Battle of Britain Bunker Uxbridge open day

[Bentley boy]

The 11 group operations room in Uxbridge used during the battle of Britain onwards is open to the public on the Heritage Open day's weekend Sept 7th to 9th. normally the bunker can only be visited by appointment so it's a great chance to visit without having to book a group.

More info can be found here: http://www.raf.mod.uk/battleofbritainbunker/latestnews/index.cfm?storyid=CCD03830-5056-A318-A8129E84089D425D

I'll probably be around at some point that weekend & might even be helping out if needed.

[Kev_mk3]

hmmmm im extremely tempted to try going but its going to be rammed with people if its one weekend only

[Bentley boy]

hmmmm im extremely tempted to try going but its going to be rammed with people if its one weekend only

If you're interested in going you can call them and book a tour at your own convenience. Sure if you have a party of 4 or 5 plus they'd be more than happy to arrange it. They normally have tours on weekdays at 10 & 14:00.

I'm probably organising another evening tour later this year if you want to join us then.

[Kev_mk3]

oh i thought this was a one off thing but yes very interested in that if you can keep me posted

[garyfrogeye]

I'd be interested as I'm only down the road in Camden. Just a short hop for a Frogeye.

[Bentley boy]

Good news for those who'd like to visit the 11 Group bunker in Uxbridge. it will be open at weekends for a trial period from the end of March.

http://www.raf.mod.uk/battleofbritainbunker/latestnews/index.cfm?storyid=7577BB7C-5056-A318-A85EEB2B33244846

The heritage open weekend was too successful in some ways as there were 2 hours queues from early in the morning both days & it was a hot weekend, then we had to turn people away   

[mgmark]

Chaps (and interested chapesses),

Do it if you can - it is an excellent tour, with good knowledgeable volunteer guides, and it is a humungously historic and atmospheric location. 

If you can get a group together to book a weekday visit, then it is well worth doing rather than on public weekends, as you will get your own tour and guide, with time to linger and savour.   

MG Mark

[Jules G]

Thanks for bringing this back up, if a CA weekday tour could be organised then I will ensure I have a customer meeting in the area to coincide with the tour

[Bentley boy]

If you do organise a weekday visit & want a lot (and I mean A LOT ) of information see if you can book a tour with Chris Wren, he could talk the hind legs off a whole field of donkeys about the BOB 
I have been on several tours with Chris & talked to him many times & he is a walking encloypedia on the subject.
If you properly understand how the tote board works by your 2nd visit you're doing well   


Bentley priory should be open or opening soon. I couldn't find any info whether it is open yet or not  we visited a couple of years ago when the renovation work was going on & it looked very promising.

http://www.bentleypriory.org/ 

[mgmark]

Chris Wren +1 - you will get an outstanding tour with him; IIRC he's been involved in the project since the 80s, soon after the bunker was restored and re-opened around the mid-late 70s (when I was on my first tour in the RAF at Uxbridge).

And the number of "The Few" remaining is, of course, dwindling - those remaining are all over 90 years old and, of the names of the 2,936 aircrew from 15 countries inscribed on the Battle of Britain Monument at Embankment in London, the total left, I think, now numbers fewer than 60.     

MG Mark