Visit one of our best-kept secrets

by CHRISTOPHER MIDDLETON, Daily Mail

Last updated at 12:23 28 August 2001

Walking into a village 地位，任命する office and asking the way to the secret 核の（船に）燃料を積み込む／（軍）地下えんぺい壕 is a strange experience. The lady behind the 反対する is used to it, though.

But for 40 years, the inhabitants of Mistley in Essex had no idea that the featureless 固める／コンクリート封鎖する beside the 地方自治体の lorry 倉庫・駅 was the 入り口 to a subterranean 命令（する） centre, from where most of Eastern England would have been controlled in the event of 核の attack.

These days, though, the 取り付け・設備 is somewhat easier to find, thanks to the large brown 調印する on the B1352 which says 'To Secret （船に）燃料を積み込む／（軍）地下えんぺい壕'. Fifties and Sixties public （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） films echo doomily throughout Mistley's 地下組織の回廊（地帯）s (painted yellow to remind people of 日光). 'Stay in your homes,' 勧めるs a grim man from the 省, as a pullovered father and his family バリケード themselves behind a 塀で囲む of スーツケースs filled with sand.

Even more eerie, though, is the 'practice' BBC 無線で通信する broadcast which is relayed through the 支配（する）／統制する rooms at Mistley's sister 核の避難所, 切り開く／タクシー／不正アクセス Green, in Cheshire. Here, a lady newsreader 報告（する）／憶測 show a 集まり wave of terrified people is 逃げるing the nation's cities.

'This is clogging up the motorways and getting in the way of 公式の／役人乗り物s,' she 発表するs in chiding トンs. 'You are asked to make your 旅行 only if it is 必須の.' A visit to either Mistley or 切り開く／タクシー／不正アクセス Green brings home the realisation of just how grim a 地位，任命する-Armageddon UK would have been.

特に冷気／寒がらせるing is the sight at the 切り開く／タクシー／不正アクセス Green 支配（する）／統制する Room of a desk 始める，決める aside for the Inland 歳入. Even with 43 million dead (the 予報するd UK 死傷者（死傷者）数), the 税金 returns were still going to be sent out!

It's 詳細（に述べる）s like this which most of us know nothing about - and although a bit 最高の，を越す-激しい on the machines and 器具／備品味方する, both （船に）燃料を積み込む／（軍）地下えんぺい壕s leave the 訪問者 in no 疑問 about the human cost had, say, the 1962 Cuban ミサイル危機 gone 核の. 'The Americans alone had 2,000 million トンs of 弾頭s within a couple of minutes of entering Soviet 領空,' says Mistley's curator, Dr James Fox, who 申し込む／申し出s 原子の爆弾 evenings, 最高潮に達するing in a ふりをするd 核の attack.

'If just one had been 解雇する／砲火／射撃d, the ロシアのs would have 報復するd with an all-out 返答. It's fair to say that if that had happened, we wouldn't be here today.'

Travel facts Essex Secret （船に）燃料を積み込む／（軍）地下えんぺい壕, at Mistley, 近づく Manningtree, is just off the B1352 (tel: 01206 392271). Adults ￡4.95, children ￡3.75. Open 10.30 to 5 daily, until October 31. 切り開く／タクシー／不正アクセス Green 核の（船に）燃料を積み込む／（軍）地下えんぺい壕 is just off the A530 between Whitchurch and Nantwich in Cheshire (tel: 01270 629219). Adults ￡4.90, children ￡2.90. Open 10.30 to 5.30 daily until October 31.