Winchelsea air raid shelter Dover - August 2016

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Newage

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Hi All

On wards and down wards, busy old day for the first day of our holiday.
I had not planned to do this site because I thought there would not be enough time but as it happened this was not a problem.

The Winchelsea "caves" were built during WW2 to act as air raid shelter, able to hold 1000 people, they were built from inside a former quarry with 4 entrances/exits in the quarry and then another 2 exit/entrances away much further to the north east and the south east.
The 4 parallel main tunnels each have large cross passages linking all four, there are toilet blocks on both sides of the shelter complex.

This place was much bigger than I had first thought, again access was with sort of permission, rocked up with a high viz and safety boots and helmet and looked like I should of been there.

Picture time.

one of the passages to the shelter (1 of 4)

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Looking at one of the cross passages, used by the company that owns the site, at the far end of this cross passage is one of the shelter toilet blocks.

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Each of the 4 long shelter tunnels meet up at the far end at a 6 way Junction but first some of the tunnels leading to the junction.

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Next up is the junction.

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The passages on the left lead to the two east side exit/entrances, the thing about this shelter is the construction, the first sections are concrete lines, but when you reach the exit/entrance spurs they are a mix of smooth cut chalk, concrete, brick lining.

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There is not much too see down here but there is some old graffiti cut in to the caulk.

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Right last look at the concrete lined and unlined area of the junction.

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Right that will do, thanks for looking and as normal all comments are most welcome.
If you want more tunnel goodness head over to my FlickR page at :-

https://www.flickr.com/photos/newage2/albums/72157669307703814/with/28954172855/

Cheers Newage
 
You take the biscuit for having the cheek to pull that old chestnut off Newage, Nicely Done, Thanks
 
What do you lot mean "tricky light" it was pitch black down there, that's about a 10 out of 10
On the tricky scale, good to know you all like the pictures ��

Cheers newage (Have high vis will access)
 
My mate used to strut about with a clip board as well, people would just see him
And walk the other way, worked every time.

Cheers newage
 

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