Dodge Hill Air Raid Shelters.

Dodge Hill Air Raid Shelters where constructed between 1938-1939 during WWII and cut into the soft sandstone rock which is visible all round Stockport.

With Manchester being only a stones throw from Stockport, the local authorities built the shelters to protect the civillians from german air attacks.

There where six shelters built in Stockport but now only three remain and one of them is now a museum, Dodge Hill and Brinksway are the only ones left in there original condition and have not changed since WWII except for grafitti that is scribbled all over the walls.

Having seen the Chestergate shelters in all there restored glory was fantastic and the attention to detail was faultless but being a museum it does have its drawbacks and lacks the atmosphere.

Dodge Hill was closed after WWII and remained open for years, it was only in the late 70s and early 80s that the entrances to the tunnels where sealed, one has however been opened in recent years and is easily accessible.

Inside really does transport you back in time, the smell, dryness of the air and surprisingly the warmth, the most striking thing though is the claustrophobic feeling you get in there.

Chestergate could house upto 4000 people at anyone time, the tunnels are also much larger where as Dodge Hill is somewhat smaller and would only hold a fraction of that, for some reason the tunnels in here are smaller too.

In the event of an air raid the shelters would of been a very tight and uncomfortable place to be, we found it extremley hot down there and the air a little thin in places as well as claustrophobic.

One can only imagaine what it would be like with a few hundred people crammed into all the passage ways and tunnels when and attack happened.

Why we have delayed exploring this place for so long its untrue but once your inside it truly is stunning in every way.

The corridors are scattered with the original bunk beds from WWII where the people of Stockport would spend many a night during the blitz.

Its surprising just how good a condition they are in too, apart from the bunks theres not really a lot else to see as they places where built more for functionality rather than luxury.

A thoroughly enjoyable place though and very peacefull, glad we finally explored them.