Air-Raid Precaution Railway Control Centre

This is an air-raid precaution railway control centre, constructed in 1954 and later adapted for use as a commercial store in the late 20th century. The building is rectangular in plan and based on a standard Type ‘L’ design drawing (1384/53). It is built of reinforced concrete with a flat roof and a tall cylindrical metal ventilation shaft near its southern corner. The exterior features a single door leading to a baffle—a staggered double entrance cell—at both the north-east and south-west ends of the building. Each entrance is protected by a standalone blast wall, with the space between the southern blast wall and baffle later infilled with a toilet. A square-headed opening was created in the late 20th century through the south-east elevation into the former ‘Generator & Ventilation’ room, and a sliding metal door was installed. The building measures approximately 11 metres wide and 29 metres long, situated to the south-east side of the south-east platform of Bricket Wood railway station.

The interior follows the standard Type ‘L’ plan, with baffles in the north and south corners, a battery room, an apparatus and telephone room, and a generator and ventilation room along the south-east side. The north-west side contains a control room, rooms for the District Engineer and Signals & Telegraph Engineer, an assistants room, and offices for the District Operating Superintendent and assistants. The walls and ceilings are made of shuttered concrete, and the floors are poured concrete. The reinforced concrete walls are 0.6 metres thick, with thinner partition walls at 0.3 metres. Both baffles retain splinter-proof steel doors, and vent flanges are present on the wall inside the south air-lock. Most rooms have rectangular holes intended for exhaust vents, although these were not fitted with ventilation equipment. The internal lighting was replaced in the late 20th century.