Hidden Manchester MapShelters
1st March 2022, Ukraine invasion
Hello readers. Almost 2,000 of you have landed on this page in the last week searching for things like ‘bomb shelter near me’ and ‘air raid shelter near me’. I wanted to write a note to all of you who are scared, to acknowledge that and to give you a virtual hug.
I’m guessing that people are trying to find what to do in the event of an emergency. Sadly I don’t have more reassuring news. You won’t find places to shelter on this page, as all these locations haven’t been used as shelters for decades. They are now mostly demolished and/or inhabitable, certainly not as well equipped as a modern home. I doubt public shelters exist in the UK due to the scale of investment required.
Hopefully danger is very unlikely to reach the UK. In the meantime, unless you are planning to start a new lifestyle as a prepper, the best advice is probably to make sure you have the means to stay alert. Keep your phone handy, as the government will most like use the emergency alert system in the event of an escalation to give us instructions and information.
More importantly, look after your mental health. Try not to spend hours reading the news. It’s normal to worry, and it’s okay not to be okay. If you are struggling and need to reach out, Shout (txt 85258) are a free, 24/7 confidential UK based service who provide text based support to people in distress.
If you would like to do something to help the people of Ukraine, you might be interested in this Guardian article, or one from the Manchester Evening News.
Byrom Street Air Raid Shelter Entrance 📍
Somewhere on Byrom Street
Deansgate Air Raid Shelter Entrance 📍
Somewhere on Deansgate
Gorton Air Raid Shelters 📍
Photos titled ‘Plate 18 Gorton Road (northern side), West Gorton. Industrial waste ground with surviving World War II air raid shelters ’ on page 9 (titled page 173) this PDF: ‘Manchester Urban Historic Landscape Characterisation Sections 8 - Appendices’.
Lower Byrom Street Air Raid Shelter Entrance 📍
Somewhere on Lower Byrom Street
Melland Road Air Raid Shelters 📍
Watson Street Air Raid Shelter Entrance 📍
Somewhere on Watson Street
Manchester Piccadilly Air Raid Shelter 📍
Below Manchester Piccadilly is an old air raid shelter, capable of holding 1275 people.
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Stockport Air Raid Shelters 📍
Stockport is home to nearly a mile of tunnels which were dug out from the sandstone in 1938 to provide shelter for 6,500 people during bombing raids during the Second World War. One set of shelters (nicknamed the ‘Chestergate Hotel’ due to the comparitively luxurious conditions) are open as a museum decribing life in 1940s wartime Britain. Brinksway and Dodge Hill remain closed and abandoned, except for the occasional visit from Urban Explorers.
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Manchester Regional War Room / Greater Manchester County Main Control 📍
This secret war room / bunker had a role in Britain’s defence strategy between 1952 and 1991. It started its life as one of 13 regional war rooms. For the latter 27 of those years this is where Manchester’s council would retreat to coordinate emergency planning during an attack or disaster. The building was semi underground and could be secured, housing air filtration systems, washing facilities, a canteen, generators, a scientific station, emergency communications and a food store.
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Manchester Corporation Main Control 📍
This bunker built in the grounds of Greystroke Hall was operational between 1954 and 1968. From 1962 this site reported in to Manchester Regional War Room in Cheadle. It existed until at least 2002 and the site was redeveloped around 2005 into residential flats, when plans included the destruction of the bunker.
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Altrincham Royal Observer Corps (ROC) Bunker 📍
Read more about this Royal Observer Corps (ROC) bunker on Subterranea Brittanica.
Open between 1965 and 1991 the shelter would have protected a few men whose job was to detect, locate and communicate the location of nuclear detonations using triangulation. The site is now demolished and private bunker has been built in its place. You can see pictures on 28DaysLater.
Atherton Royal Observer Corps (ROC) Bunker 📍
Read more about this Royal Observer Corps (ROC) bunker on Subterranea Brittanica.
Open between 1959 and 1991 the shelter would have protected a few men whose job was to detect, locate and communicate the location of nuclear detonations using triangulation. You can see photos from inside on 28DaysLater and on Northwest Exploration, and read about it in this Manchester Evening News story.
Chinley Royal Observer Corps (ROC) Bunker 📍
Read more about this Royal Observer Corps (ROC) bunker on Subterranea Brittanica.
Open between 1960 and 1968 the shelter would have protected a few men whose job was to detect, locate and communicate the location of nuclear detonations using triangulation. It has been demolished.
Chorlton Royal Observer Corps (ROC) Bunker 📍
Read more about this Royal Observer Corps (ROC) bunker on Subterranea Brittanica.
Open between 1961 and 1968 the shelter would have protected a few men whose job was to detect, locate and communicate the location of nuclear detonations using triangulation. It’s position is approximate, as the only reference to go on is the grid reference SJ830931.
Glossop Royal Observer Corps (ROC) Bunker 📍
Read more about this Royal Observer Corps (ROC) bunker on Subterranea Brittanica.
Open between 1960 and 1968 the shelter would have protected a few men whose job was to detect, locate and communicate the location of nuclear detonations using triangulation. You can see pictures on 28DaysLater and Flickr.
Heaton Park Royal Observer Corps (ROC) Bunker 📍
See this Royal Observer Corps bunker on Subterranea Britannica.
One of the old civil defence bunkers, the rubble still recognisable from the Google Maps Street View. Nearby is the original Heaton Park Backbone BT radio tower. See the site on Google Maps.
Hyde Royal Observer Corps (ROC) Bunker 📍
See this Royal Observer Corps (ROC) bunker located in the car park of the Hare & Hounds Inn in Hyde on Subterranea Brittanica.
Open between 1962 and 1968 the shelter (visible on Google Maps Street View) would have protected a few men whose job was to detect, locate and communicate the location of nuclear detonations using triangulation. It is in relatively good condition, and has not been filled in yet.
Knutsford Royal Observer Corps (ROC) Bunker 📍
Read more about this Royal Observer Corps (ROC) bunker on Subterranea Brittanica.
Open between 1959 and 1991 the shelter would have protected a few men whose job was to detect, locate and communicate the location of nuclear detonations using triangulation. The site is now demolished and the position is approximate. You can see pictures on 28DaysLater.
Macclesfield Royal Observer Corps (ROC) Bunker 📍
Read more about this Royal Observer Corps (ROC) bunker on Subterranea Brittanica.
Open between 1965 and 1968 the shelter would have protected a few men whose job was to detect, locate and communicate the location of nuclear detonations using triangulation. You can see pictures on 28DaysLater.
Poynton Royal Observer Corps (ROC) Bunker 📍
Read more about this Royal Observer Corps (ROC) bunker on Subterranea Brittanica.
Open between 1962 and 1991 the shelter would have protected a few men whose job was to detect, locate and communicate the location of nuclear detonations using triangulation. You can see pictures on 28DaysLater.
Shaw Royal Observer Corps (ROC) Bunker 📍
Read more about this Royal Observer Corps (ROC) bunker on Subterranea Brittanica.
Open between 1960 and 1968 the shelter would have protected a few men whose job was to detect, locate and communicate the location of nuclear detonations using triangulation. You can see pictures on Urbex Forums.
Turton Royal Observer Corps (ROC) Bunker 📍
Read more about this Royal Observer Corps (ROC) bunker on Subterranea Brittanica.
Open between 1965 and 1991 the shelter would have protected a few men whose job was to detect, locate and communicate the location of nuclear detonations using triangulation. You can see pictures on Lancashire At War, Urbex Forums and 28DaysLater.
Warrington Royal Observer Corps (ROC) Bunker 📍
Read more about this Royal Observer Corps (ROC) bunker on Subterranea Brittanica.
Open between 1959 and 1968 the shelter would have protected a few men whose job was to detect, locate and communicate the location of nuclear detonations using triangulation. The site is now demolished and the position is approximate.
Worsley Anti Aircraft Operations Room (AAOR) 📍
The Worsley Anti Aircraft Operations Room is a dual level concrete structure from which air defence across the ‘Manchester Gun Defended Area’ would have been coordinated against threats perceived in the early periods of the Cold War. It was operational between 1952 and 1958, after which it changed hands between various authorities being used as a food store, civil defence command post and even a meeting place for a gun club. It is currently abandoned, derelict and vandalised, with the occasional illegal rave (video one, video two).
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Manchester Town Hall Shelter 📍
Manchester Town Hall served as a command post for defences during the Second World War, so it’s no surprise it has a reinforced air raid shelter in its basement. These days the space is used mainly for storage, but the Manchester Evening News has some good photos of the rarely seen basement and some other interesting private spots within the building.
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Trafford Town Hall Shelter 📍
When Trafford Town Hall had a new extension in the early 1980s a large, controversial and rather shallow bunker was included in the construction. Although it was designed for non-peaceful threats it was in the meantime used by the emergency services and as a CCTV control room. By 2011 it was a flooded abandoned basement of the demolished extension which was being replaced by a more modern building.
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Thomas Street Air Raid Shelters 📍
You can see photos from inside this shelter in the Northern Quarter in Thomas Street Air Raid Shelter by the Tunnel Inspector
Bullough Moor Primary School Shelter 📍
An apparent shelter existed here, with steps leading down to a set of four perpendicular tunnels. The shelter was accessible via a hatch until at least the seventies. You can see the outline of the steps on Google Maps aerial view on the embedded map shown below.
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