Bunkers all over the uk

[Huntsman]

A few months ago i was doing some research into ex-mod bunkers. I came across hundreds of abandoned bunkers all over the uk called roc bunkers (roc stands for royal observers corp). If im correct they where constructed in the 50's for the royal observers corp as observation posts. For incoming nuclear devices in the coldwar. In the past they where equipped as fully functional bunkers. Allot of them are ruined now. But pre or post shtf could they be renovated and utilized as a form of shelter, just a thought.

Huntsman

[skippy]

There is lots of info here and on other prepper forums about the ROC bunkers.
They are small, with no facilities however they can be purchased cheaply.
Personally I think they are Waaaaaaaaaay to easily found and well publicised.

Skippy

[Tocsin]

I served 10 years in the ROC in various posts across southern Scotland, from '81 - '91 (stand down). There were around 1600 built from the late 50s to the mid 60s, around half were closed in cut backs in '68, the remaining 872 were closed at stand down in '91. Where you are right now you are within 10 miles of serveral former ROC posts. If you can get hold of a copy of the book 'Attack Warning Red' it gives the grid ref of all ROC posts, although some are inacurate. Google Royal Observer Corps and there are various sites, one whose name I can't remember lists all the locations and has photograghs from visits. After stand down, many posts had theirs tops removed and concreted over, many are now flooded and most are sealed in some way or another, or totally destroyed. They are just a small room approx. 12ft x 8ft with a 16ft. laddered shaft. Post SHTF if anyone knew you were in one, the lid could easily be sealed shut and you wouldn't get out, trust me, it was something I thought about on many an excercise. There are no services, they relied on a small petrol generator to charge batteries.
When the Govt. of the day stood down the ROC and dismantled UKWMO (United Kingdom Warning and Monotoring Organisation) they removed most of the ability to warn the public of air attack (aircraft or missile) relying totally on TV & radio instead, and we know what EMP can do to that. There were approx. 10,000 trained personel ready to deal with a nuclear post SHTF situation, now....nothing. Good to know we are in safe hands!!
If Govt. aren't too bothered about protecting the public then it's up to motivated individuals to do what they can to prepare themselves for whatever situation they think they may face, which is why I joined UK Preppers in the first place.
Anyway, former ROC posts are probably not the best of places post SHTF, I wouldn't like to be trapped in one, but best of luck with whatever you decide, there are plenty of folk here better qualified then me who can advise....

[counsellor]

this web site gives lots of infor

http://www.rocremembered.com/

poss useful but limited in my view as access is tight and they could be a death trap
but when tshtf who knows

[decoy111]

I served 10 years in the ROC in various posts across southern Scotland, from '81 - '91 (stand down). There were around 1600 built from the late 50s to the mid 60s, around half were closed in cut backs in '68, the remaining 872 were closed at stand down in '91. Where you are right now you are within 10 miles of serveral former ROC posts. If you can get hold of a copy of the book 'Attack Warning Red' it gives the grid ref of all ROC posts, although some are inacurate. Google Royal Observer Corps and there are various sites, one whose name I can't remember lists all the locations and has photograghs from visits. After stand down, many posts had theirs tops removed and concreted over, many are now flooded and most are sealed in some way or another, or totally destroyed. They are just a small room approx. 12ft x 8ft with a 16ft. laddered shaft. Post SHTF if anyone knew you were in one, the lid could easily be sealed shut and you wouldn't get out, trust me, it was something I thought about on many an excercise. There are no services, they relied on a small petrol generator to charge batteries.
When the Govt. of the day stood down the ROC and dismantled UKWMO (United Kingdom Warning and Monotoring Organisation) they removed most of the ability to warn the public of air attack (aircraft or missile) relying totally on TV & radio instead, and we know what EMP can do to that. There were approx. 10,000 trained personel ready to deal with a nuclear post SHTF situation, now....nothing. Good to know we are in safe hands!!
If Govt. aren't too bothered about protecting the public then it's up to motivated individuals to do what they can to prepare themselves for whatever situation they think they may face, which is why I joined UK Preppers in the first place.
Anyway, former ROC posts are probably not the best of places post SHTF, I wouldn't like to be trapped in one, but best of luck with whatever you decide, there are plenty of folk here better qualified then me who can advise....

My Grandad was in too! After he left the Army, Iv got a picture of him in an inspection in the ROC on my fireplace. They gave him plenty sick money when he was bad, apparently this officer told him (this must have been in the 60s), that their funding never changed since the wartime so had plenty money left. Iv got some things from his bunker, before it was stripped out.

TBH, If anyone or a group of people were looking for a bunker, it would be better to research your local auxillary unit. Most of them will be in poor condition, but some cracking examples survive, in remote locations. Even if they are in poor condition, look up the examples of bunker, they were covertly constructed, and most landowners still dont know about them. http://www.coleshillhouse.com/bunkers.php

'Undoubtedly the greatest problem was that of digging the hideouts without anyone noticing-not even the members of neighbouring Resistance patrols. In most of the coastal areas the first hideouts had to be dug by the Resistance men themselves, stumbling around late at night and in total darkness. Incredibly, they usually managed to finish the job unnoticed, but anyone who happened across a half-completed hideout had to be fobbed off with some sort of story that would put an end to questions. The usual cover story was that the hole was being dug for the storage of emergency food supplies for a secret government department'- a story that did not make much sense at the time but did stop people asking questions and usually stopped them talking. Speculation about the 'food stores' still continues in some areas of Britain today, and there are dark rumours about how 'They' were going to look after themselves all right.'

[coulesy]

There are several of these ROC bunkers near me, after a few days trips out where me and the wife just happened to find them on out travels i got kinda excited over nothing, the first one was water damaged beyond belief but with a little love could be serviceable, the second was in a public field near a park that would make infil and exfil interesting but not impossible and the last one had a rather snazzy padlock on it which kinda makes me wonder who owns the bunker or what is in side and that last on is fifty feet from the runway of the biggest single runway airport in Europe so that's a no go. In hind sight they would make ideal cache and FOB`s but that just my take on them.

[Ian]

I was an Observer Officer in the corps responsible for a 'cluster' of five posts. They were designed to survive an over pressure of about 10 PSI and to support the crew of three for about ten days. This allowed them to monitor the fall and power of weapons.

The two story house in this film is the famous three PSI house, the overpressure it received was three PSI so ten PSI is pretty hardened. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqyBzXYZ ... re=related

The posts often leaked and a pump out of the sump was a perpetual problem. They were cold on entry but after a couple of hours were comfortable and very warm after a day or so.

A fair number have been preserved as museums, a Google should find them should you wish to experience their ambiance.

[diamond lil]

Why the hell would anybody want to live in a derelict damp cold hole in the ground with no way out?
Think people!!

[skippy]

Think people!!

[Ian]

Why the hell would anybody want to live in a derelict damp cold hole in the ground with no way out?
Think people!!

It all depends on what is the alternative. And there is a way out of an ROC monitoring post with a sealed hatch.