Historic kit for tunnels (From Stourbridge News)

Historic kit for tunnels

4:42pm Tuesday 22nd May 2007 in Local

THE Friends of Drakelow Tunnels have got their hands on an original piece of Cold War communications equipment.

The group, set up to promote and preserve the tunnels complex near Kinver - which was used as a regional government headquarters during the 1980s Cold War era, has acquired Shropshire County Council's ECN (Emergency Communications Network) equipment after the centre underwent a refit.

Although much smaller than the equipment that would have been fitted in Drakelow's communications centre, the system was part of the same network and would have been connected to Drakelow via at least one direct line.

Friends group spokesman Paul Stokes said: "Not only was it in full working order when we collected it, it was still warm.

"The system worked something like e-mail where messages were sent between the message switches at the central government HQ at Corsham to the regional government HQ like Drakelow, the county controls like the one at Shrewsbury, county standby controls and other establishments like the UK Warning and Monitoring Organisation."

The equipment - currently housed in a temporary location within the underground complex - can be seen on one of the guided tours that take place regularly.

The next is set for late June.

For more details or to book a place go to website www.drakelow.org or call 07901 898120.

Tunnel website gets a revamp

IN the meantime, Drakelow Preservation Trust - which hopes to save the historic site from future development - has updated its website www.drakelow.info and launched a new brochure promoting its efforts.

Trust spokesman Andy Cox said: "We wanted to produce a brochure to emphasise the many extremely important features of the Drakelow site, which many people still regard as just a network of man-made tunnels.

"The site has great archaeological and ecological importance, with its fantastic rock houses, hill fort, ancient monument and rare plant and animal life and we wanted the brochure to illustrate all the beautiful aspects of the site, which we feel should be preserved."

Jericho Community Business, which wants to turn the tunnels into an eco-friendly training centre for the disadvantaged, has yet to submit a revised application for its ambitious project after withdrawing its original just before the planning meeting last summer.