Wow, thank you. I always knew about some tunnels on portland but thanks to you after 56 years, I've seen them! So sad to hear about the brave workmen and sailors who lost their lives.
I am amazed to realise that I was born in 1946 and lived on Portland until i moved away at the age of twenty one and I never had a clue that this complex existed until today. It is completely understandable why this was done.
I actually worked on some of those underground oil tanks in the early 60s on some preparation work for steam pipes to be installed, the contractor was A E Farr Ltd.
Many thanks for your video on this tunnel and tank facility. Understood everything you said and fully understand the quality was due to when it was filmed. Remember being told about this in the 90's as we had the job to secure all the entrance's and access ways to most of the government tunnels on Portland, we built the Dutch barn over the Napoleonic fort and the massive gates on the entrance. Always remember securing a hatch at AUWE under the floor and was told it was a short escape tunnel for the scientists to use!
Thanks Tony, most interesting. It's always good to have first hand information. What's the name of your company? Did you do any work on the Rotor tunnel at Glacis (now under Fancy's Farm)? I took a video in that too, in 2000 accompanied by the MoD's Ivan Moose Maley. I'll be uploading that in due course.
@@StuartMorris7 Hi Stuart, the company I worked for was JWL maintenance where I worked with Geoff Richards and Joe Stanley. Didn't do any work personally in the rotor bunker. My father in law used to patrol inside the said bunker back in the 70's. He said it had an elevator shaft giving down and a spiral staircase which has since been removed. Look forward to seeing you next video on this 👍🏼
@@T-bit I knew the late John Leonard well. I didn't know JWL built that roof cover over the fort, nor about the 'escape tunnel' at AUWE! Plenty of mysteries around Portland!
@@StuartMorris7 Bill Leonard was my manager, also related to the late Leonard Wright who's family modified the inside of the cove house in to what it is now. We built the fort to protect the woodwork, looks a bit of an eyesore unfortunately. I was there to assist at the end of the job out AUWE and back at the workshop I was telling the late Derek Pavey and he said he used to do maintenance out AUWE and he used to go in there to play cards! All hearsay unfortunately as I didn't actually see the tunnel. One interesting job was an escape hatch, pathway and ladder going from the lower roof down the officers accommodation for Royalty in the event of a terrorist attack!
@@T-bit Yes, I meant Bill Leonard. You did a lot of unusual jobs. Bill told me about special hinges for the Westminster Hall, London. Is the company still going?
Only the high angle battery tunnels as far as I know. But there is a way into the tunnel that leads from the Borstal to the shoreline where prisoners went to bathe. Accessable through the Grove cliff caves.
Stuart I’m doing my art degree on Portland I do live here and I have one of your books, is there any way I can pick your knowledge to help me in research 😊
Most people find the main commentary clear to understand, but do you mean the casual chat picked up in the tunnel? If so, I agree some of the voices were not clear on the original video, as it was just informal chatter. Adding discreet low-level background sound is used universally in docomentaries, to add a little drama and continuity. I have now uploaded a version without ambient music. There's been lots of viewings and positve comments on both versions.
Thanks Mark. Sorry you struggle to hear some of the commentary, but are you referring to my commentary, or the chat picked up in the tunnel? If the latter, some voices were not clear on the original video, as it was just casual chatter. Adding discreet low-level background sound is used universally in docomentaries, to add a little drama and continuity. I don't think I could justify redoing it now, given all the viewings and positve comments.
@@StuartMorris7 Even your narration gets drowned out in a number of places. I was sat straining to hear, which means hearing the loud background noise even more. Perhaps you could upload a second version with no background sounds
Wow, thank you. I always knew about some tunnels on portland but thanks to you after 56 years, I've seen them! So sad to hear about the brave workmen and sailors who lost their lives.
I am amazed to realise that I was born in 1946 and lived on Portland until i moved away at the age of twenty one and I never had a clue that this complex existed until today.
It is completely understandable why this was done.
I actually worked on some of those underground oil tanks in the early 60s on some preparation work for steam pipes to be installed, the contractor was A E Farr Ltd.
Many thanks for your video on this tunnel and tank facility. Understood everything you said and fully understand the quality was due to when it was filmed. Remember being told about this in the 90's as we had the job to secure all the entrance's and access ways to most of the government tunnels on Portland, we built the Dutch barn over the Napoleonic fort and the massive gates on the entrance. Always remember securing a hatch at AUWE under the floor and was told it was a short escape tunnel for the scientists to use!
Thanks Tony, most interesting. It's always good to have first hand information. What's the name of your company? Did you do any work on the Rotor tunnel at Glacis (now under Fancy's Farm)? I took a video in that too, in 2000 accompanied by the MoD's Ivan Moose Maley. I'll be uploading that in due course.
@@StuartMorris7 Hi Stuart, the company I worked for was JWL maintenance where I worked with Geoff Richards and Joe Stanley. Didn't do any work personally in the rotor bunker. My father in law used to patrol inside the said bunker back in the 70's. He said it had an elevator shaft giving down and a spiral staircase which has since been removed. Look forward to seeing you next video on this 👍🏼
@@T-bit I knew the late John Leonard well. I didn't know JWL built that roof cover over the fort, nor about the 'escape tunnel' at AUWE! Plenty of mysteries around Portland!
@@StuartMorris7 Bill Leonard was my manager, also related to the late Leonard Wright who's family modified the inside of the cove house in to what it is now. We built the fort to protect the woodwork, looks a bit of an eyesore unfortunately. I was there to assist at the end of the job out AUWE and back at the workshop I was telling the late Derek Pavey and he said he used to do maintenance out AUWE and he used to go in there to play cards! All hearsay unfortunately as I didn't actually see the tunnel. One interesting job was an escape hatch, pathway and ladder going from the lower roof down the officers accommodation for Royalty in the event of a terrorist attack!
@@T-bit Yes, I meant Bill Leonard. You did a lot of unusual jobs. Bill told me about special hinges for the Westminster Hall, London. Is the company still going?
I love finding out about portland and its mysterious things, i want to know more and see more things to explore.
Any tips where to go?
Are ANY tunnels on portland still accessible? Smugglers, Naval, Victorian and so on.
Thanks.
Only the high angle battery tunnels as far as I know. But there is a way into the tunnel that leads from the Borstal to the shoreline where prisoners went to bathe. Accessable through the Grove cliff caves.
Stuart I’m doing my art degree on Portland I do live here and I have one of your books, is there any way I can pick your knowledge to help me in research 😊
Hi. interested to hear that. Not sure how I can help, but you can email me on sm42@talktalk.net with more info.
So are these what are used for gas storage now?
Now storage for bunker fuel oil, by Portland Bunkers UK
Now I know where the secret, not secret tunnels are, that I knew about in the 80s.
Yes, but they were top secret when they were built.
Another interesting documentary, Stuart, but spoilt by the awful ‘music’ droning on and making your voiceover difficult to hear!
Then see this version, no ambient music: th-cam.com/video/jBYKkysgja4/w-d-xo.html
Music drowns out the commentary
Most people find the main commentary clear to understand, but do you mean the casual chat picked up in the tunnel? If so, I agree some of the voices were not clear on the original video, as it was just informal chatter. Adding discreet low-level background sound is used universally in docomentaries, to add a little drama and continuity. I have now uploaded a version without ambient music. There's been lots of viewings and positve comments on both versions.
There's no another version sans music.
I wish you’d had better torches!
And a better camera. No LEDs 22 years ago.
Incredible video, Stuart. But could you remove the distracting pointless background noise. Struggling to hear a lot of it
Thanks Mark. Sorry you struggle to hear some of the commentary, but are you referring to my commentary, or the chat picked up in the tunnel? If the latter, some voices were not clear on the original video, as it was just casual chatter. Adding discreet low-level background sound is used universally in docomentaries, to add a little drama and continuity. I don't think I could justify redoing it now, given all the viewings and positve comments.
There’s one part where all I can hear is the Jericho's trumpet from a Stuka and not your narration behind it.
@@StuartMorris7 Even your narration gets drowned out in a number of places. I was sat straining to hear, which means hearing the loud background noise even more. Perhaps you could upload a second version with no background sounds
Why not just put the closed captions on or read the transcript? Not really an issue
Is this better? th-cam.com/video/jBYKkysgja4/w-d-xo.html
good video but the music drowns out the narration
Please see this version, without the ambient music: th-cam.com/video/jBYKkysgja4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=zEj_V9h4LSMZPLQx