My Big Day Out - Old RAF Base

[Goldeeno]

I’ve tried to do some research on this place, hence the trip to the Air Museum, all on the same day.

From what i can find it was used as a flight school, and had 2 runways. These are no longer there due to the Quarry which is close by. There are only three buildings which remain at the sight. One building i assume was a workshop or something; it had a sorting rack which lists all the old Imperial Nut and Bolt sizes, marker penned on.

The main building is the control tower which is in sound condition structurally. The entrance has been blocked off with a massive bit of concrete, but being skinny, wasn’t a problem.

Ill draw up some rough plans and post them later, but through the door, you have the Officers Office, and a store room. The only ones named. The place is gutted with hardly any original features. There was a cabinet in the end room, but nothing inside.

A concrete set of stairs by the door lead up to the control deck. There are two rooms up here, the main one at the front the length of the building, which leads out onto a viewing platform, with stairs leading to the roof, and a hatch in the ceiling, again to the roof, but no ladder.
All the glass had been put through which was a shame, the windows are quite cool.

The last building, is basically a shed, although it has an air vent in the top of it, so weather it was a store, or some form of workshop, i don’t know. I can’t seem to find any old maps or photos of this place.

There’s now an industrial estate behind here, and there are a couple of hangers left, but are all used to store Fleet cars, so no chance of getting access, i asked

. However my dad has just started working there... see if he can pull a few strings before they renovate, which they are due too.

Anyways... The Photos
First Building, The -Flight- Navigation

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 800x548 and weights 394KB.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 800x611 and weights 316KB.

Its pretty wrecked in here, roof all caved in and parts of the wall falling down. Not much eveidence of what once was there.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 800x533 and weights 418KB.

Old wooden shutter door, cabled up.

The lights for the place, i dunno what FL and HOR means, i guess FL for Flood Lights.

There are a few cabinates, and benches about, all empty tho.

And this is what makes me think it was once a workshop or stores of some form. A pigeon hole setup, but with all the Nut and Bolt sizes marker penned on the front.

And the only real remains of human contact since the 50's when it closed.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 800x545 and weights 369KB.

Thats the first Building, next the Main Tower and Barn type place.
Control Tower
I love the windows of this place, i dunno why.

In from the entrance door/hole and you have a selection of rooms, all gutted again. The room dead ahead had a cabinate in, the only other interesting parts where the door signs.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 800x550 and weights 399KB.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 700x551 and weights 321KB.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 800x533 and weights 407KB.

Just to the right of the entrance is a stair well, concrete, leading up to the observation deck.

Only two rooms up here, but back in the day it would have looked awesome.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 800x533 and weights 324KB.

The Main Room

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 800x533 and weights 346KB.

back to the stairs, and the hatch to the roof

More Windows

Then on one side a door leading out onto a platform, with a staircase leading to the roof, oh and an exhaust sticking out the wall. Nothing on the other end tho.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 800x533 and weights 304KB.

Thats all there is there, all the buildings were gutted nothing inside, apart from the first one, odd shelf etc.
Then theres a barn type place a little further down, it had a roof vent so guess it was a store room, or something.

An Exide box on the floor, couldnt get it open.

And a final overview of the site.
The Three buildings, the hanger is somewhere over the very back over a 10ft fence.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 800x533 and weights 429KB.

And the wonderful tower.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 800x533 and weights 272KB.

 

[Goldeeno]

continued....
Heading back to my car i spotted a concrete block sticking out, and it actually turned out to be.....

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 800x533 and weights 621KB.

A Pillbox! lol
Couldnt belive it, i did hear there was once stuck in a hedge somewhere, i didnt exspect to park right next to it lol! I love this stuff! Its trashed and bricked in with rubbish etc stuffed inside, but you could imagine a few guys manned with Mg's poking out, staring down the road. Cool stuff.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 800x533 and weights 640KB.

Thanks for looking