Watnall's top secret WW2 RAF "Operations Room" bunker is currently in a parlous, flooded out condition under the "FOR SALE" MOT Testing Station site. What will become of it after its sale??
The video below shows the very well persevered secret RAF bunker in Newcastle, a twin copy of RAF Watnall's Ops Room bunker. There were six built up and down the country during the early part of WW2 all with plotting tables, viewing galleries, air filtration and with full command staff and they were all built to a very similar pattern.
It would be nice to imagine Watnall's Operations Room bunker being restored to a similar standard. It goes down 60-80 feet on several levels, the lower levels currently being completely submerged. Ongoing funding would be needed to keep pumping out the water so it looks like a long shot at the moment. The official sales brochure for the MOT centre pays scant attention to the bunker and fails to mention the WW2 RAF connection.
Click the Play button for a tour of the bunker...
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| The six RAF Fighter Command groups. Each had an underground Operations Room bunker as well as separate Filter Room bunker and Communications Centre for the telephony staff and equipment. 11 Group - RAF Uxbridge (near Slough) 12 Group - RAF Watnall (near Nottingham) 10 Group - RAF Box (AKA Rudloe Manor near Chippenham) 14 Group - RAF Inverness 13 Group - RAF Newcastle 9 Group - RAF Barton Hall (near Preston) |
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| Watnall's Ops Room - lowest level. This is as far as you can get on the lowest level. You can see a network of rooms through the main door. |
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| Another of the six secret bunkers. This one in its heyday at RAF Uxbridge on the outskirts of London. It has been restored too and is now a museum. |
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| A page from the MOT Centre sales brochure |
The full official sales brochure can be read here :
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