Lamson Terminus Room |
| Hob Uid: 1576572 | |
Location :
Wiltshire
Box, Corsham
|
| Grid Ref : ST8497069113 |
| Summary : The Lamson Terminus Room and associated fan room provided a pneumatic tube internal communication system for the Central Government War Headquarters which accommodated 4000 military and government staff, including the Prime Minister and key cabinet officials, in the event of nuclear conflict during the Cold War. The two rooms which house the Lamson Terminus and its associated equipment are situated underground within Spring Quarry, a Bath stone quarry, which had been requistioned by the Ministry of Aircraft Production in 1940 to be used as a underground factory for aeroplane engine production. This closed in 1945 and in 1954 Spring Quarry was bought by the government, the northeast area allocated for convertion into a Central Government War Headquarters. Construction started in 1957 and much of the major work had been completed by 1959. However, the Lamson pneumatic tube system, manufactured by the Lamson Engineering Company, was not installed until 1961. The Lamson station stands against the north wall of the room. Steel pneumatic tubes rise from the station, cross the roof, through the south wall via embrasures. The neighbouring fan room to the southwest contains the equipment to operate the Lamson system.The Central Government War Headquarters was de-commissioned during the early 1990s and de-classified in 2004.The Lamson Terminus Room and associated fan room is a Scheduled Monument. For the designation record of this site please see the National Heritage List for England. |
More information : The Lamson Terminus Room and associated fan room provided a pneumatic tube internal communication system for the Central Government War Headquarters which was designed to accommodate 4000 military and government staff, including the Prime Minister and key cabinet officials, in the event of nuclear conflict during the Cold War.
The Lamson Terminus Room and associated fan room are situated in underground rooms within Spring Quarry, a Bath stone quarry, which had been requistioned by the Ministry of Aircraft Production in 1940 to be used as a underground factory for aeroplane engine production. This closed in 1945 and in 1954 Spring Quarry was bought by the government, the northeast area allocated for convertion into a Central Government War Headquarters. Construction started in 1957 and much of the major work had been completed by 1959. However, the Lamson pneumatic tube system, manufactured by the Lamson Engineering Company, was not installed until 1961.
The Lamson station stands against the north wall of the room. Steel pneumatic tubes rise from the station, cross the roof, through the south wall via embrasures. The neighbouring fan room to the southwest contains the equipment to operate the Lamson system.
The Central Government War Headquarters was de-commissioned during the early 1990s and de-classified in 2004.
The Lamson Terminus Room and associated fan room is a Scheduled Monument. For the designation record of this site please see the National Heritage List for England. (1-2) |