Dodge  Hill Air Raid

This isn’t new to me and have found places that people don’t know about and been in places that people daren’t go.  So this is me, basically taking you on my boredom breaking adventures around Stockport and yes, you will notice a theme, I like grime! 

29/04/2014 I decided after weeks contemplation to explore the abandoned air raid shelter, after my brother and his friends chanced upon it's where abouts when seeing some informative graffiti whilst walking back from Stockport town centre. 

This wasn't the first account I've heard about this place, I had heard about it two times previously. 

1)A harrowing story in which a homeless man told my mother, in graphic detail, how he was beat into unconsciousness whilst squatting there. 

2)I got chatting to woman whilst serving her coffee, after learning the where about of the shelter, and she told me how her and friends used to break in go exploring after I  inexplicably brought it up.  

So after quick look in the area described I found it, graffiti and all. Hard to miss really when someone has gone to the effort of sign posting the bridge( over the M60 leading into Heaton Norris park) with informative graffiti, 'air raid shelter' directed by an arrow.
Just on the right hand side of the bridge is a fence with a bar missing with words 'tramps beware' over the gap. First thing I see when I squeezed through the gap is piles upon piles of empty bottles of alcohol.  I then tentatively explored the whole structure, which was even more expansive than I could have guessed, armed with my phone and a torch.

Getting around once you got used to it was remarkably simple due to the large white arrows on each and every wall. Shit was scattered all over the place such as;

• candles 
• neon paint 
• glow sticks 
• alcohol bottles and cans  

So there was definitely one if not more sick parties in here which surprised me a little but on the other side I also found;

• quilts 
• sleeping bags 
• clothes  

These were what I expected more proof of people sleeping rough.

I say the coolest things I found in there were the original toilets and the original wire mesh bunk beds which some of the more savvy homeless people had put to good use or attempted to partially block areas off to give themselves a greater sense of security.

As shown in the pictures below captured by the daring photographers from  http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/

Bunk beds and directing arrow.

Bunk beds

Toilet 

Toilets

 

Rough sleepers

I did film the whole experience although my filming was, what I am as a camera man, amateur and for the most part very dark.   

From the outside, after thorough inspection, I found was three different entrances or what used to be entrances because they were blocked by bricks or corrugated iron slabs with the exception of the first one on the left. This doesn't include the original entrance which i'll talk more about below. (29/04/2014)

(The top picture is another one of the blocked entrances found on the very far right of the sight before the land drops off to make way for the motorway, making further exportation impossible without climbing gear) (22/09/14)

(Below this was way I entered, which has been recently blocked so unfortunately means no more adventures unless a pick axe is involved!)(22/09/14)

That is not all, the fence which had a whole in it to slip through has also been fixed and an additional fence placed just behind for extra measure! 


These newly added fortification are no surprise as the shelter has a checkered past with there recently being a rubbish fire lit within the bowels of the place as seen in the pictures below.

 On this occasion they need to smash the breeze bricks covering the original entrance to gain access.

(The smokey aftermath.)

This was worryingly lit in the evening after I explored the place which with it's reputation being as it is I could only believe was done intentionally as a warning of sorts.

 The explanation in the 'Manchester Evening News' for the air raid fire was that it was started by rough sleepers in an effort to stay warm.

Although this seems unlikely as there has been homeless people sleeping in the shelter for several years and the occupants undoubtedly know the effect of  a fire in the confined space of the shelter. The second thing that brings this explanation under further scrutiny is that spring had arrived bringing with it milder temperatures. Surely if a fire was to be started, it would be out of desperation through the bleaker climes of Winter.   

After this there were several fires in and around Stockport. I chanced upon this one a couple days later just 50m away from the air raid shelter whilst I was out shooting.

The pictures shows the police stopping traffic and the firemen putting out the flames.

This was the sign, if such things exist, that I should give up. Which was such a shame as I'd become very attached to the place and planned to film and document the insides, interview variety people; dig up some dirt (http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/boys-stuck-dodge-hill-air-6434330), look at the history and why and when it was built.

Oh well such is life. With time, I'm sure i'll go in again, one day.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/underground-air-raid-shelter-blaze-7040418

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php/81613-Dodge-Hill-Air-raid-shelter-stockport-10-5-13?highlight=dodge+hill+air+raid

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php/77356-Tiviot-dale-tunnel-and-Dodge-hill-air-raid-shelters-stockport-january-2013?highlight=dodge+hill+air+raid


http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php/75989-Dodge-Hill-Air-Raid-Shelter-(again!)?highlight=dodge+hill+air+raid