Welcome to Scotland’s Secret Bunker for
40
years
scotland
kept
a
secret!
We understand how much work goes into planning and organising school trips and that is why we have created this s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d g u i d e t o S c o t l a n d ’s S e c r e t B u n k e r a n d h o w it fits with the curriculum for excellence. Yo u r p u p i l s w i l l h a v e t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o e x p e r i e n c e h i s t o r y first hand and discover the reality of Cold War Britain.
www.secretbunker.co.uk
what
hides
within
the
secret
bunker?
S c o t l a n d ’s S e c r e t B u n k e r o f f e r s u n r i v a l l e d a c c e s s t o o v e r 4 0 y e a r s o f C o l d Wa r h i s t o r y. Yo u r s t u d e n t s w i l l e x p e r i e n c e a n i m m e r s i v e a n d i n f o r m a t i v e j o u r n e y f r o m t h e e a r l y 1 9 5 0 ’s w h e n the Bunker was used as an RAF plotting station through the height of the Cold War and nuclear crisis to its final closure. 2 cinema rooms- showing genuine footage taken during the Cold War (including how to create a nuclear shelter!) Central Government & Nuclear operations Room- Where senior ministers would have made major decisions including a direct telephone link to Whitehall. Radar rooms- Used to record interceptions of Soviet incursions into our air space. BBC Broadcast Studio- Where emergency broadcasts would have been issued after all other TV channels had went “off air”. Staff dormitories- Where the 300 personnel would have slept in shifts known as the “Hot Beds” principle. Hands on exhibitions and an opportunity to try on the uniforms.
the
history
F o r 4 0 Ye a r s S c o t l a n d K e p t A S e c re t Scotlands Secret Bunker was built in 1951 and removed from the Official Secrets Register in 1993, when it was the s o l d t o c u r r e n t o w n e r, J a m e s M i t c h e l l . A s S c o t l a n d ’s o n l y re p re s e n t a t i o n o f t h e C o l d Wa r, t h e S e c re t B u n k e r h o l d s considerable historic value and plays an important role in the education of the population.
As you enter this amazing underground l down the 150 meters of the tunnel, from f a r m h o u s e t o t h e b u n k e r, c o n s i d e r f o r a that would be played out behind the her three tons of blast proof doors.
www.secretbunker.co.uk
aybrinth and walk the innocent looking moment the events metically sealed
With hindsight, you may want to reflect that the policy of deterence persued by successive British governments since t h e e n d o f W o r l d W a r I I h a s w o r k e d . . . w h i c h i s w h y S c o t l a n d ’s e v e r- s o - s e c re t - b u n k e r i s a m u s e u m t o d a y, Wo r l d Wa r I I e n d e d with the detonation of two atomic bombs on Japan. Science had opened up a sinister and potentially much greater threat to mankind.
Our relationship with the Warsaw Pact countries- dominated by the USSR- who had been our war-time allies, dramatically deteriorated. Thus there existed a lethal and unstable combination of weapons and ideology which, for nearly the n e x t h a l f c e n t u r y, c o m b i n e d t o c re a t e w h a t c a m e t o b e k n o w n a s t h e C o l d Wa r.
“The Cold war isn’t thawing ...” richard M. Nixon, 1964
The entrance to the Secret Bunker stretches nearly 450 feet f ro m t h e s t a r t a n d g r a d u a l l y s l o p e s d o w n h i l l t o t h e t o p f l o o r. Encased in two feet of concrete, the tunnel leads you to the bunker which is almost 100 feet below ground level. The Secret Bunker houses a number of air intakes and extractors which maintain the temperature of the bunker at a natural 18 degrees There is a complete reconstruction of the Royal Observer Corps Dundee HQ which would have been used to report the locations of bomb drops, measuring the power and pressure of the detonation. This information would then assist the services in evacuation of civillians as well space distribution of resources such as food and medicine.
The Secret Bunker houses a number of rooms which acted as a command centre during the Cold War. www.secretbunker.co.uk
www.secretbunker.co.uk
All radio and TV channels would automatically go off-air and the emergency broadcast would inform people of the dangers
The radar room displays some of the equipment that was among the last to record interceptions of Soviet incursions i n t o B r i t i s h a i r s p a c e d u r i n g t h e f i n a l d a y s o f t h e C o l d Wa r.
The RAF operations room is complete rebuild of the original 1950s RAF centre which was housed at this site. This room i n c l u d e s a “ To t e ” b o a r d w h i c h s h o w s a i r c r a f t a n d a n t i aircraft gun status, as well as original files and papers which w e re l e f t b e h i n d a f t e r t h e e n d o f t h e C o l d Wa r.
Six dormitories were built in the Secret Bunker which were intended to sleep up to 300 personnel. As the bunker had to b e o n f u l l a l e r t 2 4 h o u r s a d a y, 7 d a y s a w e e k a ‘ h o t b e d s ’ principle had to be adopted.
W i t h e m p l o y e e s w o r k i n g u p t o 1 8 h o u r s a d a y, t h e y c o u l d then rest for 6 and then swap their bunk with another member of personnel when they started their next shift.
The Secretary of State had his own suite of rooms an private secretary and military liaison staff were also provided with separate living quarters. The Minister State had his own private office which overlooks the operations room.
d the all of nuclear
The Secret Bunker housed its very own broadcasting studio, which was staffed by the BBC, to ensure that in the event of a nuclear strike emergency broadcasts could be transmitted.
www.secretbunker.co.uk
curriculum
for
excellence
S c o t l a n d ’s S e c r e t B u n k e r o f f e immersive experience into wh like, the horrors that we face The Secret Bunker covers the Experiences and Outcomes:
rs a completely unique and at Cold War Britain was really d and how prepared we were. following Social Studies
People, Past Events & Societies P e o p l e i n S o c i e t y, E c o n o m y & B u s i n e s s
getting
the
most
out
of
your
trip
We appreciate that time out of the classroom can be rare and with this in mind we want to help ensure that all teachers and students visiting the Bunker maximise the learning potential. We will make additional learning materials available to download as well as offer free familiarisation trips for teachers looking to bring their class.
the
important
bits
All of our education activities are carefully designed to link with and support the Curriculum for Excellence. We take the safety of our visitors very seriously- we have a range of health & safety documents available. We make every effort to make the Bunker for all, however due to the nature of the o f t h e B u n k e r, o c c a s i o n a l l y t h e re m a y b e support needs that we are unable to acco
accessible architecture additional mmodate.
We have free coach and minibus parking available onsite.
www.secretbunker.co.uk
Come and have a look around...wit understand that it helps to have a things through when planning an e teachers to visit us free of charge Secret Bunker can complement you
hout the students! We look around and talk xcursion. We invite and discover how the classroom learning.
ITS FREE FOR TEACHERS! Free teacher visits must be pre-booked by emailing mod@ s e c re t b u n k e r. c o . u k a n d I D i s re q u i re d o n t h e d a y o f v i s i t . N B - T h e p u r p o s e o f f r e e t e a c h e r v i s i t s i s t o l e t y o u e x p e r i e n c e S c o t l a n d ’s S e c r e t Bunker so you can consider an educational visit for your students. A fair use policy applies.
what
does
it
cost?
Te a c h e r s g o f r e e a n d a d m i s s i o n p r i c e s f o r s t u d e n t s a r e just £7.00 per student. We’ve assumed there may be additional adults attending, so for any classroom assistants, parents etc travelling with the class, they will be charged £7.00 per person. Minimum group sizes are 10. Booking a trip for your class trip is simple. Give us a call directly to make the arrangements on 01333 310301 o r e m a i l m o d @ s e c re t b u n k e r. c o . u k . A c o m p l i m e n t a r y copy of our Official Souvenir Guide will be posted to all teachers after booking a school trip.
www.secretbunker.co.uk
Talk to us We like to talk‌for more information on any aspect of the Secret Bunker including how to get the most out of your class trip, please get in touch via any of the methods below.
By Phone: 01333 310301 B y e m a i l : m o d @ s e c re t b u n k e r. c o . u k Social :
Opening Times
1st March- 31st October 7 days per week, 10am- 6pm Currently the Bunker is not open during the winter months, however to g a u g e d e m a n d f o r e d u c a t i o n a l t r i p s p l e a s e e m a i l m o d @ s e c re t b u n k e r. c o . u k
www.secretbunker.co.uk