Report - Underground Radio Station, Paulsgrove, Portsmouth - September 2014

[satimal]

As a first post decided that these tunnels would make a nice easy explore. History outlined below (Taken from http://www.portsdown-tunnels.org.uk/paulsgrove/chalkpit/radio_station_p1.html)

During the construction of the Underground Headquarters (UGHQ) under Fort Southwick which acted as the nerve centre for operation Overlord (invasion of Europe), the Army tunnelled into the face of the Paulsgrove chalk pit and built a secure radio station. The purpose of this facility was to act as a transmitting / receiving station for the UGHQ. The idea was to keep the highly visible aerial arrays well away from the UGHQ in case they attracted the attention of the Luftwaffe. The reason why the actual Radio Station as well as the aerial masts were positioned together was to keep the length of the transmission cable to a minimum thus preserving its efficiency. The distance between Fort Southwick and the Radio Station to the east, is half a mile, and the two would have been linked by secure communications lines.

The entire 172 Tunnelling Company Royal Engineers carried out this work starting in May 1942. They were quartered in the Victoria Barracks (now demolished) at Old Portsmouth, and brought up to the site daily. A section of 179 Company Royal Engineers and a section of 183 Company Royal Engineers (Specialist Well Boring Tunnelling Company) was sent to assist them.

Now I'm not a photographer, so don't expect any excellent photos but here are some documenting our visit.

The portal up on the cliff face. I believe that it was once at ground level, but work on the chalkpit lowered the floor and it now sits a few metres above the ground. Requires a little bit of scrambling to get to it.

Another one of the entrance. This is actually the emergency escape, but it's more accessible than the main entrance.

The view just beyond the emergency escape - not actually tall enough to stand up in and required crawling to access the main tunnels.

Finally enough room to stand up! Taken looking into one of the rooms and the blackness beyond.

Taken looking back at our way in. The whole tunnel is lined with colliery style tunnel liner except a bit next to the staircase.

The view looking up the staircase from the lower room, where we entered...

...and the view looking down from the top room.

And finally the shaft where the cables to the radio masts came in. Not a very good photo, but the line of dirt in the far right corner shows where the 3 inch diameter shaft went to the surface.

Really enjoyed this one and hope to get onto some more extreme UE in the future!

 

[slayaaaa]

Nice first report mate especially for a first one. Welcome to the forum

 

[huey]

Agreed,really good report,interesting stuff.

 

[Wevsky]

Havnt seen this bit pop up for a while,nice report mate

 

[norfolkexplorer]

Nice 1

 

[Longhairshitjob]

Nice one. The chalk slope can be a challenge when wet. You did miss the Paulsgrove skull, a carving that has the sculpture world in tears.

 

[Will Knot]

Like it.....nice report

 

[satimal]

Nice one. The chalk slope can be a challenge when wet. You did miss the Paulsgrove skull, a carving that has the sculpture world in tears.

I know! Slightly disappointed that we didn't see that, may have to go back at some point to get a photo!

 

[Paradox]

Nice first report