Tunnels from City Station

wiggy · Post by **wiggy** » Sat 08 Dec, 2007 1:16 am

BIG N wrote: Apologies for my late contribution to this thread, but I have only just discovered this excellent site.Tunnels running from Central Station into (and beyond) the city - fact or fiction?Well we all know how urban myth's tend to snowball until they are either proved or, more often than not, dispelled - however, let me relate to you something I was told by two totally different people.Both worked for the Telecoms section of what was then Railtrack and both people told me of a Control room that is several stories below ground level under City station, further more both people told me that there were indeed a series of tunnels linking various buildings up around the city such as City hall, the Town hall, various police stations - including Milgarth and the old headquarters building close to International pool - along with hospitals, the BBC buildings, and several council buildings on the outskirts of town.Both people informed me that they were aware of the links these tunnels provided as they contained "live" phone and power links from the various outposts back to the control room under the station and that it was part of their responsabilitys to maintain these links, and more importantly the control room in full working order.I was shown where the enterance to this room was but was told by the person that showed me that it was more than their job was worth to try taking me down there, but the door is still in place and as a matter of fact I passed it a couple of weeks ago whilst taking a friend to the station, it is very close to the general public area in the booking hall.One of the people also told me there were a great number of tunnels that had been bricked up or sealed which would seem to be supported by photos earlier in this thread. at last! a believer...my friend has a house on easterly road,a few hundred yards up from the clock,and he tells me that the m.o.d turn up at regular intervals and check a sealed up door in his cellar...surley this is some kind of cold war thing??

roundhegian · Post by **roundhegian** » Sat 08 Dec, 2007 10:57 am

wiggy wrote: BIG N wrote: Apologies for my late contribution to this thread, but I have only just discovered this excellent site.Tunnels running from Central Station into (and beyond) the city - fact or fiction?Well we all know how urban myth's tend to snowball until they are either proved or, more often than not, dispelled - however, let me relate to you something I was told by two totally different people.Both worked for the Telecoms section of what was then Railtrack and both people told me of a Control room that is several stories below ground level under City station, further more both people told me that there were indeed a series of tunnels linking various buildings up around the city such as City hall, the Town hall, various police stations - including Milgarth and the old headquarters building close to International pool - along with hospitals, the BBC buildings, and several council buildings on the outskirts of town.Both people informed me that they were aware of the links these tunnels provided as they contained "live" phone and power links from the various outposts back to the control room under the station and that it was part of their responsabilitys to maintain these links, and more importantly the control room in full working order.I was shown where the enterance to this room was but was told by the person that showed me that it was more than their job was worth to try taking me down there, but the door is still in place and as a matter of fact I passed it a couple of weeks ago whilst taking a friend to the station, it is very close to the general public area in the booking hall.One of the people also told me there were a great number of tunnels that had been bricked up or sealed which would seem to be supported by photos earlier in this thread. at last! a believer...my friend has a house on easterly road,a few hundred yards up from the clock,and he tells me that the m.o.d turn up at regular intervals and check a sealed up door in his cellar...surley this is some kind of cold war thing?? Doesn't Wiggy's comment illustrate the value of this site ?Where else would you read an anecdote such as that , one which opens a huge field of speculation . How many similar situations are there in Leeds ?

bigpants · Post by **bigpants** » Tue 11 Dec, 2007 2:57 pm

electricaldave wrote: Hmmm, just seen that, where does that one start ?I know there were underground routes somewhere between wings such as Wellcome wing.Our work depot was right under the heart of the LGI, with tunnels going both ways along the length of the main George Street block.We also used to send folk down into the undercroft to spray insecticidal chemicals to deal with the ants.Those ants were absolutely minute, but they had a very nasty bite that caused a reaction, we caught some and sent them off to some entymologist who told us what they were, Rogers Ants or something, I really cannot remember, one guy had a terrible reaction to something that bit him whilst he was working in the undercroft, nearly lost his leg.He was off work for ages, and his medical records mysteriously dissappeared when the union reps suggested he might be in line for compensation.He only went there as a favour to management, the rest of us refused as there was no lighting, and it was a difficult place to get to, or rescue an injured person.At least one consultant was extremely concerned about the source of the infection.They didn't want to do anything about those ants, I suspect becuase of cost, but the excuse they gave was laughable, they said they wanted to leave the ants as they killed and ate all the cockroaches! Anyway, a word of warning to anyone wanting to go down those tunnels, make sure you wear protective clothing there are some extremely nasty infectious bugs down there, rats you can see - MRSA you cannot, you really really do not want to break any of your skin while crawling under the LGI. i must have worked there at the same time as you as i remember this incident - careful though 'cos i was one of those evil "managemnt" types!

goingunderground · Post by **goingunderground** » Fri 14 Dec, 2007 11:23 pm

Your quite right about the underground area under the station, when you walk under the the arches towards the river bridges there are door ways leading off, ok some of these are just parking spaces but others lead "downstairs". Under the Street level is where all the telecommunications systems are, around 10 years ago when I was an engineer I went down, the area runs from the river bacl the neville street i would say, it's actually under the centre part between the two road entrances under the station. Unfortunately 10 years ago I wasn't in to looking for hidden places and tunnels and thought nothing of it! DAM wish I could go back now....

BIG N · Post by **BIG N** » Sat 15 Dec, 2007 2:53 am

Thanks for that Goingunderground - I know that the two guys who related their storys to me were genuine, and I know where the surface enterance is but, sometimes it takes someone to confirm what I am saying to make me believe I am not romancing - or expanding on a story by using my imagination.Strangely enough I was only this evening discussing this site, and this feature with a friend that I pointed in this direction this week, he said to me that it was perhaps time he signed up and related his experiences from when he was a warehouse man in Lewis's and had regular access to the basement areas.Come on Rich - sign in and tell mate.

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Sat 15 Dec, 2007 7:54 am

Well all this tunnel talk sounds good chaps.. If you need someone to capture them then as John Inman used to say I'M FREE

electricaldave · Post by **electricaldave** » Mon 17 Dec, 2007 11:27 pm

Did anyone notice that concrete hole type thing in the Lumiere project.It looks like its part of a tunnel stub comng out of the old pot office building - West Popint which has now been changed over to residential.Wonder where it was intedned to go, I have a picture of it but no idea how to post it.http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthrea ... &page=19It looks bigger in real life than the picture on that site appear, looks longer too.

chomic · Post by **chomic** » Tue 18 Dec, 2007 5:14 pm

I've found a tunnel entrance under New Briggate, I'll try getting a photo tonight. It's bricked up at the moment, I'll try and persuade the owner of the building to let someone have a look.

chomic · Post by **chomic** » Wed 19 Dec, 2007 3:33 pm

Hmmm not sure what it is now i've seen it. Very dark and cluttered in the basement but definitely an entrance/exit that's been breeze blocked shut. If you could go through it you would be stood under Merrion Street, between the Wrens and Blue Leopard.

chomic · Post by **chomic** » Wed 19 Dec, 2007 3:39 pm

Sorry, that should read 'Blue Cayote'.