Sheffield Ponderosa. Giant steel entrance. What was it?

[vipguy 10]

Greetings

 

I am trying to solve a big mystery. As a child I lived around the Mushroom Lane area of Sheffield. As kids we used to play on the Ponderosa. Towards the top near Crooks Valley Road there was a giant sized steel door. I remember playing with my older brother and some kids and the door if I recall had a massive steel rope and padlock preventing access.

 

One day the door was open and it was very eerie and dark inside. It look like machinery or something but my friend and brother went inside. The only way to descibe it was like something from a Jules Verne Captain Nemo film!

 

Cannot remember much except one day trucks came along carrying masses of earth and completely sealed it.

 

Does anyone know anything about it because after almost 50 years I am still trying to solve the mystery.

 

Many thanks!

 

VIP GUY

[andrejuan 10]

There is a tunnel going under the new road, the old road was approx. where the current footpath passes the bowling greens. It went from the ponderosa side to the lake side in the park. Still there but partially blocked, however it is possible to get into it from an access shaft.

Can you remember what was written on the steel gate? The tunnel took it's name from that (it was the gate makers name) eventually.

 

 

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/2763-crookes-valley-road-the-embankment/&page=3#comment-132426

Edited April 12, 2015 by andrejuan

[vipguy 10]

Great stuff andrejuan!

 

been wanting to know about it for years. I cannot remember unfortunately the name on the gate. All I remember is that it was massive (could have been I was to tiny and no older than 5)

 

Do you know its purpose and why it was built?

 

Thank you

[docmel 10]

If you do a quick search on this site - you will find the answer.

 

I too remember the gate and how spooky it was - it is the entrance to a tunnel that eventually leads to the bottom of the shaft that is next to the old bowling green near the boating lake. That shaft used to have a high circular stone wall built around it, but that was pulled down some time ago and a locked hatch put on top.

 

Apparently the tunnel was also used as a storage area for the barrage balloons that were flown and anchored on the Tip (now Ponderosa)

 

---------- Post added 12-04-2015 at 21:12 ----------

 

If you go to Pictures Sheffield and search for Mushroom Lane and/or Blythe Street you can see the gate

[vipguy 10]

Thank you Docmel for the information. Yes, it was bloody eerie that place and gave me the jitters.

 

I used to go over because I went to St Stephen's school close by.