Not so 'secret' bunkers!....

Years ago I used to drive regularly to Admaston Hall where one of my clients lived. On the way I would pass through Fisherwick. It was a difficult lane to drive along, not particularly wide, people would drive a little too fast (not me of course), and on the one side was a foreboding brick wall scarred and holed by numerous accidents.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see these huge mounds, grassed over and with really tall telegraph pole style lightning conductors on top. What the hell were they? Curiosity got the better of me!

This was 4 years ago. A ten year old map showed nothing but fields, strange. On a much later map it suddenly appeared, 'storage depot'.

With the arrival of Google Earth this anomaly could no longer hide!

Secret bunkers have lost their 'mystic' since the freedom of information act!


I decided to have a drive round one evening and see what I could see. Approaching via a long dark lane on the Fisherwick hall side, I came across a track. The spotlights illuminated a sign. I didn't know what 'E.A NIGHT PATROLS' meant but I was pretty sure it was time to go home!

Next day I decided to have a look in daylight. There was a footpath marked on the map nearby and this seemed my best bet.

Of course I checked for any warning signs beforehand. Didn't want to be shot for being on MOD land or anything!!

No, everything seems fine, after all it's a camcorder not a camera.

I was a little nervous about filming here. I don't like confrontation and didn't want an angry exchange with a disgruntled land/bunker owner.

Tentatively I ventured into 'Morlock' territory.

'Accidentally' straying from the footpath I could see the access roads and regularly mown mounds.

Closer up, the lift entrances were clearly visible.

What was stored here? The only vehicles I've seen going in or out are lorries marked 'Skipper Produce' with a picture of a big dog face on the side! I cannot find any trace of this company!

Okay, with a bit more digging about and the help of the freedom of information act I finally, after many years got to the bottom of this.

It is an explosive store, built in 1954, supplying local mines and quarries.

The 'dog' lorries I can't explain other than it's probably not wise from a security point of view to have 'Explosives R Us' printed on the side!






Sometimes it's no fun finding out the truth. It was so much more exciting wondering about the 'bunkers in the fields'!

While I was finding the old video footage for this post, I came across some other film.

In the woods near Kinver, I came across this very overgrown strange road/ track. It led downhill, into a rocky gorge.

There up ahead, was a doorway!

A closer look left me even more intrigued.

I later found out that this is one of many 'back doors' to a huge ww2 underground factory!

Fully equipped with a pub, living accommodation, shop, hospital, this factory was kept in reserve in order to take over aircraft engine manufacturer should the more 'public' factories be bombed.

The door was securely welded shut.

I so wanted to look inside....

...but this dark foreboding, apparently bottomless hole seemed to be the only option! No way am I going in there!!!

I'll just have to keep looking for another 'front door at the back'!