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All the United Kingdom England York York Cold War Bunker
AO Edited

York Cold War Bunker

This disused Cold War bunker has been restored to all of its early 60s glory.

York, England

Added By
Russell Arnott
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Secret maps of the UK in the Control Room.   ribo81
Secret maps of the UK in the Control Room.   ribo81
The Control Centre.   ribo81
York Cold War Bunker   ribo81
Badge of Royal Observer Corps in the bunker canteen.   ribo81
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About

When visiting York, most people make a beeline for the Minster Cathedral, York Castle, or the winding cobbled streets full of boutiques. However, tucked away in a residential street not far from the centre is an imposing reminder of Britain's Cold War legacy.

Originally built back in 1961, the York Cold War Bunker was one of 30 built around the country to monitor nuclear explosions and fallout in the event of a nuclear war. The building was used throughout its operational existence as the regional headquarters and control centre for the York Division of the Royal Observer Corps (ROC): a group of volunteers that met for weekly training scenarios ensuring that they could pinpoint the location and scale of any nuclear detonation in the county.

In the event of a nuclear strike on Britain, the building was intended to support 60 members of the ROC each working eight hour shifts for a 30-day period before water supplies would have ran out. It was only fully staffed during the Cuban missile crisis,  the rest of the time it was used to train local volunteers.

The fully restored building contains an air filtration system, sewage treatment, kitchen and canteen facilities, dormitories, communication equipment, explosion / radiation detectors and in the control room, and one of two remaining AWDREY supercomputers in the world.

Decommissioned at the end of the Cold War in 1991, the bunker gained Scheduled Monument status in 2006 when English Heritage opened it as a tourist attraction.

Related Tags

Bunkers Cold War Military History Military

Know Before You Go

There is parking directly outside the bunker, although much of the surrounding parking is for residents only. Access is by tour only. The site may not be suitable for those with mobility issues, as there are several staircases and high steps to navigate. 

The bunker is around 30 minutes walk from the city centre but you can get the Number 1 or 412 buses from the train station that drop you off on Acomb Road.

Community Contributors

Added By

Russ Arno

Edited By

Dark Nebula Deluxe, jooniur

  • Dark Nebula Deluxe
  • jooniur

Published

August 14, 2013

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Sources
  • http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/york-cold-war-bunker/
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/York_Cold_War_Bunker
York Cold War Bunker
Monument Close
York, England, YO24
United Kingdom
53.956305, -1.116913
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