Exploring a forgotten WW2 air raid shelter near Stanley Bank in St Helens

[@nickmonkey284]

Well done for getting down there Mr H!

[@MrHsHotPot]

Yep it wasn't the easiest of climbs Nick, especially when wearing wellies but was worth exploring and suffering the odd graze. 👍

[@effinghell2609]

Well Done For Getting Back Out Mr H !!!

[@garycanning7015]

Nice piece of history Mr H it amazes me how nature reclaims the land around it.

[@stephenshipley2631]

Enjoyed that Mr H,Happy New year to you and your family.

[@stendecstretcher5678]

Top video from a Top bloke.

[@shanehall98]

I always get butterflies in a good way when a new video of yours comes out!

[@LesleyWinn]

Nice to see you back after Christmas MR H

[@richardhinchliffe1678]

Great to see you out and about again Mr H and interesting vlog thanks for what you do and happy new year to you and Mrs H aswell

[@chris-ro5zx]

Very interesting mr.enjoy your ww2 bimbles.

[@anthonyheaton5798]

We walked around there countless times when we were kids in 50's. Dad never took us or told us about the shelter, He must have known. His family home was only 200 yards away on Liverpool Road & he walked to school at Blackbrook every day; must have passed it. We did spend a lot of time at Slitty Mill - remains still there but sanitised.

[@Deliquescentinsight]

I used to play in a WWII air raid shelter on the old 'Newton Estate' in Chester, near Upton, it had a Tuck Shop sign painted on the brickwork, it seems all the staff and occupants of the wealthy estate used to take shelter during the war, I think it was all built over in the 1980's , disappearing history of England.

[@Chocolate8me]

Do you know if that is far from the old mill site? We've been there so many times fir a walk but never knew of the air raid shelter. Thank you for your video 😊

[@MrHsHotPot]

Hi Chocolate8me, and apologies for the late reply. It isn't all that far from the old mill site at Stanley Bank but you will need to head through the woods towards the East Lancs Road which it is more or less by the side of as can be seen in my video. I accessed the area where the shelter is located by approaching via car from Liverpool Road (A58) then turning right onto the East Lancs Road where you will quickly see two laybys on your left. I parked in the second one next to a small brick substation/pumphouse type building just set back from the road next to a field and ended up walking in a big circle through the woods back towards the East Lancs to find the shelter, but if you park in the first layby and slowly walk towards the second one along the road you should be able to see it in the woods below to your left at this time of year and just nip down to it as approaching through the woods from the mill end means you'll need to cross a little gully which is nothing major but still has the potential for you to slip and fall. Hope the above helps and all the best. 👍

[@Chocolate8me]

Fantastic. Thank you for taking the time to reply. That's next on my list 👍 Btw, you need to try a pie from The Chicken Barbecue, 49 Broadway, Liverpool 😁

[@leeh9985]

Hope you enjoyed ur bimble, did you manage go see the old mill?

[@MrHsHotPot]

Hi Lee, and thanks once again for sending me the info of how to find this air raid shelter. 👍 No I didn't get as far as the mill as I'd parked in one of the laybys on the East Lancs and approached the shelter from that direction as it's possible to just duck under the trees and walk down to it from the road, although I didn't know this at the time and ended up walking in a big circle as I'd parked in the second layby rather than the first one. I'll return again at some point to take a look at the old mill and check out the area around the shelter again as I found a number of bricks strewn about which I assume where from the former Blackbrook Colliery and even found a fishplate on the surface which looked like 15 gauge track from the railway line that would have led to the coillery cutting across where the East Lancs is now so I'll definately be back for another mooch.😃

[@exploringwithjb]

I filmed there last summer, that video is available on my channel should you be interested, there was also mention of a small airstrip nearby but that's been difficult to locate. I'll be heading back there very soon to try to locate a few other things in that area, possibly linked to that shelter. Keep up the great work sir

[@MrHsHotPot]

Hi JB, it was your video that I was referring to around the 4:30 mark. 👍 A little more damp in there this time of year and the creepy teddy bear that was down there in your video has gone but it's still relatively clean inside especially as you move towards what had originally been the entrance. As I had approached the shelter from one of the laybys on the East Lancs Road I didn't explore much of the site but from the little I did explore I found a number of bricks strewn about which I assume were from the former Blackbrook Colliery and found a fishplate on the surface which looked like 15 gauge track from the railway line that would have led to the coillery cutting across where the East Lancs is now. Like yourself I'll return again soon for a further explore and to take a look at the remains of the nearby mill.

[@exploringwithjb]

@MrHsHotPot Yes, I believe that was the video I did one there at the WW2 shelter and Stanley Bank Mill. It's a very interesting place for sure. If you're interested, here is the link to the video. I've subscribed to your channel as well. Your content is great kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqK8ZWeoippkr8U

[@exploringwithjb]

Just a thought here would you like to do a collaboration with me covering that area because there's plenty to cover around there, and it would seem that you're also very interested in the history of the place as I am, please let me know if you'd be up for that

[@johnhankinson1929]

when i was a kid in the late 60's we played in one of these in Madam's Wood in Little Hulton , they've built houses there now so i don't think it survived , good film Mr H ad get yourself a mate and prater pie down you after all that exertion

[@ludo9234]

There's loads up near Ashbourne in Derbyshire. Most in mint condition.

[@AHAproductions712]

Hiya mate ,could I possibly get a location?im really keen of finding it and exploring it I’m a huge history nerd