For
more details on the underground complexes at Rudloe Manor, Monkton
Farleigh, Corsham, and others - see Nick McCamley's excellent website: Going Underground at Rudloe Manor By James A Hill
Working in the construction trad,e it is inevitable that your line of work will take you on a contract that is at a millitary, establishment. I personally have worked at R.A.F. Fairford. and R.A.F. Lyneham - both of these bases in the mid to late 1980s. As the year’s have progressed, my line of work has taken me into contact with other people who have worked on (or under), or know, of other people who have worked at Rudloe Manor. The first time that Rudloe popped up in conversation was in the summer of '97 or '98 - Trevor was a keen cricket player for a side in Swindon. Trevor asked for directions to Neston near, Chippenham. As I knew were it was I gave him directions without thinking, I said 'From Chippenham take the Corsham road then take the Bath road; follow the road to the under ground quarry at the T-junction; at the end of the road turn left past Rudloe Manor, Neston is straight on'. With this Trevor’s work mate replied "Don't go straight on at that T-junction or we will never see you again." I asked what he meant by this remark. He replied that years ago, he worked in Rudloe - kerb laying and tarmacking. Ote day he bumped into a painter, he told him that he had worked under ground for, two year’s; painting all the corridor wall’s light blue, and some white. He had remarked that it is massive down there and it, would take forever. He also said that they both remarked how fed up with the security that was with them all the time, even when they went to the, toilet. The next time Rudloe was mentioned was about '98. I was working on a housing estate in Melksham - the conversation started off about, old steam railway’s. When the fork lift driver came along, Tim said that he knew where there was an under ground railway line; the other men started ribbing Tim by saying that this was box tunnel. Tim was having none of it saying that it was about five miles, from where we were on the Melksham to Corsham road, he then went on to say that a few month’s ago he worked at a factory on this road, and behind the factory was an air shaft with big grill on. One, afternoon one of the forklift truck’s had an accident and dislodged the grill. Well, it would appear that curiosity got the better of Tim and a friend, and it was decided that as they finished work early on the Friday, that they would climb down and have a look see - apparently Tim's friend was into abseiling, and had all the equipment. On the Friday they finished work and ascended the shaft, armed with torches. Tim said that there were hand foot iron’s all the way down, as the shaft was of center of the line. Once they were down there, torches were turned on to see where, they were walking - the train lines could clearly be seen, two set s of lines could be seen in all. They decided to take a walk along this line in what Tim could only describe as "toward’s Bath." He went onto say that after half an hour of walking they came, across the most extrordinary site (or indeed sight). In the light of the torch they could just make out the shape of a carriage of some sort. When they got closer they were in for a bigger surprise, the first two carriages were flat bed’s, complete with two tank’s that he say’s were of second world war origin. The next six carriages were freight and nothing of their contents could be seen. Along the walls down the sides of the carriages was stacked ammunition boxes and possibly cases of rifles. After stumbling on this, they decided to get out of there as fast as they could. On further questioning, Tim revealed that the air was fresh, but, a slightly musky smell was prominent. He also said that one of the lines was regularly used as it was, shiny compared to the dull rusty look of the other one. He also said that between 3.p.m Friday and 8.a.m on the Monday the, rail had been repaired. I questioned Tim over several week’s - his story never changed. I can't confirm nor deny that the event took place, as I can't just walk up to the factory in question and ask to see the air shaft. Shortly after I was moved to another job. In late '99, I was sent by my employer to work on a job in Bradford upon Avon. We used to drive past the back of Rudloe to get there, I often used to think what secret work was going on in there, of course all key personnel from the base have now been moved to other areas and the place is allegedly to be sold off. Recently I read in my local paper that a university was interested in developing the land. One thing that is odd if as they say Rudloe is now defunct - why is it on a frosty morning that when driving past the old cottage, there are two round concrete areas that steam as if there, is something hot underneath them. Everywhere else frost has settled but not on these. I have a few more tales of Rudloe, but I will leave these to another time…
MORE TALE'S OF RUDLOE MANOR by James A Hill
In the last issue of Synchronicity, I wrote a piece on various storyies that came to me by way of my job in the building trade. I would like to conclude that last article with this piece. On the 3.10.2000, I was sent to work at Coombedown, Bath on a small site of houses. At dinner time a plumber stuck his head out his window and asked if, anyone was going up the shop as we usually go for a paper - we said, that we would take him. As we pulled up outside the fish and chip shop I had quite a, surprise. Straight in front of me was the Ministry of Defence establishment known as Foxhill. While we were waiting for the other's, the plumber mentioned that, he had worked there as a young man. He also mentioned that he had worked at most of the MoD sites, in the Bath and Bristol area whilst serving his apprenticeship. I asked him if Foxhill had an underground facility? His reply, came as a surprise. All they used to do at most of the site's was replace leaking, radiator's or tap's but he said if you want to see an under, ground base you should see Corsham! It was Corsham that interested me - he went on to tell me that he entered this establishment via the MoD. buildings on the A4, just outside Corsham (these building's are now the joint services domain.). He said that they used to load there materials into a lift, complete with guard and descend to the depths. This is where it gets interesting - he say's that he went down, quite a few floor's and that the actual area that one floor covers is substantially bigger than the whole area of Corsham, and he believes that this is so on every floor and that it certainly was every where that he was permitted to go. He said that you couldn't walk too far due to its size - you had to use these electric carts. He went on to say that where ever you worked you had an armed guard, and if you were working close to a sensitive area you, sometimes had two or three. He also mentioned the underground rail station just off of Box Tunnel. He claims that this station is big enough to house a very large train, and that there is another rail line that runs past this station, deeper into the hill. Both track's appeared to be well used and that all this was, protected by two huge set's of bomb blast doors. He also told me that this is where the Queen would be housed, in the event of an atomic war. Its worth noting that everyone that has spoken to me about Rudloe manor mention's this ‘fact’ about the Queen. Also deep beneath Corsham, he mentions that there is quite a large shopping precinct complete with restaraunts.(I wonder if, they have a Harvey Nichol's.). Certain areas were completely out of bound's except for MoD maintenance personnel - he say's this is probably why they brought, in outside contractor's due to the fact that the MoD personnel were taking a whole day to change a radiator! He also said that so that outside contractor's did not get too used to the facilities - they used to move them to different MoD facilities every two week's.
Near the end of November, I started work back at Bradford upon Avon, so I thought I would take the dry stone waller's advice and look for my self. The first thing you notice as you drive along the A4 are the new signs around the complex. As there are are four and I don't know what they all mean, I will relate them here, and I would be grateful if anyone can explain the military acronyms.
From here you turn left at the small island, travel about one mile on the left you have large complex which is possibly an entrance to the underground facility. On the right you have road which takes you to the Hawthorn site -this building is rather large, and has no discernable windows, and is a very dark green colour. Carry on down the road to the T junction and straight in front of you is the Rudloe site. At the time of my visit this it certainly seemed to be business, as usual - there were two guard's on the gate and two inside the guard house also the TV monitor's were working. Turn right at this junction and on up the hill on the left is a sport's facility. At the mini island turn left here on the left, is the communication's tower. I am not sure, perhaps it's because I have not been down this way for a long time but the tower look's as if it has lost some, of it's dishes. At this stage it is worth mentioning that the underground quarry is now being re quarried at a pace, by Hanson’s minerals. Although there is a large stack of big rock’s outside the entrance, it does not seem to get any smaller, or larger. In early December I was lucky enough today to drive past the Rudloe site in daylight - there were at least nine security guard’s on the gate and car’s were going in. Also the car park that is visible from the road looked full to over-flowing. So it appears as if it is business as usual. If anyone that has read these articles has any information please write in and let me know. |
Later
on, in November, while working on the same housing development, the plumber
started talking to a dry stone wall builder who said that he lived in Corsham.
The plumber came to me and said that I ought to go and talk with, him as he
lived there. He mentioned that he was doing the odd bit of dry stone
walling, at Corsham Court. I asked him if he had ever been down the
underground quarry museum (Closed in 1998, shortly after our last visit there in
May) and seen the dry stone wall that hold's the roof up in one place. To
this he started laughing, I asked what was so funny to which, he replied the
wall does not hold the roof up - it's there to keep, the public out.
“Out of where?” I asked – “Out of Rudloe Manor” he replied. I
asked him to enlarge on his reply to which came the answer - that during the
early 1980s, there was a lot of work going on, extending the site. While
this work was going on they accidently broke through the, wall of the
underground quarry site. Of course they had to block this hole up pretty
quick so as to, stop prying eyes. I said that this did not matter now as
the whole of Rudloe was up for sale, and anyway most of the security police had
been moved. His reply was very surprising - they appear to doing a lot
more, construction work and there is a lot more security on the gate – he
posed the question “Why don't you come down and see for your self?”