apparatus mounting?
No Santa here!
An open manhole cover – one of many. If you like snapped ribs, step on in!
Escape tunnel? Or old foundation.
Reinforced entrance light!
The gates that remain from when the old hall was standing. Quite magnificent!
