Underneath the New Palace and Adventureland, New Brighton (near Liverpool) is a hidden piece of Second World War history. It is opposite Fort Perch Rock, a Napoleonic era fort that was still used during WW2 (unfortunately closed to visitors at the moment). Underneath the funfair arcade is a network of tunnels, thought to be once used as air raid shelters and, secretly, as a munitions factory.

We visited the tunnels as part of a paid tour, where we were told all sorts of stories and theories. But this page only includes sources that can be checked and referenced.

Surprisingly (as this was a secret munitions factory) there are lots of contemporary photos of this site in use. Some of these, courtesy of the Imperial War Museum, are on the RIGHT HAND SIDE of the page. Photos of Munitions Factories were not uncommon (as they were not named or their locations known) but our "concern" is the way many of the photos do not look natural but instead look "staged".

The above ground area (which was then and still is today) an Amusement Arcade (Wilkie's Amusement Park - in the 1940's) was used as a U.S. Military vehicle pool in the war (as were other places nearby). Research done by our friend, Euan, shows that there is a mention of maintaining small arms (U.S.) but not manufacturing anything on the site - so that the two sites (US military and UK Munitions) were not interacting as far as we know. But what are the chances of having a U.S. operational site on top of a secret UK munitions factory? An email from Keith Adams has potentially solved this for us.

Keith told us: "My mother took a job in that underground factory telling us she was making bullets for the War Effort. They ceased production when the Americans arrived and took over the Arcade. Until the munitions pipeline from America became steady Britain manufactured munitions any way they could. It is possible the bullets were not armed with powder but my mother died rather young from kidney and stomach cancer much as one of my grandmothers who made shells for the Navy in WW1."

We were told on the tour that the machines had been left since the war. However, we were only able to spot one of the machines in the IWM photos (RIGHT) matching up with the machines seen here today. Indeed, they seem set up today to mimick those old photos.

Further inspection of the machines leads to some interesting conclusions. We put photos of the machines up on a website for enthusiasts for this sort of thing - OWWM.org - a site for fans of old wood working machines and old metal working machines. The comments and knowledge from this group of American specialists was really interesting.

For instance, 'Rockfish' commented: "Maintenance and supply sounds more like it. I worked in an area in daily contact with explosives and none of the machinery pictured would ever have been allowed near. Munitions factories utilize a large amount of wooden jigs ,compressed air drives and remote switching, none of which are shown. These machines look like a dealers choice of what was sent on the victory ships to aid the war effort .I've seen some of those presses and lathes locally and they always had a nametag stating "Property of the War Department."

So perhaps the munitions factory only made the bullets. And it seems to have ended its production when the Americans came. But what about the use as Air Raid Shelters? Presumably, this became its next use

These are not purpose built WW2 structures. They look to us more like Victorian underground storage facilities with their vaulted brick ceilings and cast iron supports. Which have been re-used during WW2. Due to their proximity to Liverpool, its docks and the River Mersey, and the danger that this posed to local residents - you can see how these structures could be used for air raid shelters. The second set of stairs out of the site (later used to load in supplies when it was used as a nightclub) were most likely built and used as an escape route for the air raid shelter itself.

Our thanks to Keith Adams. His mother served with the ATS (BEF France where she was evacuated from the Havre harbour during Operation Cycle a few days after Dunkirk. Having spent the whole day under attack and lifted off after dark by the I.O.M. ferry "Viking".) She then worked for the London AFS service as a telephone switchboard operator. Before moving back to Wasllasey and worked in this munitions factory.