Tunnel Quarry

 

Corsham, Wiltshire, United Kingdom

Tunnel Quarry

© Crown Copyright: image reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.

Visited by 2 explorers

Tunnel Quarry was one of the four sub-depots of the Central Ammunitions Depot, parts of the converted Bath stone quarry are still security classified sites today. The quarry connects to the northern edge of Spring Quarry and also had a link to the GWR main line at the eastern portal of Brunel's Box Tunnel.

 

Photos of Tunnel Quarry

 

Tunnel QuarryTunnel Quarry

 

Tunnel Quarry history

 

Located South-East of Bath, Tunnel Quarry forms part of the converted stone quarry tunnel complex beneath JSU Corsham (formerly known as RAF Rudloe Manor).

The quarry was acquired by the War Department after being used to extract building stone for the last century. The quarry was extensively converted, regular storage bays were created, the floor was flattened and air conditioning and lighting was fitted through out.

The regular conditions were needed as Tunnel Quarry formed part of the Central Ammunition Depot, an amazing labyrinth of tunnels and chambers, around one hundred feet below ground covering an area of around 200 acres in four sub-depots, which between them housed over 350,000 tons of ammunition.

At the eastern portal of Brunel's Box Tunnel, a branch line from the main London to Bristol railway line leads into the heart of the depot and terminates at a half-mile long underground railway station. Most of the underground area is now abandoned. The quarry is still strictly controlled by the MOD as several areas are still classified including the Command and Control Computer Centre (CCC) in the eastern part of the quarry, which is accessible via lift from a discreet bunker style entrance in Peel Circus. Another area known as South-West Control is also still in use at the opposite end of the quarry, this area was originally set a side as storage district 1 but it was never converted, it was later converted it to a telephone exchange and switching room, it's current day use is unknown.

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Further reading

 

Secret Underground Cities - Nick McCamley - pages 17, 20, 22, 29, 42, 103, 134, 165, 252

Secret Cold War Nuclear Bunkers - Nick McCamley - pages 99, 256-257, 274

Saving Britains Art Treasures - Nick McCamley - pages 46

Secret Underground Bristol - Sally Watson - pages 58, 60

 

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