The Grove Air Raid Shelter nr Watford

Derelict Places

Help Support Derelict Places:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

fluffy5518

Veteran Member
Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Messages
873
Reaction score
1,021
Location
Didcot
Greetings all;
Welcome to a little photographic underground walk of The Grove air raid shelters at Sarratt near Watford.The site was formally the WWII HQ of the LMS Railway and was built during 1939 in order to keep the day to day operations of the busy railway running smoothly and its headquarters staff safe during any bombing raids.Prior to this date the HQ was at Euston Stn London-an obvious target for a bombing raid.
First off is a map of the area as it was in 1941.With the air raid shelters in question being outlined in red near to top right.Thanx for the map must go to Outkast and it has been shamelesssly lifted from his posting on Adam H's thread from 6 weeks ago. !!
plan-1941.jpg

If you look on Google Earth you can still see the scars of some of the original buildings -its now a golf course !!
AND in case you havent noticed before at the top of the screen on Google Earth click on the clock image and this will allow you to select an earlier Sat image to display and if you go back as far as you can -i think its 1999 you can bring the past back to life !!GOOD EH !!
Right now on with the phots they are all very samey as basically what you have down there are thirteen individual shelters all connected by a passageway.Each shelter is allocated a letter from A to M and each letter is divided into four areas (i think !!)
This is an entry passage looking towards shelter A.
IMG_7054copy.jpg

Here is Shelter C4 showing the remains of the wooden seating and the fixings for the lighting.

IMG_7057copy.jpg

Another entrance passageway for Shelter D showing the remains of an electrical distribution and fuse box .
IMG_7058copy.jpg

More seating and at the rear is the remains of a toilet area.
IMG_7059copy.jpg

Seating remains in G3.
IMG_7062copy.jpg

...and G4.
IMG_7063copy.jpg

And finally entrance to L2.
IMG_7065copy.jpg

Hopefully Newage will post his selection of bits n pieces provided he can wade thru the phots he took of EVERY stencilled area number on site !! Must be the train spotter in him !! But while youre waiting think of getting yourself down here and have a look for yerself.Its completely walk in and is in excellent condition and is just down the road from the GCI station that was RAF Chenies.!!!
PS Thanx again to Adam H for the Gen and all the cuddly spiders that lurk here !!!:mrgreen:
 
Shelter lay out

Hi guys

This is one hell of an air raid shelter.

WARNING.....

If you don't like spiders and I mean spiders as large as pigs don't go in via entrance "M" .

just a few odds and sods. The picture on the right is entrance "M"

4649710130_228d7aee6b.jpg
4649717610_8dd86a9218.jpg


This is the toilet area in shelter section "D"

4649094799_14ebd12fc1.jpg
4649094659_6ee218be0f.jpg


Just some of the wiring and light fittings left over

4649095517_f72ef6b8e5.jpg
4649712378_8129449925.jpg


As can be seen the wooden seat bases are still in place, the picture on the right is in shelter section "D"

4649096015_d014a5ef56.jpg
4649712898_39ec5f0840.jpg


Last one is "Fluffy"

4649710966_88af6491f6.jpg


If you want to see more picture of endless tunnels go to:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/newage2/sets/72157624034375597/

comments are most welcome cheers Newage & Fluffy
 
Get a little Xtra help

Just been playing with photo shop and wheres the path and came up with this, hope it is of some use.

4656765518_7eecc2013e_b.jpg



Cheers Newage
 

Latest posts

Back
Top