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War Shelter Number One (Mostly completed)
As our main entrance, War Shelter One has been brought up to a good standard, and fitted out
with display boards showing photos, articles, and documents from the past and present. While
there are still some finishing tasks to be done, restoration here is mostly complete. The
floor and internal walls have been replaced, the internal doors have been refitted or
replaced. All of the walls, timber and concrete, have been painted. The roof has been covered
with a waterproof membrane on the outside.
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Engine Room
The Fortress was provided with its own power station. This was located in the Engine Room,
along with a workshop for maintenance. At present the room is being repainted and the Engines
are being restored. There were two Ruston Hornsby 6VCR units, which drove a pair of 120 kW
generators, and a Ruston Hornsby 4VRO unit driving a 22 kW generator. For now we are
concentrating on the 4VRO as it is mostly complete, apart from damage by vandals. The larger
6VCR units are missing pistons, connecting rods and many other parts. One activity here is
the location of replacement parts.
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Water Proofing
Over the years a considerable number of minor leaks have developed. Most are along seams in
the concrete tunnel walls where water seeps out. These can be sealed using a proprietary
product called Vandex, supplied by a local firm. This is a long term project, due to the
enormous scale of the task. Each leak must be cleaned of paint and other materials using a
grinder, and then several coats of sealer applied. Then it is simply a case of waiting to
see if the leak has been plugged. Fortunately there are very few leaks from which water
spurts, as these tend to cause rapid erosion of the concrete. The few that do exist are
sealed with another version of Vandex.
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Command Post
This tiny room housed the Duty Officer and his assistant. It was originally lined with Pinex
over a timber frame. Very little of either lining or frame remains. Convenient from the water
proofing point of view, but a severe loss to Architecture. The room would have had an octagonal
vertical cross-section, looking in from the door. Once water proofing is complete, the frame
will be rebuilt from drawings, and the room rewired. Then a new lining will be installed,
followed by the refitting of the one remaining door, and its replacement partner. A display
(most likely a diorama) will then be installed.
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Repainting Of Tunnels In Number One Area
This has been a large task, not yet fully completed. The tunnels are painted gray from floor
to mid way up the wall on each side. From there the walls and roof are white. Ultimately the
floors may be returned to their original red. Timber work is gray. Number One Pump Chamber
has been painted in the same colour scheme. Number One Magazine will also be painted in a
similar way.
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