The New York Times and the BBC [^] have a story about one mile of secret London Tunnels [^] for sale. The tunnel is expected to change hands for somewhere around the £5m mark. The tunnel, 30m below the streets, was last put on the market in 1996 and failed to attract a buyer.
Photo Credit: Steve Forrest for The New York Times [^]
The tunnel was built during World War 2 for use as an air raid shelter for 8,000 people, along with 7 other tunnels. This tunnel was never used by the public and remained a secret. The Allies used the tunnel to co-ordinate and support the anti-Nazi resistance movements operating in mainland Europe.
After the war the tunnel was used by the Post Office as part of the Washington-Moscow hotline which was established after the Cuban missile crisis.
Plans for a secret central London hideaway are going to be disturbed by a tube line running a few feet above the tunnel, and the need for noisy ventilation fans. Access to the tunnel is by the two lifts, one close to Chancery Lane and the Royal Courts of Justice.
More Photos: BBC Historic Picture Gallery [^].
