In May 2002 I was fortunate enough to visit this post when it was dry and completely intact, there were maps on the walls, magazines in the drawers and even a message left by the last watch. Before I could return and take photographs the entrance was filled with soil and access was lost. Luckily Nick Catford managed to get photos around that time.
I always regretted the missed opportunity and not having recorded it when I had the chance, so those events were in my mind when I came to start up this website.
However after a lost decade the site is once again open.
Sadly due to the lid being thrown down the hole, water is getting in its in poor condition.
This metal plate was where the ‘Bomb Power Indicator’ was mounted.
The air vent has taken a lot of abuse, being nearly smashed to pieces.
Inside the entrance is now half-filled with soil
The contents of the post is generally trashed and all the papers and maps gone.
A couple of nice features still remain, such as a hand-written note about sounding the siren, protected from damp by glass.
The back of the door also has a notice of the post name and number still attached.
Hinderwell ROC Post – Back to where it all began.
Show on map
Theres something that looks a lot like an roc observation post (ie over ground, like the one at on the osmotherley) clearly visible on the west side of the a19, right between leake church and borrowby. There dont seem to be any records of it on the internet, but it’s poured concrete and on the top of a hill with good visibility, unlikely its just a shed and looks too tall to be a sealed up pill box. Might be worth a look if you’re round that way…
Shame that. It was like they’d just left. There was a wrapped mattress when we went and the map showed where bombs would be lethal I think. There was also soap that I toyed with idea of taking for posterity but left so others could see it. I wish I had now.
Me and some friends found this a couple of weeks back and managed to dig out way in! The only things left in the bunker is the bunk bed and a couple of desks. Nothint else. It was a real eye opener to what life was like in the war.
ROC Posts were post war, they were put in to service in the 1950s and in use up until the 80s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Observer_Corps_Monitoring_Post
I visited this site around about 2004. It was open and in perfect condition. Lots of artefacts, ie posters maps, site diary and lots of other stuff. Went back a couple of years later, and the shafts had been filled in. Always remember the view from the access shaft was brilliant, looking up the coast towards Teesside. Such a shame, wonder if the land owner got fed up of people trespassing on his land?
Yes they did!