1. The History
A number of tunnel networks or Air Raid Precaution (ARP) tunnels were built in Hong Kong with construction first beginning in the late 1930s, to connect Victoria Park to Eastern Street and Hospital Street on Hong Kong Island. Once war was declared in 1939, the scheme was ramped up with a number of ARP tunnels quickly built or upgraded. Steele-Perkins or the ARP department claimed Hong Kong could be blacked-out within 3 minutes of attack. Many of the tunnels were incomplete at the time of the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong.
Newspaper sources in October 1940 refer to the air raid tunnels (14 in total including ones in Wan Chai, Sai Ying Pun and Queen’s Road ) were 10ft wide across at the entrances and up to a similar width throughout their lengths with cross-tunnels driven in a U-shape to provide two entrances to each shelter. It was envisaged that each tunnel would accommodate up to 1,000 people.
By September 1941 21 different tunnel complexes with a total capacity of 200,000 people had been excavated. Three months later, on Saturday 13th December 1941 an article in the South China Morning Post referred to life in the shelters:
“The Chinese population has soon come to appreciate the protection afforded by the network of air raid shelters in the Colony and hundreds have made these their temporary homes, many remaining in them even during the daytime. Many Chinese in the Central districts, especially the mid-levels, now move to the Leighton Hill tunnels in Happy Valley and the Arsenal Street tunnels, with mattresses and other bedding, shortly before dusk and return to town in the mornings.”
In total, 28 ARP tunnels were constructed, 7 in Kowloon and the rest around Hong Kong island. At the heart of the ARP network was the “Battle Box” however this now no longer exists. This was the government’s command bunker or “Combined Services Underground Operating Headquarters” to give it its full name. In 1986 Commercial developers destroyed it to make way for the Pacific Place shopping and hotel complex. However, a number of the tunnel networks still exist and are in various states of completeness.
The tunnels of ARP 018, referred to as Sing Woo Road, were cut into the hillside north-east of Happy Valley. On April 21, 1941 the Hong Kong Telegraph reported that:
“Work on two vast tunnels in the Happy Valley area is advancing smoothly, rapid progress is being made on the large tunnel extending between Broadwood Rd and Ventris Rd and onto Blue Pool Rd. When this tunnel is completed it is estimated that it will accommodate between 50,000 and 60,000 people.”
As mentioned above, the ARP 018 tunnel complex is located just in front of Broadwood Rd with entrances from Ventris Rd and Blue Pool Rd and several of the side streets in the vicinity of the tram terminus area in Wong Nei Chong. Today, Blue Pool road runs across the top of a large section of the tunnels. Most of the portals exited along the slope behind Hip Wo Lane. There were eleven portals in total, numbered 84 to 94. The first entrance, number 84, was situated on Tsun Yuen Street. Portal numbers 85-88 have now completely gone, along with numbers 90 and 92. Portal number 89 is still visible, along with No. 91, which is also still in relatively good shape. At a higher level, on the edge of Blue Pool road, No.93 which is the key portal as it is the one that allows access to this network (a little further up the road towards the junction with Ventris road No.94, the final portal, is no longer visible).
In 1977 there was a partial collapse of the tunnel triggering the Government to order a thorough investigation of all the disused tunnels. Subsequently, the condition of the tunnels was assessed and categorized into 3 classes of maintenance schedules: high, medium or low priority. A maintenance manual was prepared for each individual ARP tunnel. Here is a copy of the ARP18 network that resulted from this work:
ARP18 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
2. The Explore
First explore of my 2019 HK visit. And again indebted to the good @drhowser who very kindly showed me round this one. He’s been to a number of these ARP tunnels and has as much knowledge of this incredible network of tunnels under Hong Kong than anyone else. For his comprehensive set of reports see HERE. I visited two networks last year (ARP11 at Leighton Hill and ARP29 at Hoi Ann Street) with him so this was number three for me. All of them have their similarities but also their differences so they never become too samey.
Entry was incredibly easy, to say the least. Literally a walk in. Once you are in you are transported into a completely different world. These spaces are incredible in their own right but when you consider their location, even more so.
3. The Pictures
The main, rough cut long tunnel:
img2119 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2123 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2127 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Then you get to this:
img2134 by HughieDW, on Flickr
This section of the tunnel as been subject to strengthening to prevent collapse. While the tunnels are quite echo-ey, these concrete passages were almost perfectly sound-proofed and deadend the sound:
img2128 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2129 by HughieDW, on Flickr
A slightly different bit:
img2132 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Here there was a vertical and now capped-off entrance point:
img2136 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2165 by HughieDW, on Flickr
This part of the complex was the most wet:
img2137 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2140 by HughieDW, on Flickr
This section has been lined with concrete – maybe for strengthening purposes(?):
img2144 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Loved this little canopy – not too sure why it got put here:
img2171 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2172 by HughieDW, on Flickr
This section was as wide as the complex got:
img2147 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2169 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The highlight of this place for me was the original flushing toilet facilities:
img2161 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2162 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2156 by HughieDW, on Flickr
It’s gotta be Dalton hasn’t it?
img2158 by HughieDW, on Flickr
ARP18 03 by HughieDW, on Flickr
ARP18 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr
One of the several original WW2 painted signs:
img2175 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Some lime deposits:
ARP18 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr
A number of tunnel networks or Air Raid Precaution (ARP) tunnels were built in Hong Kong with construction first beginning in the late 1930s, to connect Victoria Park to Eastern Street and Hospital Street on Hong Kong Island. Once war was declared in 1939, the scheme was ramped up with a number of ARP tunnels quickly built or upgraded. Steele-Perkins or the ARP department claimed Hong Kong could be blacked-out within 3 minutes of attack. Many of the tunnels were incomplete at the time of the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong.
Newspaper sources in October 1940 refer to the air raid tunnels (14 in total including ones in Wan Chai, Sai Ying Pun and Queen’s Road ) were 10ft wide across at the entrances and up to a similar width throughout their lengths with cross-tunnels driven in a U-shape to provide two entrances to each shelter. It was envisaged that each tunnel would accommodate up to 1,000 people.
By September 1941 21 different tunnel complexes with a total capacity of 200,000 people had been excavated. Three months later, on Saturday 13th December 1941 an article in the South China Morning Post referred to life in the shelters:
“The Chinese population has soon come to appreciate the protection afforded by the network of air raid shelters in the Colony and hundreds have made these their temporary homes, many remaining in them even during the daytime. Many Chinese in the Central districts, especially the mid-levels, now move to the Leighton Hill tunnels in Happy Valley and the Arsenal Street tunnels, with mattresses and other bedding, shortly before dusk and return to town in the mornings.”
In total, 28 ARP tunnels were constructed, 7 in Kowloon and the rest around Hong Kong island. At the heart of the ARP network was the “Battle Box” however this now no longer exists. This was the government’s command bunker or “Combined Services Underground Operating Headquarters” to give it its full name. In 1986 Commercial developers destroyed it to make way for the Pacific Place shopping and hotel complex. However, a number of the tunnel networks still exist and are in various states of completeness.
The tunnels of ARP 018, referred to as Sing Woo Road, were cut into the hillside north-east of Happy Valley. On April 21, 1941 the Hong Kong Telegraph reported that:
“Work on two vast tunnels in the Happy Valley area is advancing smoothly, rapid progress is being made on the large tunnel extending between Broadwood Rd and Ventris Rd and onto Blue Pool Rd. When this tunnel is completed it is estimated that it will accommodate between 50,000 and 60,000 people.”
As mentioned above, the ARP 018 tunnel complex is located just in front of Broadwood Rd with entrances from Ventris Rd and Blue Pool Rd and several of the side streets in the vicinity of the tram terminus area in Wong Nei Chong. Today, Blue Pool road runs across the top of a large section of the tunnels. Most of the portals exited along the slope behind Hip Wo Lane. There were eleven portals in total, numbered 84 to 94. The first entrance, number 84, was situated on Tsun Yuen Street. Portal numbers 85-88 have now completely gone, along with numbers 90 and 92. Portal number 89 is still visible, along with No. 91, which is also still in relatively good shape. At a higher level, on the edge of Blue Pool road, No.93 which is the key portal as it is the one that allows access to this network (a little further up the road towards the junction with Ventris road No.94, the final portal, is no longer visible).
In 1977 there was a partial collapse of the tunnel triggering the Government to order a thorough investigation of all the disused tunnels. Subsequently, the condition of the tunnels was assessed and categorized into 3 classes of maintenance schedules: high, medium or low priority. A maintenance manual was prepared for each individual ARP tunnel. Here is a copy of the ARP18 network that resulted from this work:
2. The Explore
First explore of my 2019 HK visit. And again indebted to the good @drhowser who very kindly showed me round this one. He’s been to a number of these ARP tunnels and has as much knowledge of this incredible network of tunnels under Hong Kong than anyone else. For his comprehensive set of reports see HERE. I visited two networks last year (ARP11 at Leighton Hill and ARP29 at Hoi Ann Street) with him so this was number three for me. All of them have their similarities but also their differences so they never become too samey.
Entry was incredibly easy, to say the least. Literally a walk in. Once you are in you are transported into a completely different world. These spaces are incredible in their own right but when you consider their location, even more so.
3. The Pictures
The main, rough cut long tunnel:
Then you get to this:
This section of the tunnel as been subject to strengthening to prevent collapse. While the tunnels are quite echo-ey, these concrete passages were almost perfectly sound-proofed and deadend the sound:
A slightly different bit:
Here there was a vertical and now capped-off entrance point:
This part of the complex was the most wet:
This section has been lined with concrete – maybe for strengthening purposes(?):
Loved this little canopy – not too sure why it got put here:
This section was as wide as the complex got:
The highlight of this place for me was the original flushing toilet facilities:
It’s gotta be Dalton hasn’t it?
One of the several original WW2 painted signs:
Some lime deposits:
Last edited:
