The Friends of Drakelow Tunnels

Roger Bryan's Virtual Tour

Continuing our tour we will now look at the area between Tunnel 3 and Tunnel 4
. The layout of the tunnels is a little different here to what we have seen so far. Previously we had tunnels 1,2 & 3 running East - West linked by galleries at 90 deg running North - South. In this section however there are two rows of galleries running East - West parallel to and in between tunnels 3 & 4. They are crossed occasionally by a link tunnel connecting tunnels 3 & 4. For this page layout I am starting with the eastern most link tunnel Gallery 83 which links the eastern ends of Tunnel 3 and Tunnel 4 crossing the ends of galleries 81 and 82. As you proceed down the page you will see the galleries side by side just as they are in reality, with the connecting tunnels as they cross.
Again it is much easier to follow this tour with the plans on pages 10-11 of Drakelow Unearthed - Revised Edition. (Pages 8-9 of the original version).
Paul

BETWEEN TUNNEL 3 & TUNNEL 4

© 2009 J.R.Bryan

All images on this page are protected under copyright law. They may not be reproduced in any form or location electronically or in print without prior written permission from the copyright owner.

Index
Tunnel 1
Tunnel 2
Tunnel 3
Between 3&4

Tunnel 4

North of Tunnel 4
RGHQ 9.2


Gallery 83 North
Here we are at the Eastern end of Tunnel 3 looking north along Gallery 83 - Capstans. The closest image of Malcolm is at the top of Gallery 81 and the second Malcolm is at the top of Gallery 82. 82 being bricked off at this time. The opening in the brick wall at the end leads to the eastern end of Tunnel 4.
BAy 82
Bay 82 - Millwrights. Looking East. The gallery (Gallery 83) in the photo above runs across the other side of the wall.
BAy 81
Bay 81 - Looking East. The gallery (Gallery 83) in the above photo runs across the top of this gallery too.

Cross Gallery looking South. Bay 82 is on the left, Bay 81 far left,
Bay 84 on the right and Bay 80 far right.

Bay 79/84
Bays 79/84 - Electricians & Engineers Stores. Looking East

Bay 78/80 - Cutter Grinding/Maxicut. Looking West
bay 77 north
Cross Gallery looking North (Battery Room East is on the left hand side) Access to Tunnel 4 is bricked off.
Bay 77 south
Cross Gallery looking South. (Battery Room East is on the right hand side through the doorway)
Bay 79 is on your left and Bay 76 to the Right
Gallery 74/76 Looking East
Bay 74/76 - Finished Part Stores/Electricians Stores Looking East

Bay 75 - M.A.P. Stores. Looking East

Cross Gallery Looking North from Tunnel 3. Through the doorway Bay 75 is on your right
and Bay 72 on your left. Access to Tunnel 4 is bricked off.
Confusingly the sign says "74 Machine Bay" Which is actually the second bay on the right.
bay 73 east
Bay 73 - Jig Stores. Looking East
Bay 72
Bay 72 - Stores. Looking East
72 west
Bay 72 Again but now looking West. The brick structure projecting into the tunnel is the back of the Works Clerks Office. (Demolished in 2008)
73 west Bay 73 now looking West

This cross Gallery is blocked off at its Southern end by the Works Clerks Office which, in this shot, is directly behind you. As we look North access ahead is also bricked off.
On the other side of the wall are Bays 46(Left) and 73(Right). This wall was demolished in 2008.
45 west
Bay 45 - General. Looking West. The back of the Works Clerks Office is on your left. The bay in the above photo is to your right. Ahead of us is bricked off. We can see the other side of this wall from Bay 47.
46 west
Bay 46 - Machine Tool Maintenance. Looking West. On your left you can just see the other side of the wall in the above photo. To the right access to Tunnel 4 is also bricked off. Ahead of us is bricked off too, we will see the other side of this wall from Bay 48.
48 east
Bay 48 - Pistons Looking East
47 east
Bay 47 - Cylinder Heads and Reduction Gear Casing. Looking East. There is a 1940's photo of this bay in full swing on page 13 of Drakelow Unearthed (Revised Edition) The white structure to the right at the end is the Works Tea Service.


The remains of a bar in one of the cross galleries that link tunnels 3 & 4. Bay 50 is to your left and Bay 47 to your right.

50 west
If you walk through the door on the left in the above shot you enter Bay 50 - Works Dining Room. You are currently looking West.
51 west
Running parallel to the right of Bay 50 is Bay 51 - Works Dining Room.
Also looking West.
bay 51
Bay 51 - Works Dining Room. Now looking East
Bay50
Bay 50 - Works Dining Room. Now looking East.
servery
Servery. Looking South. (Bay 51 is to your left.)
kitchen west
1940's Factory kitchens. Looking West. This area was refurbished and used as the kitchens for the 1960's R.S.G. too.
bay 54
Bay 54 Parallel to the kitchens. Looking East.
54 north
There is a small passage that leads from the kitchens to inbetween Bay 54 and the Staff Dining Room.
Here you are looking North from the kitchens.
54 south
The same passage looking South towards the kitchens. The doorway immediately on your left leads into bay 54 (photo above). The doorway and serving hatches on the right lead into the Staff Dining Room (photo below left).
bay 54 east
The Staff Dining Room. Looking East.
kitchen east
Another view of the kitchens. Looking East.
kitchen rear
The final cross passage that links tunnels 3 & 4. Here we are looking South from Tunnel 4. On the left of the passage is first the Staff Dining Room, then the rear entrance to the kitchens. The rooms on the right are firstly two 'Executive' Dining Rooms (One of them even had a fake fireplace with an electric fire), a room sized refrigerator, a compressor for the refrigerator room, an office (with original telephone still in place) and a store room. All of the rooms on the right were completely demolished in 2008.
Tunnel 1 Tunnel 2 Tunnel 3 Between Tunnels 3&4 Tunnel 4 North of Tunnel 4 RGHQ 9.2

© 2009 J.R.Bryan

All images on this page are protected under copyright law. They may not be reproduced in any form or location electronically or in print without prior written permission from the copyright owner.

Drakelow Unearthed - Revised Edition
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