Clapham South deep shelter (south), Balham Hill, SW12

Image: © Mike Quinn Taken: 8 Feb 2011

In late 1940, the government decided to build a system of deep (air raid) shelters linked to existing underground stations. Each deep shelter consisted of two parallel tubes that might be used for future express underground lines. Seven such shelters were built at Northern Line stations - Belsize Park, Camden Town, Goodge Street, Stockwell, Clapham North, Clapham Common and Clapham South. Each shelter had two entrances with a “pill box” and ventilation shafts; most of these are still there today (February 2011). Some of the deep shelters are in use for secure storage of documents. From the remains of the sign, now saying only "all", above and to the left of the blue gates, and the estate agent's "sold" notice, it would appear that this shelter was until recently used by Recall http://www.recalldms.co.uk/index.html a Brambles Company http://www.brambles.com/BXB/content/home.html, as is currently (February 2011) the Image This shelter can be seen on the satellite image http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm?lat=51.45175046583516&lon=-0.14803379774093628&gz=19&oz=10>=1 . [Source: “Beneath the City Streets” by Peter Laurie (1970, revised 1979).] Betond the shelter (left) is the Image photographed by Danny Robinson; the shelter is just visible on the right hand side of his photo.

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