Turton Royal Observer Corps (ROC)

 Secret Nuclear Bunker: A Look into Turton's ROC Post

Hidden beneath the grounds on the east side of a public footpath, just south of Turton Golf Club's entrance, lies a relic of the Cold War - a Royal Observer Corps (ROC) monitoring post. Built around 1964 and operational by 1965, this underground bunker served as a vital but secret post during a tense era.

Decommissioned and sealed in 1991, the bunker's purpose was to monitor the effects of a potential nuclear attack. Three observers would have manned this small, 12-foot-deep underground chamber, tasked with recording any nuclear blasts and monitoring fallout levels. This duty was shared by similar ROC posts scattered across Greater Manchester and the entire country.

Unfortunately, the bunker hasn't fared well since its closure. In 2012, the entrance hatch was covered in manure. Then, in 2016, fire damaged the structure, and the hatch was eventually welded shut. Despite this, the hatch was later opened and accessed by other urban explorers.

A Glimpse Inside the Bunker

Constructed with reinforced concrete, the bunker boasted a khaki-painted, 2ft square steel hatch operated by a cantilever system. Descending a secure ladder for 20 feet, you'd have entered a cramped room measuring roughly 7ft x 16ft x 7ft. This space served as the living quarters for the observers, equipped with their monitoring instruments and basic amenities.

Traces of the past are still visible despite the fire damage. Grey/silver reflective tiles peek through, a reminder of the original design. However, vandalism and accumulated rubbish have taken their toll. A partially blocked doorway leads to a smaller chamber, believed to have been a chemical toilet. Life down here would have been austere, with no running water, gas, or mains electricity.

Echoes of the Cold War

The Turton ROC post stands as a reminder of a bygone era, a time when the threat of nuclear war loomed large. While its current state is one of neglect, the bunker offers a glimpse into the crucial role these outposts played during the Cold War.

At one time, it was reported that monitoring equipment an desks were installed in the control room

At one time, the walls were covred in anti reflective tiles, on my Tik Tok clips, strange dust falls from the ceiling?  

Chemical toilet, door was blocked due to a large concrete post

Additional Notes: two other ROC sites I know of , are by coincidence close to golf clubs..Bacup ROC and Macclesfield..?