Burlington: Gallery 1

Mrk Bennet
yes it a good piece of English cold war history, with the help of English heritage this site will be preserved, i have been there and have great knowledge of the site.

al
I think they should keep it open - it would be an amazin thing 2 have up our sleeves if we ever go to war again, They should build more and make them bigger!

Me
Iworked down there about 3 years ago doing maintenance on 11kv substations and was allowed to drive the little electric cars around i must say it is a pretty impressive piece of engineering some of the air movement fans are 20ft in diameter there is lots i could tell but better not i suppose

bob the builder
well done

ivor
so where is the new one?

Sebastian
the prime minister would probably be the one who started the war so maybe he/she shouldn't be the one who gets to go there! i'd love to know what else is held back from us.

Think it through...
You have all missed the point.These bunkers are NOT built to run the country if everyone is dead above. that situation is pointless.These bunkers are built to run the country during a crisis and, run and rebuild the country IF enough people are left alive above. Think about it.

LAWL
T3H JAIL IS T3H BIG SUX0RZ!!!!1!ONE!1!1!1!!!111!!ONE!TWO!

John
Are any parts of this site going to be preserved?

Contact Defence Estates Bath office on 01225 883279

rah rah girl
This comment goes directly to the grenadier - Please don't tell me you honestly believe that some calibre of prisoners should not be sentanced to a life with no fresh air & windows. Peodophiles & the like should be sent down below to live in a version of hell on earth they lost all their rights on this earth when they steal childrens innocencence for their own perverted desires. People who mindlessly kill & harm others for no reason - put them down there to rot I say.

Jack Woosley/USA
I'm very keen on learning all that I can on subbterranean cities still being used this date/

BM
Fascinating. The UK must be riddled with underground chambers and such like. Those who went underground would envy the dead above ground after a few weeks. Probably a fitting punishment for screwing up the world. The next war will be fought with missiles and hi technology, the one after that with rocks and shin bones. The underground city should be used today for those mean minded people who would put the homeless,criminals and teenagers in it. Aslo I tink thos hoo carnt spel shud gow their two until thay lern hoew to yuse a spelchequer.

stuart randall
As ex "Royal Marine NCO)cannot comment much as signed offficial secrets act, hower what I will say theres a lot more to that place than we realise.As to closing??? do you believe that.Thanks again BBC Swindon/Wilts as I have lived in Port de Soller MallorcaPS Hope Mark OD enjoyed is Cuba vacation

Rodentinthedark
Mark bore, you are wrong there is a second level it went down 100feet, the provost were forever looking at UFO sightings anything you cant identify is A UFO, no area of the UK would have been safe the Queen would have been thousands of miles away,

Kev
Does anyone have directions to get to this site?

Tim
This sounds like a place of great interest, if it can't be opened to the public how about the BBC making a documentary of it???

Mark Quested (bunker bore)
This site was the relocation site for central government in time of (nuclear) war. The Queen would have been housed elsewhere; at sea on a boat, or at a secret above ground location, in a safe area of the country. However, shortly after it was built, it became a white elephant due to ICBM nukes being able to target it. Other plans succeeded it (such as PYTHON). Due to years of negelect, it was left to decay into the sorry state that it is now in. Dry rot, damp, areas in darkness, equipment broken down or rusty, etc. Its existence was exposed by Duncan Campbell, in his 1982 seminal book "War Plan UK". Whilst the RAF Provost and Security Services (formerly based at what was once RAF Rudloe Manor) did occasionally investigate UFO sightings...in case the "aliens" were Russians!..., the underground sites were purely military, not scientific. ET was not down there! It only had one level, NOT two as a previous correspondent alleges. It was a Bath Stone quarry on one level, there were no other levels. Although, nearby quarries also housed communications and computer facilities. Originally Bath Stone quarries, the Corsham underground sites were used throughout the 20th century as an aircraft factory and ammunition storage, Royal Naval stores depots, Central government emergency relocation bunker, military and RAF communications, and more recently as a government "computer centre".

The Grenadier
Burlington was a wast of money when they built it and its a wast of money now.It gave a sence of security it did not poses as one nuclier bomb with a dely action would have left only a smoking crater wher it is, the soviets would have known exactly where it was as soon as it started comunicating with the outside world.As for it being used as a prison whell thats just plain stupid, prisoners are people too and every one is capable of being sent to prison nowerdays for the smallist thing. the only use it could posibly have is to store valubles such as data in a controled enviroment.

El Duderino
Site 3 'Burlington' is just up from the old entrance to Spring Quarry as you drive from the Royal Arthur entrance on the West Wells road.(On the left)The Lift pictured in the galley photos I spent every working day for a year travelling down when I was doing maintence there in the mid 90's. I managed to check out most of if not all the sites pictured (making full use of the toilet in 'Maggie's bunker') as well as some other highlights which include the 'old workings' at the west end of the complex (Which included the old quarry cranes and various tools left there when the workers were kicked out after the MOD take over at the beginning of WWII.)Another great place there is the secret underground railway station, locomotive shed, conveyor belt system and large ammunition storage rooms which are built parallel to Box Tunnel on the eastern entrance. You can see the entrance quite clearly when travelling on the train but don't bother trying to get in there as it's been bricked up the other side of the gate. As for there being a door inside box tunnel itself, that's crap.There is a way that you can get from the complex into Box Caves and the 'cathedral', but I only did it once so couldn't really tell where the entrance was from the map on this website. It's one way also (As to get from Box Caves in, you'd need some serious oxy acetelene equipment to get past the hard core iron door)Oh and there's no alien space ships down there by the way.

Ms.S.North
A good resource for the government to use as a prison.

Mark Gillard
Does anyone know who to contact about using this place to host a airsoft skirmish event?

Geoff Terry
Blimy, I used to deliver freigh near there with a lorry. This county is full of suprises and I feel privalidged to live here!

mike
this would make a great prision or a home for thehomeless

surfacelad
Yeah i saw u leah whn u was sat outside your cabin thought u was well tasty hurry back liked it when u was sunbathing too

alf
Worked underground at Monton Farley for 12 months1955-56 while serving at CAD Corsham.It was open to the paying public in the 70s but when I wenty back again it had closed due to safety concerns

jake
i had worked in this enviroment for 2 months in the late febuary last year and i found the experience very exciting and i found out alot about the structure

alicia
Ever heard of december 21 2012. Wish we could use it then, but nope probably just the government. Look the date up in your search bar. I hope its not true. There is just so many facts though

Leah
I spent 3 months working in this underground mine/quarry from June last year, and will be back there the middle of this year, its absoluteley amazing, the pictures do it no justice, its like a completely different world when you are down there. I would definatley recommend a visit, but at the moment it is not open to the public.

lindsey
hey bba i like these picters i can lurn a lot of stuff

lizzie
w-wow!!!

B. Taylor
I lived in Westwells when I was a child and always wondered why there was an army, navy and RAF camp in close proximity. I remember playing near an entrance on Green Lane when I was stopped by a soldier from going any further.I have been back many times and tried to drive down this lane which was the lane I used to go down to school. One time we were on video and a police car came down the lane to see what we were doing.I found out in 2000 what it actually was!!!

sean blackwell
good place to make a horror movie the dead underground trapped between radoactive surface and the undead

dj churchill
farther said " more here than what meets the eye"it should be used, not left to waste

Rodentinthedark
Apparently level two has now been declassified, it had to be cleared of top secret items.

Tre - Salisbury
I really want to visit this place!!!!

Iain B
Can't it be converted to a museum to the Cold War? I think there's one up north near Livrpool, which has the bunker looking as it would nave done 40-50 years ago with presentations on nuclear weapons and the Cold War i.e. videos, posters, books, leaflets e.c.t. Would help to pay back some of the tax payers money spent to build it.

Richard Evson
Is this site open to the public

R
Who built Burlington and when? Anyone interested should read 'Underground Bases & Tunnels' by Richard Sauder.

Scott
Seriously, another Area 51??????? They blame everything on the threat of the Soviet Union. But the real threat was when they finally discovered we was being visited by Extra Terestrial Life Forms since the late 40's. Look up the Majestic 12 in Google. The Usa have the exact same facilities with all the names in power at that time this is just a huge cover up!

Kat
I WANT A TOUR!!!

pacific
its all over your heads .The subject should be taken seriously and the locomotives should be removed.

Jacs
We would be interested in organising a paranormal investigation here too..

bob
how do we get a tour??

Rob
without having to walk down a train track, are there any tours? if there are, who would we contact??

Spookwhenurspooken2
Janet you should get in touch with Yvette fielding she will be on the same wavelength as you

David Brooks
Are there any thoughts about opening for the public? I would imagine that this would be very popular. I find the whole thing amazing and would love to tour around it.

Arto Rantanen/Pekka Granqvist (Finland)
Is there anyone who can help us?I have Telephone Mu-seum in Hämeenlinna,Finland.I would like to have a photoof that big Telephone Exchange I don't no any links or addres from where Ican ask a copy,please help us,thank you!!!

johnb
I was in the RAF working at 6SU in late 60s early 70s. To all the doubters - yes it does really exsist and it`s huger than a big thing if you take into account all the underground facilities in the nearby areas (joined up or not) I accidentally "found" parts of it that I shouldn`t have, including the station and various other odd places whilst "exploring". To Janet Rule - there were enough odd people down there already. You wouldn`t need to organise a paranormal event - working there was one !!

Janet Rule
How can I access this site to organise and lead a paranormal event?

DAVID GARETH RICHARDS
THIS FACILITY COULD NOW BE USED AS A PRISON OR DETENTION CENTRE FOR YOUTHS THIS COUNTRY IS TOO SOFT ON CRIMINALS .THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE PRIVALIGES AT ALL .

Matt Kill
where is the entrance, or is it not possible any longer to access this amazing looking underground world email me! oilyboy68@hotmail.co.uk

dylan ross
wow i neva even knew about this place untill my daddy told me .i think there should be more of them all over the country ,really good thinking i would say

the grils
HOW DO WE GET IN ????

steve ball
if you run at the wall at the box tunnel entrance you should be able to get in

andrew woods
is there another entrance apart from box tunnel

carl clark
the end is nigh

ollie floyd
i lost half my finger down here

c.r.c
i want 2 get in help please i think its rather exquizive

finger
go half way throw box tunnel thers a underground train station go in 2 it thers a red door go throo it its black with soot but u can still mack out the couler you will cum out on a little road follow it u will cim out in the middle of the citty

sheena
i think that ist not right to have like people livein in an underground tunnel thing because its not really a home and i just think its wrong and that every homeless person shoule have a real home and if they dont have enough money to stay there then put them some wear to work for the time being to get the money up to pay for it. but thats my apinon.

Lynne
very interestering

DAVID
THIS IS SO AWESOME

Chris Rickards
In the 1940's my father worked for the MOD/ BAC assembling aircraft engines. The stupid thing about Burlington was, if the UK was bombed out, where were all the civil servants going to go at its end. And who was going to partner up with who up to rebuld the destroyed population?

Katie Philly
i think that this is cool but it shouldn't be for all parliment they should have doctors as they are better than parliment members

GEOFF
I suppose the tax payer payed for all this. As my brother used to say, Churchill said 'Let us go forward together', Oh yea.

ben
how do i get in?

ep
fantastic most brilliant city underground ever found

Ian Taylor
i Find this very intresting To see is there any Tours going i would'ent to pay and have a Tour Round this underground nuclear bunker .

Steve
How could I go about building one of these underground cities for myself?

Dave
Some yearsago my Dad who was a Scientic Officer with the RN visited RNSD Copenacre and he used to take me along,he was attached to the Underwater Weapons Division,this plac was not just for Storage there was a R&D down there and Testing of Sonar Equipment,my Dad was working on a new SONAR called Sword Beam.Nothing more said.

Dorin Benedek
It's an interesting site. I thougt that only the Romanian president Ceausescu had built bunkers... It's well to prevent anything...

Cynthia Kerly
Stationed at Rudlow Manor and worked underground in the teleprinter room in 1948. Anyone else remember these days ?

Civil Servant
the only reason its been decommissioned is because they have built a much better one, and which is easily accessible by Eurostar.

keith
how can i vist this site

allan
olly. my father served in the wartime constabulary responsible for security at the 9 sq. mile monkton farleigh facility, patroling underground or on the surface(against perceived paratroop attack threat.i went down in the 80s after the mushroom company had left which operated there for some time. thecomplex ammo transportation railway had been stripped of its copper wiring. i could see the wartime warning notices on the walls. i must visit again to see if the main west shaft entrance is still intact. unless the huge extraction-fan plants have been kept running, the damp will have ruined the infrastructure, underground i would think.allan i live in a nearby village and will post again-probably

...........................
Part of the city is still open and people are working down there for the MOD !!!!

tom
can i go here

Alan Cristall
I worked for Chivers of Devizes during the reconstruction in the 1950s and was down there as a labourer for two years or so. Are all of your correspondents only semi-literate?

L.A.C DAVID TUCK 4076069
I WAS STATIONED AT R.A.F RUDLOE MANOR FROM 1952 TO 1954 AS A TELEPRINTER OPERATOR AND WORKED UNGROUND. IT WAS A FASCINATING PLACE AND I FEEL VERY PRIVILEGED TO HAVE BEEN POSTED THERE. I NOW LIVE IN NORTH DELTA BRITISH COLUMBIA CANADA JUST OUTSIDE OF VANCOUVER.

barry
i was a fireman there in the early 70s if i remember right there were 7 cavens each joined together by tunnels appox 10feet wide&hight . i was only there a year,went down in the dark came up in the dark .coudn`t wait to be posted out!!!

kenley burns
the top on looks like a subway that nis not finishedthe next one a dinner last looks like my roomthese are not really from an underland....

Andy Lewis
Hi, just wondered if you would be interested in a story, accidentally came across a 25ft large underground nuclear bunker / WWII command post under my garden at the weekend (In Salisbury). It was almost empty apart from a few bones and some tins and cutlery. Also found some coins and children’s toys. We had an exciting day yesterday when the Fire Brigade, Police and SOCO people were all swarming about; fifteen people were in our garden at one point! It this story is of interest, can you please email me back and I'll provide contact phone number, thanks. Andy Lewis

mark howell
fill it with the overcrowded prisoners who deserve to be underground and not in socioty

Edward
What's all this noise, Tubbs? This is a LOCAL underground site for LOCAL people... We'll have no trouble here! They must not be allowed to touch the precious things.

michelle
cold damp but very amazing, maybe should be converted for all the homeless people in uk, put a large space to good use,

Chris Randall
It is appalling that all of this information is now public. I only hope that, as some contributors have suggested, Burlington has been superseded by another site. History reveals that successive British governments go through phases of allowing the defense of the realm to lapse only to be shocked back to reality by an unforseen or ignored turn in world events. "Be prepared"!

Turmit
I knew about this place in the early 60's and also explored the underground stone workings.

Matt Williams
It was never really a secret! Did you never wonder why there were so many ventilation shafts between Copenacre junction and Box???My mother worked down there during the 1st Gulf War (at least a running section of it) but most of it has now transfered to Cheltenham.I went down there on a couple of occasions, rumour has it you can get all the way from London to Bristol (or at least the govt could). Box tunnel has a complete railway station underneath it as part of this complex. It's an ingenius complex and should be opened to the public and kept in a re-usable condition.I wonderif ppl knew that RAF Rudloe Manor used to store all the records for UFO sitings in the UK during the post war era up until it closed!!

Oliver - consumed with fasination of this hidden h
I am from the west country and as a kid always dreamed, when exploring, of finding the entrance to an abandoned wartime/coldwartime bunker! Never did, but if only I searched a little harder!

Burlyvole
Steve RAF,the area that was cold and uncomfortable would have been the old CAD and the areas outside of site 3.Site 3 had 2 heating systems one in the west end and one in the east end these kept the place warm.The infrastucture has suffered from dry rot the stone pillars and ceiling are not decaying at all, there is still a lot of equpment down there.Copenacre was the Royal navy store depots, Spring quarry was next to site 3

Steve Ex-RAF
I have been amazed by the comments so far. I worked down there in the 70s and I can assure each and every contributer to this site, that you would never ever want to live down there. It was cold damp and uncomfortable in the 1970's, who knows what it is like with many years of neglect and lack of maintenance. In parts the infrastructure must be very unsafe now and would cost a huge amount of tax payers money to just keep the status quo. It is a large mainly empty hole, just like a lot of old/decommisioned Coal Mines. Not worth the bother at this time, believe me. It was just an underground town, with the same facilities that you would expect on ground level, but only on a much more basic level and not a first choice location to any sensible person. Dream on though.

william lloyd,14 nd pissed off.
so this means that the very people who have probarbly instigted the nuclear war r safe nd cosy, whils the people that they are supposed to protect r dying a slow nd painful death if they were lucky (used in the loosest possible sense of the word) enough to avoid the initial explosion.

John Smith
I know that as this huge site has been decommissioned [as the ROTOR secret government bunkers as at KELVEDON Hatch] this means that other more secret more secure governm,ent bunkers have been Commissioned [as at the CITADEL].Why does no one ask the question?Why are we all treated as subjects in thew UK - that in the event of a Nuclear Strike [which is fast approaching] the subjects of the UK who try to access the secure bunkers will be shot so that the Royal Family and the members of the Supreme Council (33) will take precedence for survival, as at the vast underground US government Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado in the US [of NORAD - check it out on the Internet together with MENWITH HILL the largest secret intelligence base outside the US based in Yorkshire (which monitors all computers and phones by means of the ECHELON system...) whereby the UK is controlled by the US (Supreme Council 33 of Washington)!We are so ignorant in the UK - wake up subjects - become citizens!!!

colin untt
i think it should be used for its original purpose. but lets not wait for a nuclear strike lets put the government and officials in there know. hee hee!

Kimberley
I cant believe something like this exists so close to where i was brought up and now live it's amazing how little we actually know about the world we live in!

Dan Furlong
I understand that the Brunel Stature in Swindon Town holds access to underground tunnels for council officials in the event of an emergency. Rumour has it that the shop once home to Principles leads into these tunnels via their basement. Interesting to find out if there is truth in this?

pamela t rodriguez
well this is not a big supprise to me we have tons of these in the united states for the same reson to save the so called inportant people not the regulars ones just the inportant ones .the only difference is you have pictures of this we are not suppose to know about what ares looks like and for the most part we do not know that.there are probally aliens living deep deep inside it also .

Ben
I worked here in the late 50s and it was known to me as Copenacre. And we lived in accomadation at Rudloe Estate.Battery driven vehicles, we drove down there.

Mr Secret
I was Stationed at Rudloe Manor and worked down there. I have walked a few good miles down there, We've had pot holers turn up that was unusual. As for the city, i've been there and you would be amazed at the place as i always was. Would love to back and take another look. All you doubters, it's very real, it can't be used for anything else, apart from growing mushrooms, and i very much doubt you will ever get to see it.

Mr Secret
I worked down there!! and no, there ain't no ammunition rotting..stupid

faster four tec
[quote]I get the impression that many things are being kept from the general public, possibly to avoid mass panic[/quote]not really, if the general public knows about it, then the enemy does, if the enemy knows about where the government of the country is hiding that they are attacking then they'll just stick a nuke thru the roof, and nowadays they are so accurate, to within 10metres! and self propelled from the other side of the planet.so if the enemey knew where it was, they might as well be standing on the surface, not much/nothing can withstand a direct hit, it may not crack it open, but it would certainly tumble the walls/columns of rock internally.

Michael Billett 26 April 2007
I grew up in corsham, never had the bottle (was not stupid enough) to go down into the caves and tunnels "exploring" but plenty of my friends did go in there and tell stories similar to those already mentioned here. The reason why it stayed a secret for so long was we had no internet in those days... and word of mouth never travelled very far, as all the kids in the surrounding towns and villages called us liars when we told them.

paul
this place is creepy.. i used to live in corsham.. right next to the cricket pitch.. weird how it was there n never new till years after lol ..trippy stuff, if thats decommisioned now.. imagine what it "could" of been replaced with lol ..dark indeed

Steven butcher
Dan p, yes it is the place, some of the ammo is still there rotting away.

Dan P.
Is this the same area used to store munitions during WW2?

Brenda
I lived in a fall-out shelter in Canada for more than a year. It was built for the same purpose as this one - to house the government, only it was much smaller. 4 stories deep but with all the comforts of home (well...) It is now a cold war museum (nee: Canadian Forces Station Carp), called The Diefenbunker. They have a web site, if anyone's interested.

Steven Baker
we used to sneak in there when we were younger - no lights though just torches - that was about 1993. It was very scary. I remember hundreds of stairs before getting to the roads and corridors below.

David Biggins
Since we paid for this, the government should, I think, open this site to visitors, so that we can see where our money went.

william
Its cheap and rubbish not standard no tv

pararealist
It seems that just this sort of thing is continuing all across the world. I get the impression that the "govs" are secretly building or restoring these sort of underground cities today. I get the impression that many things are being kept from the general public, possibly to avoid mass panic. Yet i think the world is ready to know, and work together to achieve this if true, rather than the select few, dont you think? As one person comments, "what about the rest of us?"

david
god they kept that secret for long anoth.

matt
its surreal that such a place could exist with nobody knowing and makes you think whether there are others like it elsewhere

m ford
60 mils of underground wow this has grait potentul it could help reduse croweded prisons. tern it in to a 100ft underground maximum securety prison one way in and out via main enterence shaft for britons most extream crimanels .

Andy
re john s, Its not fake at all! just been on tv!

Raiden
They should keep it open for future emergencies or turn it into a prison or shopping mall.

steve
im amazed that this undergound city can not be used for some other perpose,like affordable housing or a prison.there must be lots of uses.if nobody wants or needs this underground place can i have it

duedes 74
I belive that coverment`s has these kinda of place´s all around europe (EU) from the times of war. The borning off newage is giving us weakening peopple news and information of yesterdays politics and new world order (NWO). "see them in Bohemian Grove"

jaj
well thats ok,but what about us then.

Pat from Havant
Burlington; very interesting and what a complete waste. A nuclear strike, 4000 government officials alive and well, and no-one for them to look after. Civil servants need domeone to look after so they'd turn on each other. Then the medical staff down there would to conduct a study, then there'd be a reoprt etc. Well you know how it would go.

EJI
The pictures are amazing it's like a film set. A great place to make a British 're-imagining' of the film Day of the Dead perhaps? Or like Malcom said a place for Daleks to glide around.

ron
it could be used as a prison

stephen
i've hesrd that rudlow manor may have had connections with black projects including ufology, i wonder if that's true, i would love to see the area for myself

colin
what the heck!!!!!!!!!!!

orion
There are various Underground Cities all around the globe some are inhabited and others are still vacant, the Empty Cities will be used to house the Millions displayed in Future Events. The Cities that are Occupied currently maintain military personal that are only there on a need to know basis, some also house Special Guest………………………. The Funding for these Basis where acquired by saying that this would be bomb shelter incase of Nuclear Fall out but this was just a lie to get the funding necessary. The reality is that if you are not one of the so called Elite then simply you shouldn’t wary because you wont be around to see it go down <<<<<<<<<<

JohnS
its fake...believe me

James
big government cities, all well and good, but what happens to us normal people when a nuke is dropped? it should be re-comissioned as somewhere for people to live, as a pose to building flats on parks.

Linda derby
I do so think this UnderGround city should actually be left alone. Perhaps if anyone wanted a look round then charging £'s perhaps would be quite positive both for revenue & education.

John white
I was stationed at RAF Rudlow Manor in the 1960s, it would make great museum. I would love to go back and have a look round for old times.

claire p swindon
it should definatley be a museum, both my children said they would be very interested, and so would i be !!!!!!

Alex Fryer
Tom: I think that those of you criticizing others for not spelling properly or punctuating correctly are missing the point slightly. This site allows people to discuss their views on the given subject, and I think the amateur English Language teachers among us should belt up. Its a good thing that people are interested enough to post comments. People who are spelling incorrectly, may be dyslexic or simply a little younger or whatever, its not important really. Personally, I find these sites fascinating, and think that if they could be opened to the public and generate a revenue, then why not do it?

dutchdave
Unbelievable sit indeed,love to go down and take some pics,oh yeah and hydrogrower is right,great for a few million plants or so,even though I'm smei-organig in set up....

bigDawg
We have one in the US called on the boarder of PA & MD. I used to work there a few years back pretty cool place to work.

rob
has anyone stopped to think that in the event of nuclear war we will all be dead. There will be nothing left. And who gets to survive the war? Yes the politicians who started it in the first place and we have been paying for the last 50 years so that they can save themselves. Its a sick world we live in and now we're being told what a wonderful piece of heritage it is. Personally I'd put all the politicians in there and brick it up then maybe we wouldn't have a war. And you can bet your life they have built another newer one to save themselves and that we can go on paying for it.

Richard Manly
If this ghost city is what we're allowed to know about, who knows what other secret underground retreats exist straight out of "Dr. No?"

Tom the tunnler
iv been there and searched the place extensivley... very interesting

Greebs
I could well imagine the present labour Government living underground. They are likened to a bunch of ‘troglodytes’. Their heads are constantly in a dark, warm, temperature regulated passage (that sounds like the 7th planet from the sun). Maybe some brave soul could sneak down and weld the door with an oxyacetylene torch while Tony is giving a guitar concert. This could be a fitting, everlasting monument to all future Governments, Viva le Proletariat …

Ken
Well, hopefully the decision to decommission sites like this was well thought out and none of us, now that all possible threats of world war have passed, will never actually need to have a place like this in reserve again. Which is cheaper, rehabilitating an existing place, or simply building a new one? A little less than a decade ago I worked a construction site at a decommissioned military base. There was an underground facility there too, but very few of us were allowed in. Some one in environmental decided salvage was out because of PCBs and asbestos and cost. Instead we bored holes at pre determined points, and through those holes and down air vents we pumped concrete slurry. Hundreds of trucks of it. 24/7 for several weeks till the place was simply filled with concrete. Years later I learned of an old rumor that UFO technology had been stored there, but I am sure that part was BS. Just a secret command and control center, now lost forevermore.

slrd
What a great paint ball site. This could be The Place for a real Doom-like paint ball tournaments.

Ian
There's another "secret" nuclear bunker in Kelvedon, near Brentwood in Essex. It isn't as big as this, but it's fascinating. Well worth a look round on a rainy sunday afternoon.

Katie
who do you call to get photo access?

LifeTime Gamer
WOW!. I'm sure there are other countries that have built the same kind of facilities that we just haven't heard about yet.

Bill Wright
Make it a museum. There is one of these thats 4 stories deep just outside of Ottawa Canada. As a museum it brings in enough to support itself and the local library. I've been there a few times. Very cool and educational.

wontonookie
So that where the WMDs are.

Kevin
Wow, great article, Would enjoy finding any books on this subject.

Kelsey
I don't mean to sound ignorant, but what exactly is "lotto money"? I think the Canadian/American definition is different from the English one, judging by the context in which it's been used in previous posts. Anyone care to explain?

Voidling
What about the people who built this thing where are they and could they keep a secret? I doubt it was a big secret I had heard of this 25 years ago.

Ernie Oporto
How people will wail when a man-made disaster strikes and this facility is unable to perform the duty it was built to perform.

Chris - Swindon
I never knew about this until i saw it on the web. i would be very interested in having a look around...

Michael Tanner Aged 13 Byfleet,Surrey
I found this article very iteresting so do many of my teacher i researched it after a friendof mines grandad was sworn 2 secresy.

dale
cool

Sub
wonder if you could get squatters rights ?

Rick
I find this very interesting, I think it would make a very good museum for historical purposes.

jack
wwwwooooowwwwww dude

Mikee Teevee
Who would I need to speak to to film some footage in there?

Richard
Put it on e bay

tony
i would love to go look round that place it looks so cool

201067
This site should stay decommissioned and not used for anything else. I grew up in Corsham and what was a lovely town is now being destroyed by the amount of houses and influx of people currently happening. It certainly doesn't need more people ruining the area by visiting - it's easy an option for those who don't live there to suggest that.

Mandeep
Can you drive down there?

mr e
who owns the site now and what is itused for at the moment....

An Anglosized Yank
Just as it is government's duty to ensure a nation's survival in time of war, so too is it responsible in preserving England’s Cold War symbols of an indomitable spirit to survive. These spaces represent a vital part of England’s heritage. Only saving such vital spaces does the nation ensure that generations yet unborn not only do not forget the past, but more importantly understand and appreciate it.

Bill Oddie
Visited recently. Fantastic place, very interesting...a bit spooky mind - but as many have said, it would be great to see it opened up for guided tours. Some amazing artifacts down there.

Lindi St.Clair - Miss Whiplash
I knew about this place back in the early 1970's when I went there many times to service one of my regular political clients. It was fascinating. I had to pretend that I was an office worker in order to bypass security. Now the place is decomissioned I think it should be used as a tourist attraction to make money for the state. If Buck House can open to the public, then why not the underground city?

Jess
Shopping centre are you out off your tiny mind!!!! and i live here :) ahahahahaha

sam
this place is cool i would love to live here.

nikki
i heard a about this place years ago but never believed it existed until now, how very cunning of the government to keep it secret.

some1
it owuld cost to much to change it it would proberly cost them more than what its worth

Paul
This needs to be converted into the next biggest Shopping Centre / Nature Reserve. It must have cost us Tax Payers an unbelievable amount of money, especially for something we couldn't have used. So time to reclaim that money back and encourage more Tourism... Great Article :o)

Rich Ellis
I used to drive past this place on the way to university in Bath every day. A colleague told me about the sub-terreanean maze underneath but I always doubted whether it was true! I would love to look around!

Hydrogrower
What a great growroom!

David zastrow
I would never change anything. If anything i would try my best to restore it to its orginal fashsion if posible. and if anyone reads this if they could post more info on this and other ground cities of cold war period.

HI
If they change anything there it would be a crying shame, I would pay to see it as it was left.

Cliff
I want it - How much?

Wright
When I go over to England, would I be able to actually visit this place? (i'm a writer and my book is set in an immense unused bunker)

darren helman
can i live in there?

Interesting story - 10 Sep 06
I visited Burlington shortly after it was de-classified. Prior to that even military personnel serving at Corsham were only shown the Armament depots, Equipment rooms and Station before that. It is truely fascinating and I'm kicking myself that I never took my camera. The Telex shown in the picture above still has all the connectors wrapped in brown paper as are the chairs and tables stacked in the store-rooms just outside the dining area. The MoD still has an important responsibilty down there; the care of a local Bat population. The have installed appropriate heating arrangements to keep the Bats that reside there comfortable (as required by law). A few corrections: nathan - you do not realise how big this place really is if you think there are many like this. RM - Skynet is the name for the UK's military satellites. Owned and run by Paradigm Services Ltd. Paradigm are a major employer in Corsham and own a building on ... Skynet Drive.

Karen
I dont think anyone gas read this properly, if there was a nuclear war do you really think 3 months would be enough to survive?? Everybody knows it taes a lot longer than that for the air to clear. Also, why a BBC broadcasting centre, he couldnt broadcast to anyone. we would be all dead. Great minds running the country ay!

pixie princess
ron- maybe michael is a bit concerned that as taxpayers we technically should get something back when at retiring age- not the pittance we will all be due when our time comes. Has anyone else heard of the tunnels that are under Salisbury and surrounding areas? I believe there are some that run parallel to the ley- lines but haven't found alot of information on them .

Elmo
I've been in similar instilations around the country but have never seen something this extensive.

could this not be used
could this not be used what with riseing prison levals or may be an alternative to the massive demand for houseing?

Steve Higgins
The entrance to Burlington is in RAF Rudloe in Westwells/Rudloe. Burlington is a secured, sectioned off area of Spring Quarry, a WW2 underground aircraft factory. Burlington was never designed to be a hide away for the Queen though, her and the rest of the Royals would have been flown out of the country. Burlington was just to be a hideaway for the cabinet and PM.

Michael J Pearce
For many years I worked underground for the MOD and wonder if this one of the major quarries used by them for may years (Hartham, Monks Park or Spring Quarry). I knew that there was a Queens accomodation somewhere but thought the entrance was through RAF Rudloe in Westwells/Hawthorn Is this Burlington Site a different quarry altogether, if so where was it located.

Bryn Dando
typical isn't it, the ones that will have started the war will be nice and safe.

RD
Looks like a great place to house the burgeoning population of Chav's many of whom have made some fairly predictable comments. Great article though.

Jon Scott
Well, I think we've found the next Big Brother House!

Olly
well i live in chippenham just outside corsham if anyones interested in this look up box freestone mines, i go down ther alot, its 90km of passages so dont go down without a map, ive been to the 'secret' queens entrance next to box tunnel its got a huge iron door, inside it is blocked off after about thirty metres, also farleigh down ammo dump is a good one its a mile long going up the hill underground then its blocked off, ill have to look but there was a council planning notice to destroy it so you may not be able to go there now, anyway talk currently is that it probably wont be opened to civies due to one reason its under an raf base, this being open would be an open invite to any terrorists or extremist groups. in conclusion with all these entrances blocked off and the site decommissioned it means one thing there's another much newer burlington somewhere which has rendered this one obselete

Malcolm Saffin
Great Place for a forthcoming series of Doctor Who and the Daleks ???

Chris Harwood
Daz, "it should be for all who live near ?orsham not other people who dont live round there"?? It's the countries history! Should stonehenge just be for people who live near there?

Ivor Stone
We worked around this area in the 60s fitting Electric Pylons. I can remember having to run power to certain transformers which was very strange. None of this work was on the normal list of jobs and was given to a select few of us on overtime only. The transformers we connected to were also housed in very strong buildings far different to the normal transformer housing systems.

nathan
This isn't unique, there are a few dotted around the home counties although this is quite a big one. If you want to visit one, I believe Kelvedon Hatch is still open although it has been 9 years since I went. http://www.aboutbritain.com/KelvedonHatchSecretBunker.htm

Jack Ducker
this is totaly wack if i was the pm i wudnt have 4000 people down there ill just go down myself and live for ever playin my super nintendo yeah man peace out

TS
Watch the virtual tour.... the setting of an awsome scary film!

Richard Fagan
This place sounds grate, fair play to them for keeping it quiet, all that right under corsham and no one knew about it. It should be opened up to the public to see. I dont thinks it's fair they are able to choose who and who's allowed in!

Mohammed Jihad
What was the purpose of the BBC studio? To allow the PM to reassure and comfort the nation that (s)he was safe and sound, while everybody else was being vaporized or dying an agonizing fallout-related death?

Daz
it should be for all who live near corsham not other people who dont live round there

jake meech
we should go in there in war aswell not just the royal family and the prime inister

bradley bull
we should go under there not the royal family and the prime minister

Emily-George Ward School
I Dont Think That It Is Fair That The Royal Family Should Be Only Aloud To Live Down There! Its Not Fair If There Is A NucuLar War Then We Will All Die And Then The Royal Family With Have No One To Rule!

Geoff Amos
I've lived in wiltshire most of my life and can honestly say that i've never heard of this place until today. A fabulous insight into Cold War politics which must be preserved as part of our national heritage and opened up to the public.

stuart francis
Lets open it up as a museum and allow us to see our history it could make a lot of money for someone and would allow us to teach our children what really happend and the threat s that were posed against us. make it a museum and i gaurantee it will do well.

Nik
Great place, they could put the proposed "Stonehenge Visitor Centre" in there.

Ron
Say, michael, why is it up to the government to provide you with a pension? Don't you save any money from your salary? Doesn't your company have an investment or pension plan?

ROB
DID SOME TRAINING IN THIS PLACE AS A FIREMAN SOME YEARS AGO. HORRIBLE PLACE,WOULD RATHER TAKE MY CHANCES ABOVE GROUND THAN BE BURIED ALIVE. IT WOULD MAKE A GREAT PRISON.

Tim Hastings
Thank you for a great look around this base. Without question, the best resource I've found. You really feel the creepy atmosphere! Well done!

Peter Rodwell
I've lived in Wiltshire all my life, and I only recently found out about this, it just goes to show you the hidden treasures our area has!

Karen Talha
A Fantastic place which should be saved as part of our historical heritage. The government spent our money building it so they should ensure it is saved and give us (the british public) the rights to see what the money was spent on. I would love to visit. A wonderful insight into government secrecy.

Michael
A good example of political deceit and double standards still exercised today with totally "buried costs" which is probably why this and succesive governments cannot afford to pay us all a fair pension

Mickthe mole
Yes, As GPO Lad. I was sent there to install Microwave wave kit so it lock into a system which I think was part of "BACKBONE" what was an update to"CITADEL". If I rembber correctly, Big towers were built on top of hills, to bring "colour T.V." to them wot did Have colour T.Vs. NOT MANY, I did have to a few days ,"IN THE HOLE", polishing the contacts on the rusty relys, replacing to fuses, and I glad to say, seeking relief at the pub down the road. I like many others, can only start to tell this, as the 50 year has now expire. DO I get me Bus Pass????

Reed
What a nice mushroom farm this would make. A bit of insulation, some reinforcement, a lighting policy based on somebody actually being in a particular room... and it would be cheaper to keep running. Part farm, part museum. Perhaps part CD facility. Why not? The smug gloating and hand wringing of pusillanimous limeys regarding the deterioration of their defensive infrastructure is mind boggling.

JD Shaftesbury
I did some building works down there in the late '80s amasing maize.

JimC
I agree that this site should be preserved as it forms an important part of our recent history. If anyone is really interested is somehow trying to preserve this site in what ever form, email me at burlington.wilts@ntlworld.com and depending on the responses, lets see if there is anything we can do.

1123581321
I visited the site in 1990 whilst working for BT. BT maintained some of the telecoms 'switch' gear. It seemed pretty old fashioned then; the telecoms equipment was very basic (mechanical) but that was to withstand the transisitor killing electro magnetic blast from a nuclear bomb. Many of the countries major telecom exchanges also had bomb proof underground facilities connected to places such as these, so that the country could continue to 'function' after an attack. Food/fuel was replaced regularly, though to my knowledge, that stopped about 10 years ago. Rememeber the place smelling and feeling damp, but was amazed how big it seemed; we were accompanied by an armed guard and not allowed to anywhere other than the door marked PABX. I also visited Monkton Farleigh as a child. Some cousins lived nearby and like most locals, knew the way in. Pretty scary place with only a torch. I also visited it when it was opened to the public for a short time in the late 80's. Remember the tracks for the munition's trolleys and the overhead pulley system. Also the huge generator and fan systems. Although I agree that we shouldn't plough anymore public money into places like this, we've got to remember that the existence of these type of places and the security forces in our country have allowed and continue to allow us to live in the relative safety that we take for granted. A great article. ps The UFO's are kept at Fairford....

tony blair
DONT WORRY i will put this to good use

Steve
I work at the Security place at monkton farleigh, very interesting history with it being an old MOD ammo dump and is bloomin massive! 1 million square foot of storage at mo but in total size of monkton I am not sure but its big, i've had a wander around it a few times myself. But this one is a monster! 35 acre! This one is bigger than monkton! P.S. Monkton is very well protected nowadays, the walls have been re-inforced alot!

Steve Higgins
Timne1 - Monkton Farleigh does not connect to the Corsham compex however there is a mile long tunnel which runs from Monkton Farleigh to rail sidings at Ashley - this tunnel is bricked up at the Monkton Farleigh end. Darren - the underground railway station was part of the ammunition depot and not part of the cold war hide away but both were part of the same massive complex under Box Hill as well as a WW2 air craft factory.

Jerry Hails (Ex SAC 2533201)
I served about 20 months of my two years National Service from Feb 1952 to Sep 1953 at RAF Box,Rudloe Manor being the Station HQ. I was by trade a fighter plotter but spent most of my time mis-employed,as the phrase was, as Station Armourer.I worked undergound in the main plotting site,on my own in the Armoury,but had plenty of work preparing and cleaning rifles.Brens and Stens for the GST (Ground Service Training)exercises and Range Practice.I could go on for hours,as I kept a Diary of my time there.Jerry.

Tom
To Mike Perry - Where is your punctuation mark in your first 'cant'.

Darren G
I served at RAF Rudloe Manor during the mid 90's. I was one of the few that actually worked above ground but did get the chance to go below to the CDCN on varous occasions. I did once have a tour by the then OC GD, who took us around an old WW2 aircraft factory, munitions store and living accomodation. We were shown the entrance to the Burlington site, but unfortunatley we were not allowed in. The WW2 underground facility is very interesting in itself as it has a railway station with 2 platforms,in a hugh cavern, with an exit/entry leading to Box tunnel. Massive munitions storage areas and of course living accomodation for the serving personnel also are to be found at this site. I haven't found a Web-site covering the history of Corsham during WW2 yet, so if anyone has any knowledge of such a site, please place on this message system. Surely an underground railway staion built within a Wiltshire Hill must be of interest to some one out there. I again think their is little known about this facility as it was, and probably still is, under the control of the MOD.

Alex Wood
It is important to preserve such a thing, if people in the past had taken this attitude, we wouldnt have to dig to find remains from previous generations.

Timne1
Ive managed to enter part of the tunnel system under monkton farleigh. Now A Security Company,Theres a wall under there that stops you heading back towards box it must be 15 feet thick. Still Searchin

CB
I worked in CDCN for a few years as a codebreaker. People have got it wrong. Yes, there are many many cubed kilometers Kms undergroud but please do not connect it with UFO's. CB

Mike Perry
To paul oksure - "why cant many of you spell". Why can't you use capital letters and punctuation marks?

Mort
If this palce is no longer used then where's the new one and how big and deep is it!?

James Brown
wow underground city are you sure this isnt the next series of lost?

paul oksure
typical....dont you all realise how much money was thrown at this thing...and now you want to throw lotto money at it too....why dont you all sell your homes and donate the money you make to its conservation...lotto money should not be spent on the preserving the past but creating a better future for us all... ps ...why cant many of you spell

Geoff Mathews
I agree with Liz Clark, give it back to the people and allow everyone to see it for what it was all those years ago.

COLIN P
Don't let this wonderful piece of modern history vanish. It would make a superb tourist attraction and could be self financing if an injection of lottery money could prevent it being destroyed by property developers.

Suzie Francis
I remember my Nan telling me of this place, as a youngester, when I was visiting her in Corsham.... I thought she was mad! An underground city for the government.... as if! Ooops! If she was still with us, I'd owe her an apology!

KG
What an amazing piece of National Heritage, how can we keep it for our future generations to see?

DOWNAHOLEVOLE
Alan it is called Site 3 because it is was part of the sites that the RAF ran, Site 1 and Site 2 were RAF Rudloe Manor, site 1 does not exist anymore Site 2 is part of JSUC and when the RAF took on the U/G it was called Site 3 prior to this it was called New works and was run by the DOE which was privatised in the early 1990's when Margaret thatcher was PM thus making the workforce of about 40 redundant, no workforce no maintenance. A lot of money has been spent on the place since it was built mainly on the upkeep on the fabric of the place and not on technology. It is not for sale but part of a PFI package, i doubt if the general public will see it that is why the BBC were allowed to make this site, if you want to see some equipment from Site 3 take a trip to RAF Holmpton as some of it has gone there for display. Its Skynet Drive not lane. I,ll be back

Lt Col (Ret) James A. Wadell
Most interesting! This is very much like a site that was built in West Virginia in the US for much the same reason - continuation of government operations while under nuclear attack. The site in the US was also top secret, and its existance unknown to the general public until only recently. I hope the UK site is preserved and maintained. It is a wonderful artifact of some very dangerous and difficult times.

Chris Harwood
Skynet Lane isn't part of the cold war bunker complex it's the road the the CDCN (Command Defence Communications Network) is based.

RM
One of the roads leading up to the site is called 'Skynet Lane', which is a bit disconcerting. Wasn't Skynet the computer that started the war in the Terminator films ?

ali wade
I grew up in Corsham. As children we used to sneak around the 'sensitive' places, avoiding the 'mod plods'. Corsham, Rudloe and Springfield are curious places. The landscape is punctuated by air shafts, pill boxes and bomb shelters. The other end of Box Tunnel is worth finding at Potley. It is a far more impressive sight than it's counter part. Watch out for the mod plods!

CRS
There are still a huge amount of sensitive secret sites in the immediate locality which are currently being upgraded for the future. With a little amateur detective work on the internet you can find all sorts of interesting evidence of new construction. Burlington is just the tip of the iceberg.

donz
Hi , if you are inerested my hubby found a great website with loads of these places mentioned , we found one where we live and never knew it existed ,the national heritage have it and it is open to the public too here's the homepage http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/roc/index2.shtml

kat
surely they WILL open it to the public?

JT
Much has been lost to posterity. Like the battersea power station. The building is only half the story. It had tiled floor turbine house. Art deco machinery. The only thing left now is empty building. Machinery sold for scrap metal. Like the whitebay power station in Sydney. Massive boilers gone, massive empty turbine house. Many others layed bear for the scrap yard merchants pocket. Many others leveled for the developers apartment blocks. Not one left intact with equipment still in place. Yes there are a number of undergorund bunkers left intact with original equipment still there untouched, abeat unusable through decay. Most have been striped or vandelised. There is an undergound bunker in East Germany open to the public. The machinery still operational and maintained. It would be good to see this site in operational order again and open to fee paying public.

WOW
i never even knew it existed, PLEASE OPEN IT TO THE PUBLIC.... Id love to see it all up and running and actually lived in!

Bob Wright
I one visited a de-commissioned fall-out shelter in the heart of China. It had been turned over to the public with all sorts of stalls inside such as a circus freak show, an archery range, and many shops. All along the walls going deep down into it they had painted what was claimed to be the world's longest mural. Lets hope something of use is done with Burlington too.

Ginge
What a magnificant place! I could almost imagine it all up and running, would like to see some pics of it in it's hey-day thou! Please open to public soooon!!

Tracy Mason
I have seen this place in the late 80s when i was just a teenager.Mt step dad was in the airforce at cdcn at rudlow in corsham.i am so lucky to have seen some of it as i was familey.i did not no it was going to close.I will let my step dad no.he has retirerd now.i would like to see it again and show my children what a wonderfull place.i have shown them the picters on the site my son thought it was great he wants to see it now.i do hape i see it again.from Tracy Mason

GD Cleethorpes.
The mind boggles just whats out there! I'd love a tour, lets use some lottery money to fund public viewing.

MG, Salisbury
So, even the ultimate last bastion is now obsolete. Makes you realise just how vulnerable we all are, and how important the AVOIDANCE of war is as an active survival device!

Alan Torr
Wow! What a great bunker! I wonder how many more there are lurking around the UK as big as this? After all this is 'Site 3' of ??? Would be great if the public was able to go on tours soon. Maybe lotto money could be used to buy it from the MOD and to restore parts that need attention. It's a shame we weren't able to see the entrance from outside though. I'm sure the UK Gov has more Emergency shelters dotted around the country though. Rumour has it there's a massive one being built near Rainham, Essex.

Charlie Mac
What a place, it just has to be preserved, there can be few like it (or are there!?)

J C Nash
Is the BBCs tour of the Burlington bunker available on videotape?

Jon
This is a part of our history and should be opened for the public

DJ
Just as we have castles from our older history, we have these sites that represent part of our more recent history. It would indeed be a pity to loose such an important and vast site like this, as its a symbol of a possible future we could of had and of the efforts of the unsung personnel who were involved in secretly building or working in such sites (not forgetting the ammount of taxpayers money invested) -it is a pity the site cannot be visited or opened to the public even on a limited basis.

Pete
This has to be preserved. As a folly of the cold war?!

chris passmore
i would love to see it a fter all its our history

Rob Willshire
Visited once back in the 80's. Amasing this was released to the public.

Guy Bettley-Cooke
Well done the Beeb! Fantastic site. Good to have a look around the famous Hawthorn-Burlington-Turnstile bunker. Shocking to see just how LITTLE money was spent on the facility, unlike similar ones in the U.S. But that pretty much sums up U.K. Civil Defence policy at the end of the Cold War. Perhaps somebody, high up, actually realised it was all a waste of time and money - that if the balloon HAD gone up, there would have been little left of anything to govern at all? 'Burlington' would no doubt have had a post-Soviet missile launch life of around 30 minutes, before being wiped off the map. Chilling, but historically fascinating, all the same!

Paul Duddle
I served @ H.M.S Royal Arthur (Corsham)in the 70's.I knew about this place,but never got to visit it.It would be nice to finally have a chance to visit the site.

Steve Higgins
It would make a great tourist attraction, it's such a shame that it will never be open to the public - I wish I had a few million to bu it.

Liz Clark
Can we (wiltshire residents) have it please, what a tourist attraction this would make!!!!