Air Raid Shelter - Woodhouse Moor, Hyde Park

[eddie666]

I'm relatively new on this site so I'll apologise before hand if im duplicating things a little.I've seen a couple of posts regarding a Air Raid Shelter on Woodhouse Moor, Hyde Park regarding if there is/isnt one.While I was working today I managed to speak with the Park keeper and during conversation I decided to ask him about it. There is one and is very easy to find. I cant actually beleive Ive been walking over it for the past 5 years without realising.The bunker entrance can be seen on top of the park itself. The entrance is only temporary blocked by boulders at the moment, as the park keeper said theyre will be a sealed metal door going on it i the next couple of years. Just underneath one of the boulders you can see the top of the entrance, a few people (maybe 10) could quite easily remove the boulder and gain access (with permission of course). You can find the boulders by going down Hyde Park Road, next to the park and go to the path that leads from the junction of Hyde Park Road and Brudenell Road, as your facing the park take the right hand side path. Look to your right and you will see the bunker shown in raised grass. There is one square concrete slab in he grass which is I presume block the air vent for the shelter, further over there is a group of boulders, only one looks like its actually blocking the entrance.I did take pictures, but unfortunately it was by Camera phone, not in the best light, and whilst I was at work so couldnt spend too much time so they are poor quality. I'll return on my days off and get better pictures. As soon as Ive found out how to get them off my phone and onto the laptop, I'll post them here.Again I apologise if its already been posted on here. As I say, Im new, and eager to explore the darker side of leeds lol.

[arry_awk]

Hi Eddie click-clicketty-clic!(Devil worshipper?)Sorry!As one of the 'ancients' on this SL Site and still retaininga childhood memory or two-(minestew,I can't remember what the wife asked me to do half an hour since!) where was I?Oh yes.I seem to remember just before the 39-45 war started and Air RaidPrecautions were being brought about, there were gangs of fellasdigging what we thought were trenches in case the Jerries invadedour playground(!) These were as you describe almost alongsideBrudenell Rd and Hyde Pk Rd end junction, on a long stretch of grasson the Moor. The 'Trenches' were easily 6ft deep and as wideagain across the tops. I think there were about 5 or six trenchesand were joined across the ends by a 'communication' trench,as we thought! For a few weeks we played at 'Going over the top'like the '14-18 troops did before being wiped out! We got muddied up to the eyebrows of course and it was murder,(at 8 yrs old!),trying to climb up the trench walls. A few weeks later they installed a3.7 anti aircraft gun and either asearchlight or barrage balloon (mebbe both), nearby and the 'trenches' became a Command post,covered over with concreteand grass for camouflage. I seem to remember other balloons tootethered on the Moor. Once the Army were installed, that side ofthe Moor became a restricted area.So after that, what happened tothe shelters was a mystery to us kids!We didn't wander far fromhome (Rosebank View),during the early part of the war.Hope that throws a bit of light on the matter and I wonder now,if those earthworks could have become air raid shelters if theGunsite,etc. was moved later?

[eddie666]

hehehehe thanks for that arry lol. If it was a military post, would be awesome to get in there and have a look. Maybe some exciting old WWII military thingamibobs left around. Unfortunately the boulders blocking the entrance now seems to be used as a cooking stove for student BBQ's.I'm still trying to work out how to get these pics off of my camera phone so I can upload them here. WWIII might have broken out by then and the bunker re-opened.