A WW2 Radio station secreted in the face of a chalk quarry to the north of Portsmouth.
This was dug by the Army during the construction of the Underground HQ below Fort Southwick. The Fort Southwick underground site was one of the nerve centre's for Operation Overlord. The radio station was about half a mile from the HQ with communications via a secure landline. This was to distance the highly visible aerials from the important Hq. The tunnel is a u shaped affair with both bare chalk and reinforced sections.
Built with a short flight of stairs mid tunnel nothing remains of the radio installation. A conduit to the cliff top is visible and a concrete ledge along the lower of the two tunnels remains. Built in 1942 by the 172 Tunnelling Company Royal Engineers, assisted by the 179 and the 183 company. There are some broken conduit clips and cable holes in the reinforced sections hinting at the stations former use.
The main reason for my visit was to view the famous "Paulsgrove Skull"
I was not disappointed
This Famous carving is right up there with the Elgin Marbles, Dazu Rock Carvings
China, Angkor Wat Cambodia and Michelangelo's David. :yes:
The low eastern entrance.
The eastern tunnel showing concrete sill's.
Looking east away from the stepped section, the conduit to the top of the cliff is it the recess to the left.
At the top of the stairs, small holes for cables visible on rhs.
Looking in from the west portal, the passage on the left ends in solid chalk.
Opposite view from above.
The dead end tunnel.
The West portal.
And the famous Paulsgrove Skull.
Stunning is all I can say.
History stolen from another quality site that deserves a look.
http://www.portsdown-tunnels.org.uk/paulsgrove/chalkpit/radio_station_p1.html
This was dug by the Army during the construction of the Underground HQ below Fort Southwick. The Fort Southwick underground site was one of the nerve centre's for Operation Overlord. The radio station was about half a mile from the HQ with communications via a secure landline. This was to distance the highly visible aerials from the important Hq. The tunnel is a u shaped affair with both bare chalk and reinforced sections.
Built with a short flight of stairs mid tunnel nothing remains of the radio installation. A conduit to the cliff top is visible and a concrete ledge along the lower of the two tunnels remains. Built in 1942 by the 172 Tunnelling Company Royal Engineers, assisted by the 179 and the 183 company. There are some broken conduit clips and cable holes in the reinforced sections hinting at the stations former use.
The main reason for my visit was to view the famous "Paulsgrove Skull"
I was not disappointed
This Famous carving is right up there with the Elgin Marbles, Dazu Rock CarvingsChina, Angkor Wat Cambodia and Michelangelo's David. :yes:
The low eastern entrance.
The eastern tunnel showing concrete sill's.
Looking east away from the stepped section, the conduit to the top of the cliff is it the recess to the left.
At the top of the stairs, small holes for cables visible on rhs.
Looking in from the west portal, the passage on the left ends in solid chalk.
Opposite view from above.
The dead end tunnel.
The West portal.
And the famous Paulsgrove Skull.
Stunning is all I can say.
History stolen from another quality site that deserves a look.
http://www.portsdown-tunnels.org.uk/paulsgrove/chalkpit/radio_station_p1.html
