On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 21:55:34 GMT, "SimWidow"
Post by SimWidowBefore i left school and started work i was a member of Nelson s.c.c GNTC
( girls nautical training contingency), we where based at the underground
bunker in blakelaw wich was situated amongst the tower block flats, i've
done a google and all that is coming up is RAF blakelaw wich was actually
based on kenton lane, that place became the ministry of defence buildings
then the driving test center, all i want to know is does anyone have any
info on this place, is it still there or has it been filled in......this
place a soft spot for me because i spent many happy years there and met my
first love there, please, i would value any info..TIA...
--
Kerry,,xxx
Hi Kerry
I remember the place well - as a chld (1970's) we used to pass the
bunker site on our way to Montague Swimming Pool.
Some information @
http://www.britarch.ac.uk/projects/dob/deflin5/bunker.html
"My retirement from the RAF in 1993 gave me the time and the
opportunity to follow my nose to Kenton Bar, on the western outskirts
of Newcastle upon Tyne. I knew of the likely location of the HQ,
behind the wire of the so-called Government Offices now occupied by
the Benefits Agency of the DSS but my first efforts led me in a
different direction. A contact in a local history society was able to
tell me with some confidence of the exact location of Blakelaw Bunker.
Even more exciting was the news that the underground complex was
accessible and was in regular use as a Sea Cadet Corps Training Ship.
I arranged to visit TS Nelson on a training night.
This bunker (NZ 214669) is built in a quarry about half a mile from
the Government Offices and lies in the lee of two post-war high-rise
blocks of flats. It is in remarkably good condition, largely because
of the selfless work of the Committee of the Sea Cadet Unit who took
on the bunker from the City Council by whom it had been used as a
Civil Defence installation until the 70s. It is built on two floors
and access is obtained from a small brick hut on the surface. Most of
its original equipment has gone, including the contents of the plant
room which included ventilation and anti-gas equipment. The main
operations room, now the main deck of TS Nelson, seemed smaller than I
had expected, having visited the restored Operations Room of HQ 11
Group at Uxbridge some years ago"
Thuis from Brain Pears fantastic World War 2 resources site "North
East Diary 1939-45" @
http://www.bpears.org.uk/NE-Diary/Bck/BSeq_09.html
"The Operations Room of No 13 Group, Fighter Command was situated in a
bunker under government offices at Kenton Bar (NZ217674) and there was
an associated "Group Filter Room" in a separate bunker at Blakelaw
Quarry (NZ214669). The latter analysed radar plots and only passed on
those reports relating to "hostile" aircraft to Group. The Blakelaw
Quarry bunker, the entrance to which is now situated between two
high-rise blocks of flats, is currently used for Sea Cadet training
purposes and is designated "T.S. Nelson". The Kenton Bar bunker was
used for Civil Defence purposes in the 1950's and it is still in a
reasonable state of preservation. There is a possibility that it may
be taken over by the Imperial War Museum."
The RAF Bakelaw web site @ http://rafblakelaw.com/
also mentions the "Filter Room":
"Around the end of 1940, bunkers known as Group Filter Rooms were
built near each Group HQ bunker to filter out the important
information. So the site at Kenton Bar had a sister bunker built (of
different layout) at what are now the Blakelaw flats just off Blakelaw
Road. The Filter bunker now houses the local Sea Scouts and was
thought for many years to be the 13 Group HQ.
When the decision was taken to build the filter bunker, the area that
13 Group covered was reduced, and No 14 Group was formed at Inverness
to cover the area north of Montrose.
From September 1943 after it ceased to be No 13 Group HQ, the bunker
took over as Ouston Sector HQ and then Catterick Sector HQ as well. It
became known as North Eastern Sector Headquarters and remained so
until it closed down on 10 April 1946.
After the famous Yalta Conference (attended by Churchill, Stalin and
Roosevelt) in February 1945, the political and geographic map of
Europe was changed considerably. The Cold War had begun.
The bunker was used for civil defence meetings at this time in case of
Nuclear attack, though I doubt that it would have protected the
occupants completely"
Having looked at the Sea Cadet Web Site it appears that TS Nelson are
now based at HMS Callioppe on the Gateshead Quayside so it appears
they are no longer at Blakelaw.
It's years since I was down that way, so heaven knows if it still
remains, although IIRC there was some talk a few years ago about it
being up for sale. The story at that time surrounded the fact that
you could buy a Cold War Bunker!
Cheors
Steve E.
Whitley Bay, North East England
Tyneside & Northumberland Local History Group at:
www.smartgroups.com/groups/tyneside
For photographs of the Newcastle Upon Tyne area go to:
www.steve-ellwood.org.uk
www.geordies.force9.co.uk
"Geordie goes beyond mere geography and is a quality of heart"
