Drakelow Tunnels facts for kids
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The Drakelow Tunnels are a huge underground complex located near Kidderminster, Worcestershire, in England. They cover a massive area, about the size of four football fields, and have tunnels stretching for around 3.5 miles (5.6 km). These tunnels were first built during World War II as a secret factory. Later, during the Cold War, they became a hidden government center, ready to be used if there was a major attack.
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History of Drakelow Tunnels
Building a Secret Factory for World War II
In April 1941, during World War II, the British government decided to build a large underground factory. It was planned to be about 250,000 square feet (23,225 sq m) inside sandstone hills at Drakelow. The idea was for it to be a secret "shadow factory" for making important parts for planes. This was a smart move because underground factories were safer from enemy bombs.
Construction started in June 1941. By July 1942, the Rover Company, famous for making cars, was chosen to use the factory. Rover needed the factory to make parts for aircraft engines. It also served as a backup if their main factories were bombed.
The Drakelow factory was called "Drakelow Underground Dispersal Factory" or Rover No. 1D. The first machines were set up in November 1942, and the factory was fully working by May 1943. It mainly produced parts for Bristol Mercury and Bristol Pegasus engines. These engines powered famous planes like the Bristol Blenheim bomber and the Sunderland flying boat.
The underground factory was like a giant grid of tunnels. The main tunnels were wide and tall, used for moving materials. Smaller tunnels were used as workshops and storage areas. The factory had a total floor area of about 285,000 square feet (26,477 sq m). Some parts of the tunnels were also used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) for storage. There were also buildings on the surface, like a power station and a fire station.
After the war ended in July 1945, the factory stopped making plane engines. Drakelow was then used to store tools and work on parts for the Rolls-Royce Meteor tank engine until the mid-1950s.
Drakelow During the Cold War
From the mid-1950s, the Drakelow site was used for storage by the government. Around 1958, a part of the tunnels was turned into a secret government bunker. This was during the Cold War, a time when there was a lot of tension between the world's superpowers. This bunker was called a Regional Seat of Government (RSG). It was designed to hold 325 staff members, including dormitories, offices, a BBC studio, and communication facilities. The idea was that if a nuclear attack happened, government leaders could continue to run the country from this safe, hidden place.
In 1963, a group called the West Midlands Committee of 100 held a protest at Drakelow, which made the secret bunker known to the public.
Over the years, the bunker's name and role changed a few times, but it always remained a key government headquarters. In the early 1980s, it was updated with new blast doors and refurbished inside.
After the Cold War
Around 1990, there were plans to move the government headquarters to a smaller bunker. However, this never happened, and the Drakelow site was finally closed down and sold in 1993.
Drakelow Tunnels Today
After being sold, there were ideas to turn the Drakelow site into homes and shops. But many local people and groups wanted to protect the tunnels because of their history. They formed a Preservation Trust to fight against the building plans.
In 2019, a company suggested turning the tunnels into a huge warehouse for wine, which would also create jobs. They also planned to make part of the tunnels into a museum. While these plans were first rejected, they were later approved in January 2021 after an appeal.
Today, volunteers at the Drakelow Tunnels Museum offer tours. Visitors can learn about the site's history, from its time as a secret factory in the 1940s to its role as a Cold War bunker in the 1990s. You can book tours online. To see updates on the museum's restoration, you can find them on Facebook by searching 'Drakelow Tunnels Museum'.
Spooky Stories at Drakelow
The Drakelow Tunnels are known for being one of the most haunted places in Britain. In 2019, a TV show called Paranormal Lockdown visited the tunnels to investigate. Their findings were shown in an episode of the show's third season.
