GCHQ 5.1 |
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Built 1952-3 as an air defence station - R4 Sector Operations Control (RAF ROTOR) to provide command and control of the London Sector of Fighter Command. After the demise of ROTOR SOC, the remaining Nuclear Reporting Cell and UKWMO elements were incorporated into the Home Office 'Regional Seat of Government'. In the event of a nuclear strike the RGHQs were tasked with organising the survival of the population and continuance of government operations. The bunker is built 38m underground. The entrance is through an ordinary looking bungalow (a standard ROTOR guard house) set amongst trees. Once into the bungalow, the bunker is accessed via a 91m tunnel entering the R4 at its lowest floor (of three). Above are two more floors, the 'hill' which covers it, and a radio mast. The bunker was able to accommodate hundreds of personnel (the numbers changing as function and form varied over the years) and could sustain them for up to three months. The bunker has air conditioning and heating (using the original ROTOR AC-Plant), its own water supply (mains water and its own deep bore hole) and generators, and was equipped with many types of radio equipment, protected (EMP) telecommunications, teleprinter (MSX) networks and various military systems (MOULD and CONRAD etc.) |
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