Golden Acre Bunkers

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Mon 23 Jul, 2007 2:32 pm

I know I'm new here so forgive me for adding a thread at this early stage, however I have had a good look through the forum and not been able to find anything about Golden Acre in great detail. I understand that the Park was largely taken over during WWII by the LDV and later the Home Guard and also the actual military. Indeed the stories about bullets in tees are true as I have seen them myself. What has always puzzled me is what looks like a bunker in the park. If you go into the park from Otley Road, go under the low bridge that has the stream running through and make a right thereafter. As you get to the big lake there is a large low building on the right hand side. I have clambered over it and there are some cut out sections that are filled with broken branches and twigs etc. I have no idea what this is and would love to find out. Never found references to it or any sign of an entrance there at all. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!

rikj · Post by **rikj** » Mon 23 Jul, 2007 3:06 pm

You are right there LS1, it was taken over by the army as a training ground for the duration of WWII. As I heard it was for training on armoured cars.Prior to that it was being promoted as a rival to Blackpool as a pleasure park. It had its own minature railway I believe, including a short tunnel, though I'm not certain about that.I'll see if I can dig out the references for that as I think there is a map. I think I know the structure you're referring to. It looks like a low (3-4ft) concrete wall from the path. When I saw it, it was pretty much covered in vegetation. Would be interesting to see if it relates to anything on the pleasure park map, if not it's probably WWII. The shuttered concrete looks to be of that vintage.I seem to remember lots of manhole covers on brick plinths but they will almost certainly be water related.Oh, welcome aboard!

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Mon 23 Jul, 2007 3:11 pm

rikj wrote: You are right there LS1, it was taken over by the army as a training ground for the duration of WWII. As I heard it was for training on armoured cars.Prior to that it was being promoted as a rival to Blackpool as a pleasure park. It had its own minature railway I believe, including a short tunnel, though I'm not certain about that.I'll see if I can dig out the references for that as I think there is a map. I think I know the structure you're referring to. It looks like a low (3-4ft) concrete wall from the path. When I saw it, it was pretty much covered in vegetation. Would be interesting to see if it relates to anything on the pleasure park map, if not it's probably WWII. The shuttered concrete looks to be of that vintage.I seem to remember lots of manhole covers on brick plinths but they will almost certainly be water related.Oh, welcome aboard! Thanks Rikj, really puzzled me as to why no-one has added anything on here about this. I noticed the manhole covers but could not venture under for various reasons. It seems too large for a purifaction system for the lake - I think the filtration systems is near by though from memory. If you find more it would be great to see. I may have a toddle over to the library and see if there is anything I can find there that I have missed!

rikj · Post by **rikj** » Mon 23 Jul, 2007 3:19 pm

One snippet of info relating to the amusement park, found on a railway newsgroup:"In the 30s a private developer by the name of Thompson opened a pleasure park just North of Leeds under the name Golden Acre Park.This incorporated a large lake with boats and assorted pavillions. In approx 1935 they built a 20" railway around the lake which used a deisel loco built by Hudswell Clarke to the same design as the Scarborough NBR units. One original feature was that they had a dining car and served a full meal in several passes atound the lake."Not a full sized railway, but not really minature either! Re the manhole covers, I wonder if the whole park has to have a substantial drainage system to keep it dry underfoot. At the far end of the park is an area of marshland, which from memory is an SSSI. Maybe it would all be like that if not artificially drained.

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Mon 23 Jul, 2007 3:31 pm

rikj wrote: One snippet of info relating to the amusement park, found on a railway newsgroup:"In the 30s a private developer by the name of Thompson opened a pleasure park just North of Leeds under the name Golden Acre Park.This incorporated a large lake with boats and assorted pavillions. In approx 1935 they built a 20" railway around the lake which used a deisel loco built by Hudswell Clarke to the same design as the Scarborough NBR units. One original feature was that they had a dining car and served a full meal in several passes atound the lake."Not a full sized railway, but not really minature either! Re the manhole covers, I wonder if the whole park has to have a substantial drainage system to keep it dry underfoot. At the far end of the park is an area of marshland, which from memory is an SSSI. Maybe it would all be like that if not artificially drained. I do seem to remember something about the Pleaseure Grounds when I was doing my uni dissertation about the development of parks, but the work I did only went up to about 1910 or so. it does seem feasable that the structure in question was part of this, but I wonder if it goes deeper underground and was indeed part of some defence system- especially with the wierd cut-outs in it?? I think also that maybe some sewers run under the park as in roundhay- not sure though. I think tehe structure does have manholes on it but cannot quite remember. Incedntally, Iam quite into Roundhay Park and was trying to do some research on the Hermitage that was originally there - somewhere. It's driving me mad as to where it was as a) there is no trace of it and b) there are different reports as to where it actually was. May be worth starting a new thread altogether!!.....

farbank · Post by **farbank** » Mon 23 Jul, 2007 3:39 pm

There are one or two good booklets in Leeds Central Library about the park and its development. Also the uses made of it during WW11.The structure you mention [on the right ,leaving Otley Rd.], is as I recall from the reading, where the swimming pool was.! In the far left hand corner is the remains of the base, where the helter skelter stood.

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Mon 23 Jul, 2007 3:47 pm

farbank wrote: There are one or two good booklets in Leeds Central Library about the park and its development. Also the uses made of it during WW11.The structure you mention [on the right ,leaving Otley Rd.], is as I recall from the reading, where the swimming pool was.! In the far left hand corner is the remains of the base, where the helter skelter stood. Ahhh, sounds promising. Much as I would like it to be something more interesting that does seem to fit, I cn't get to the back opf it though. I think it is too overgrown to get to!

farbank · Post by **farbank** » Mon 23 Jul, 2007 4:12 pm

Definitely worth borrowing are the booklets LS1. There are photographs, plans etc.It doesn't beat exploring for yourself though. But it certainly will give you peace of mind.!Whilst your'e looking , note the remains of an old sluice goit by the old bridge. L/H corner again.

rikj · Post by **rikj** » Mon 23 Jul, 2007 4:32 pm

LS1, after looking at the English Heritage pics of The Hermitage, do you think it could be a shelter? The photos are dated at between 1905-1910 and the 1906 OS of Roundhay park shows two small buildings marked as shelters on the eastern shore of Waterloo Lake. Apologies if you've been down this road before.As an aside, phil and I had a look at the Waterloo Lake overflow channels the other week. Including the old disused ones. If you've an interest in the park then the pics are here.Though I think this thread is veering off-topic now!

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Mon 23 Jul, 2007 4:37 pm

rikj wrote: LS1, after looking at the English Heritage pics of The Hermitage, do you think it could be a shelter? The photos are dated at between 1905-1910 and the 1906 OS of Roundhay park shows two small buildings marked as shelters on the eastern shore of Waterloo Lake. Apologies if you've been down this road before.As an aside, phil and I had a look at the Waterloo Lake overflow channels the other week. Including the old disused ones. If you've an interest in the park then the pics are here.Though I think this thread is veering off-topic now! Thanks Rickj, I think I should start a new thread on this!!!! May be a hot topic (i hope!!!)