Second World War Bunker - Chester, UK - World War II Sites on Waymarking.com

Second World War Bunker

Coordination and Control

The cobbles behind you mark the site of a Railway Emergency Control Room. Builtin 1939 at an estimated cost of £6,100, it was the nerve centre of the local railway network during the Second World War. It was known locally as 'the bunker'.

Railway Emergency Control Rooms were vital to the national war effort, because they provided a safe place for control staff to work during air raids. They were built at strategic locations around the country. Inside, protected from near-miss bomb blasts or a direct hit from a 5001b bomb, control room staff could concentrate on keeping the trains running as smoothly as possible. This ensured that military personnel and equipment were transported efficiently, civilians were evacuated from dangerous areas, and essential supplies such as food, fuel and industrial materials were delivered.

Up to seven controllers worked in the bunker, most of them sitting at desks lining the walls of a long control room. There was also at least one member of telephone stall Three smaller rooms contained essential equipment. There was a generator to supply electricity, and a telephone exchange to connect them to signal boxes and the stationmaster. Battery chargers were on hand in case the generator failed. A ventilation plant supplied the bunker with clean air, and was fitted with filters to protect the occupants from poison gas.

The concrete walls and roof were seven feet thick to protect staff and equipment. This made the bunker safe, but not comfortable. The control room must have been cramped, hot and stuffy. Rail company staff might have to work long shifts, but there was nowhere in the bunker for them to lie down and rest. These challenging conditions made the demanding work even more difficult.

When the Allies won the war in 1945, it was not only thanks to soldiers, sailors and airmen. Victory was also won by civilians carrying out essential work under difficult conditions in places like this.