Managed to dig out the photos from '87. Shortly after this time the place was being touted as the 'Secret Underground City' and they did some tours. Surprising amount of kit still down there, though the pikeys had got in and some of the copper cables had been nicked, though power was on for lights and stuff.
There were three entrances: the long tunnel from the loading dock which had conveyor belts, Main East also with conveyors and Main West which had a cable hauled railway. About half the site had a railway and the other half had conveyors for moving stuff around. There was a boiler house on the surface with fridge plant for chilled water as the temperature and humidity were closely controlled (sweaty explosives could be embarrassing!) and the air ducts were massive, with 10-12ft diameter fans.
A leaflet from when they opened it as a museum
1993: think the place had been sold to Wansdyke and they were starting to do some clearing out. View of Main West
Down the road was the old boiler house and fridge plant used to keep the place warm/cool
View of loading dock on main line taken from the A4
and the tunnel going up the hill to the mine
Main East off Farleigh Rise
Inside the mine, and some seriously large ducts: one of the circulating pumps, air dampers and humidifier and one of the smaller fans!
The compressed air sewage ejector and one of the bigger fans
Heating pipework, pump, gauges and one of the diesel tanks (still with a load of diesel)
The loco (not original to the site!) and the bottom end of the site, doors into the old mineworkings.
Assorted wagons, pointwork and part of the cable haulage
More railway bits, some wagons with ammo boxes on
Electric rail mounted air compressor and cable haulage near 17 District
Lots of switchgear and more pumps (the place had two underground substations fed from two different directions which also supplied the villages above)
The main HV switchgear and the standby diesel genny (they managed to get this running). 250kW and it would only have run about 1/4 of the lights in the place, let alone all the other plant!
Hope you like it!
There were three entrances: the long tunnel from the loading dock which had conveyor belts, Main East also with conveyors and Main West which had a cable hauled railway. About half the site had a railway and the other half had conveyors for moving stuff around. There was a boiler house on the surface with fridge plant for chilled water as the temperature and humidity were closely controlled (sweaty explosives could be embarrassing!) and the air ducts were massive, with 10-12ft diameter fans.
A leaflet from when they opened it as a museum
1993: think the place had been sold to Wansdyke and they were starting to do some clearing out. View of Main West
Down the road was the old boiler house and fridge plant used to keep the place warm/cool
View of loading dock on main line taken from the A4
and the tunnel going up the hill to the mine
Main East off Farleigh Rise
Inside the mine, and some seriously large ducts: one of the circulating pumps, air dampers and humidifier and one of the smaller fans!
The compressed air sewage ejector and one of the bigger fans
Heating pipework, pump, gauges and one of the diesel tanks (still with a load of diesel)
The loco (not original to the site!) and the bottom end of the site, doors into the old mineworkings.
Assorted wagons, pointwork and part of the cable haulage
More railway bits, some wagons with ammo boxes on
Electric rail mounted air compressor and cable haulage near 17 District
Lots of switchgear and more pumps (the place had two underground substations fed from two different directions which also supplied the villages above)
The main HV switchgear and the standby diesel genny (they managed to get this running). 250kW and it would only have run about 1/4 of the lights in the place, let alone all the other plant!
Hope you like it!
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