Background Stuff and Histories
This has opened up again. Seems the grinder and sledge hammer fairies have paid a visit. As we get older and explore more, no one gives much of a fuck about tooth fairies, but the metal fairies and the grinder and sledge hammer fairies are always welcome. As well as those fairies that make locks fall off. Magic.
In 1940 ze Germans decided to bomb Stockport. To be precise - German precision - it was the 11th October 1940. It was nothing personal. The Germans bombed a lot of Europe. So, it was just as well the sensible people of Stockport had prepared for this eventuality by digging some mighty fine bomb shelters in the sandstone Stockport proudly stands upon. To clear up any confusion, these were not shelters for the bombs. They weren’t claiming asylum or stealing your jobs. The shelters were for the people to avoid the bombs, or more properly the exploding and the maiming and the dying caused by the bombs. The Stopfordian’s built their shelters from September 1938 and they opened on 28th October 1939, which was good planning. The people of Stockport were far better at building bomb shelters in a time of crisis than the current government can build an App and lay their hands on paper masks. Dodge Hill is one of those air raid shelters and could accommodate about 2000 people.
Gritty Facts: On the night of 22nd and 23rd of December and then 23rd and 24th, the Luftwaffe bombed Manchester and surrounding areas. Bombing on successive nights was one of their tactics. It's caused the maximum disruption. On those two nights, 467 tonnes of high explosives were dropped. An estimated 684 died and more than 2000 people were injured.
This is an interactive map, that shows where bombs landed during the second world war, so you can have a look for yourself. Stockport, it seems, was relatively unscathed.
Shenanigwans
The day started as most good days of shenanigwans should, hanging off the underside of a large motorway bridge on static ropes. This may or may not be done with brewdogs, depending on your safety assessment. I was with two non-members going through ropey stuff for future adventures and checking out the place in general to build a ridiculous swing for my kids, because who doesn't like ridiculous swings, right? But, we decided to pop back here on the way, because I'd seen it was open, the two chaps I was with are from Stockport and I'd wanted to poke my head in here since looking at Brinksway a few years ago.
This is me going down the concrete staircase that I imagine was the main entrance at the time. It isn't me going down the stairs, the entrance is blocked. But it is me.
Below is a warren of tunnels cut out of the red sandstone and those tunnels all filled with bunk beds: because if there is one thing you do when you’re sheltering from massive explosions in fear of your life, it’s sleep. If you look closely you can see a cloud of Covid floating in the air at the back. It was fine. I found a discarded surgical mask on the floor and used that.
There are a few toilet blocks. Most are now smashed, but one half decent one remains. I cba taking photos of smashed up toilets though.
It's good place for a nap if you've had a difficult day going up and down ropes.
There are a few places that have been reinforced with concrete, which makes for a bit of a change from the carved stone. Hopefully the local council aren't implying that their citizens are fat.
But I do like the carved stone and the chisel marks left in it.
There are a few little features and alcoves off the main tunnels and voila, regardez vous la feature off the main tunnel.
You cannot, obviously, everyone know this... go exploring underground and not have a silhouetted photo of you going underground. Otherwise it never happened. This is why so many robberies that have involved tunneling into banks have never been solved. There are no photos of the thieves in silhouette. So, here are the non members making their first foray into the dark chasms of shelter from the raining exploding things. And that proves they were there. Otherwise they weren’t. It’s quantum physics.
And that is it. A little wander underneath Stockport and some snaps. Just a few, because it's only smol.
Don't forget to hit the bell and subscribe!
Don't subscribe. I'm taking the piss.
Also, this is not YouTube.
This has opened up again. Seems the grinder and sledge hammer fairies have paid a visit. As we get older and explore more, no one gives much of a fuck about tooth fairies, but the metal fairies and the grinder and sledge hammer fairies are always welcome. As well as those fairies that make locks fall off. Magic.
In 1940 ze Germans decided to bomb Stockport. To be precise - German precision - it was the 11th October 1940. It was nothing personal. The Germans bombed a lot of Europe. So, it was just as well the sensible people of Stockport had prepared for this eventuality by digging some mighty fine bomb shelters in the sandstone Stockport proudly stands upon. To clear up any confusion, these were not shelters for the bombs. They weren’t claiming asylum or stealing your jobs. The shelters were for the people to avoid the bombs, or more properly the exploding and the maiming and the dying caused by the bombs. The Stopfordian’s built their shelters from September 1938 and they opened on 28th October 1939, which was good planning. The people of Stockport were far better at building bomb shelters in a time of crisis than the current government can build an App and lay their hands on paper masks. Dodge Hill is one of those air raid shelters and could accommodate about 2000 people.
Gritty Facts: On the night of 22nd and 23rd of December and then 23rd and 24th, the Luftwaffe bombed Manchester and surrounding areas. Bombing on successive nights was one of their tactics. It's caused the maximum disruption. On those two nights, 467 tonnes of high explosives were dropped. An estimated 684 died and more than 2000 people were injured.
This is an interactive map, that shows where bombs landed during the second world war, so you can have a look for yourself. Stockport, it seems, was relatively unscathed.
Shenanigwans
The day started as most good days of shenanigwans should, hanging off the underside of a large motorway bridge on static ropes. This may or may not be done with brewdogs, depending on your safety assessment. I was with two non-members going through ropey stuff for future adventures and checking out the place in general to build a ridiculous swing for my kids, because who doesn't like ridiculous swings, right? But, we decided to pop back here on the way, because I'd seen it was open, the two chaps I was with are from Stockport and I'd wanted to poke my head in here since looking at Brinksway a few years ago.
This is me going down the concrete staircase that I imagine was the main entrance at the time. It isn't me going down the stairs, the entrance is blocked. But it is me.
Below is a warren of tunnels cut out of the red sandstone and those tunnels all filled with bunk beds: because if there is one thing you do when you’re sheltering from massive explosions in fear of your life, it’s sleep. If you look closely you can see a cloud of Covid floating in the air at the back. It was fine. I found a discarded surgical mask on the floor and used that.
There are a few toilet blocks. Most are now smashed, but one half decent one remains. I cba taking photos of smashed up toilets though.
It's good place for a nap if you've had a difficult day going up and down ropes.
There are a few places that have been reinforced with concrete, which makes for a bit of a change from the carved stone. Hopefully the local council aren't implying that their citizens are fat.
But I do like the carved stone and the chisel marks left in it.
There are a few little features and alcoves off the main tunnels and voila, regardez vous la feature off the main tunnel.
You cannot, obviously, everyone know this... go exploring underground and not have a silhouetted photo of you going underground. Otherwise it never happened. This is why so many robberies that have involved tunneling into banks have never been solved. There are no photos of the thieves in silhouette. So, here are the non members making their first foray into the dark chasms of shelter from the raining exploding things. And that proves they were there. Otherwise they weren’t. It’s quantum physics.
And that is it. A little wander underneath Stockport and some snaps. Just a few, because it's only smol.
Don't forget to hit the bell and subscribe!
Don't subscribe. I'm taking the piss.
Also, this is not YouTube.
Last edited: