| Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker |
bunker used during the cold war as a Regional Government Headquarters. Since being
decommissioned in 1992, the bunker has been open to the public as a tourist attraction
(known as the Secret Nuclear Bunker), with a museum focusing on its cold war history.
Building and intended purpose
The bunker was first built as an air defence station (an 'R4' Sector Operations Control or SOC)
as part of the RAF ROTOR air defence project. Upon the demise of the ROTOR SOC the
remaining Nuclear Reporting Cell and UKWMO elements were incorporated into a Home office
'Regional Seat of Government' or RSG. The bunker was able to hold various numbers (in the
hundreds) of military and civilian personnel, the numbers changing over the years as the role
of the building changed from SOC to RSG and in its later years; 'Regional Government Head
Quarters' or RGHQ. In the event of a nuclear strike the RGS / RGHQs etc would be tasked to
organise the survival of the population and continue government operations. It was built to
provide nuclear protection from nearby MOD workers. The area they chose had to be off the
main road behind fields and forests to prevent civilians from finding it.
History
The Kelvedon Hatch bunker was built in 1952–53 as part of ROTOR. ROTOR was a
programme to improve and harden Britain's air defence network. The bunker was a hardened (
three level 'R4') Sector Operations Center (SOC) for RAF Fighter Command. It was to provide
command and control of the London Sector of Fighter Command. During the 1960s, 70s, 80s
and early into the 1990s the UK government (Home Office) maintained the bunker (at some
expense) as an [emergency] regional government defence site. Eventually in the early 1990s
when nuclear threat was seen as diminished, the bunker was sold back to the family who had
owned the land in the 1950s. It is now a Cold War museum and retains many of its original
ROTOR and RGS/RGHQ features.
Inside the bunker
Kelvedon Hatch emergency broadcast tower
The bunker is built 125 feet (38 m) underground and the entrance is through an ordinary
looking 'bungalow' (a standard ROTOR 'Guard House') set amongst trees. Once into the
bungalow, it leads to a 100 yards (91 m) tunnel entering the R4 at its lowest floor (of three).
Above are two more floors, the 'hill' which covers it, and a radio mast.
The bunker was able to accommodate some hundreds of personel (the numbers changing as
function and form varied over the years) and could sustain them for up to three months. The
bunker has air conditioning and heating (using the original ROTOR AC-Plant but replacing the
original coolant with a more 'modern' type [c.1980s]), its own water supply (mains water and its
own deep bore hole) and generators, and was equipped with many types of radio equipment,
protected (EMP) telecommunications, teleprinter (MSX) networks and various military systems
(MOULD and CONRAD etc) etc. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
decommissioned in 1992, the bunker has been open to the public as a tourist attraction
(known as the Secret Nuclear Bunker), with a museum focusing on its cold war history.
Building and intended purpose
The bunker was first built as an air defence station (an 'R4' Sector Operations Control or SOC)
as part of the RAF ROTOR air defence project. Upon the demise of the ROTOR SOC the
remaining Nuclear Reporting Cell and UKWMO elements were incorporated into a Home office
'Regional Seat of Government' or RSG. The bunker was able to hold various numbers (in the
hundreds) of military and civilian personnel, the numbers changing over the years as the role
of the building changed from SOC to RSG and in its later years; 'Regional Government Head
Quarters' or RGHQ. In the event of a nuclear strike the RGS / RGHQs etc would be tasked to
organise the survival of the population and continue government operations. It was built to
provide nuclear protection from nearby MOD workers. The area they chose had to be off the
main road behind fields and forests to prevent civilians from finding it.
History
The Kelvedon Hatch bunker was built in 1952–53 as part of ROTOR. ROTOR was a
programme to improve and harden Britain's air defence network. The bunker was a hardened (
three level 'R4') Sector Operations Center (SOC) for RAF Fighter Command. It was to provide
command and control of the London Sector of Fighter Command. During the 1960s, 70s, 80s
and early into the 1990s the UK government (Home Office) maintained the bunker (at some
expense) as an [emergency] regional government defence site. Eventually in the early 1990s
when nuclear threat was seen as diminished, the bunker was sold back to the family who had
owned the land in the 1950s. It is now a Cold War museum and retains many of its original
ROTOR and RGS/RGHQ features.
Inside the bunker
Kelvedon Hatch emergency broadcast tower
The bunker is built 125 feet (38 m) underground and the entrance is through an ordinary
looking 'bungalow' (a standard ROTOR 'Guard House') set amongst trees. Once into the
bungalow, it leads to a 100 yards (91 m) tunnel entering the R4 at its lowest floor (of three).
Above are two more floors, the 'hill' which covers it, and a radio mast.
The bunker was able to accommodate some hundreds of personel (the numbers changing as
function and form varied over the years) and could sustain them for up to three months. The
bunker has air conditioning and heating (using the original ROTOR AC-Plant but replacing the
original coolant with a more 'modern' type [c.1980s]), its own water supply (mains water and its
own deep bore hole) and generators, and was equipped with many types of radio equipment,
protected (EMP) telecommunications, teleprinter (MSX) networks and various military systems
(MOULD and CONRAD etc) etc. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
