Topic: | Re:Re:Secret tunnels of Chiswick | |
Posted by: | Mike Russell | |
Date/Time: | 30/01/08 21:03:00 |
London's tunnels are truly a fascinating subject. I'd like to hear more about any Chiswick ones, but here's some (presumably de-classified - as I got it all from published books) insight into those under central London: Started by Hugh Dalrymple-Hay as his last work, “a secret system of deep level tunnels beneath Whitehall to preserve from aerial bombardment intercommunication between government offices”. (The Dictionary of national Biography). 1939: A tunnel to connect South Trafalgar Square to the Cenotaph, subsequently extended through Partliament Square to end at the Marsham Street citadel.(extension flooded by River Tyburn, abandoned 1983) A second from Trafalgar Square end to Whitehall Post Office (telephones) in Craig’s Court. 31 High Holborn reveals a steel door containing a lift which descends to Kingsway exchange, used as a government telecommunication centre in WW2. It consists of 2 parallel tunnels beneath Chancery Lane Underground, Furnival Street and Red Lion Street with living and sleeping accomodation. In 1949 for further and larger tunnels were added at right angles and formed a secret international telephone exchange. Further tunnels were made to the GPO cable tunnel to the south allowing acces to the Faraday House and Wood Street exchanges and via a further tunnel beneath Red Lion St to the Tavistock Place exchange, St Pancras. Another entrance is in Furnival Street and around the corner in Took’s Court are tall ventilation towers. It is now abandoned. 40 yds south of Nelson’s Column is the Q Whitehall Telephone Exchange where the tunnel is 20’ wide. Further 8’ wide tunnels radiate from here leading to lifts and spiral staircases to the Ministry of Defence, Admiralty and No.10. The Admiralty tunnel runs under the Buckingham Palace, with an entrance at the base of the Duke of York’s steps. There is an extractor fan outside the the gents’ toilet at the ICA with no connection to the building, and by standing on the seat and looking through a louvered window in the gents one can see steps down to the tunnel entrance (this is disputed - M). There is a door in the base of Boudicca’s statuee near Westminster bridge to a subway that runs to Blackfriar’s and then the to the Bank of England. Sometime during the 70's journalist Duncan Campbell decided to explore these on his bicycle. He started in an access shaft on a traffic island on Bethnal Green Road. Descended 100ft and cycled to Whitehall on tunnel “L” Intersection at St Martin’s le Grand (close to St Paul’s cathedral) where tunnels lead off to meet the central Line and Mail Rail. @ tunnels “R & A” travel to Faraday House exchange south of St Paul’s. Tunnel “G” leads under Holborn, “M” leads to Fleet Street and “P” travels under Leciester Square to the Post Office Tower.”S” crosses beneath the river to Waterloo, running close to the Jubilee Line extension. |