Welcome back, everyone, to another interesting travel story. Today we are going to talk about a very special building in Surrey called the Deepdene Hotel. It was bought by Southern Railway back in 1939 but it was never actually used for normal holidays. Let us jump right into this amazing piece of hidden underground history.
Bought For A Secret Reason
Southern Railway purchased this beautiful building right before the war because their main headquarters at Waterloo was just too vulnerable to air raids. They needed a safe place outside of London to control the train network and this old hotel was completely perfect for that job.
Faking A Normal Business
The company actually kept the phone lines open and answered booking questions so nobody would guess what was really going on inside. Staff members even stood at the front gates to make it look like a regular hotel that was just temporarily closed down.
A Massive Underground Network
Right underneath the main building there was a network of natural sandstone caves that got reinforced with thick brick and heavy concrete. This bunker became the main telephone exchange and traffic control center for the whole railway system during those really tough times.
Keeping The Trains Moving
This secret room was incredibly vital for moving troops and supplies safely across the country when things were getting really difficult outside. When soldiers were evacuated from Dunkirk and came back on trains to London all of those movements were controlled right from these tunnels.
Tracking Every Single Delay
The workers down there were always paying close attention to the tracks and making sure everything ran as smoothly as possible. Every time a railway siding got hit by bombs someone from this underground room would plug into the switchboard and report it immediately.
Built For Total Protection
They made sure the underground area was totally gas-proof and very secure for everyone who had to work down there day and night. There was also a long spiral staircase built as a special escape hatch for the staff working sixty feet below the ground.
Hiding A Giant Radio Mast
The location was chosen very carefully because the property had enough space to hide a massive ninety nine foot radio mast in the trees. The local Home Guard unit could easily defend the area while staying close enough to London for both road and train access.
Thoughts On The Bunker Food
They had big kitchens down there to feed the workers and while some people probably loved the standard canteen meals I think it might have been a bit plain for my own taste. Other people may have liked that simple underground food but I prefer something with just a little more flavor when I travel.
A Surprisingly Nice Workplace
Even though it was a secret bunker people actually said it was a really nice and comfortable place to do their jobs. The whole underground facility was fully heated and air conditioned which was pretty rare and special for a workspace back in those days.
Staying Open For Decades
Southern Railways kept using this amazing hidden facility for many years and finally left the building in 1969. The remains of that vital telephone exchange are still sitting in those tunnels today as a quiet reminder of some very important history.
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