RRH Trimingham, RAF, Trimingham Norfolk
Remote Radar Head (RRH) Trimingham is equipped with a Lockheed Martin AN/TPS-77 (Type 92) Air Defence Radar. It is located on the coast road between Cromer and Mundesley, 1 mile (1.6 km) east of the village of Trimingham, Norfolk. The radar station is a satellite station of RAF Neatishead in Norfolk. This radar station is controlled and maintained by a section of Radar Technicians and Operators and supported by a team of Ground Engineers. Trimingham provides extensive coverage of the East coast of the United Kingdom and helps contribute to the recognised air picture and defence of the UK.
The radar station was established on the cliff top at Trimingham by the British Army in the latter part of 1941. It was used to detect German Navy E-Boats and Luftwaffe low flying aircraft and was then equipped with a CD Mk.4 radar. The station also operated as an Oboe Navigation Station used by Mosquito Pathfinder bombers to guided them to their targets.
In April 1942, Trimingham was transferred from the authority of the War Office over to the Air Ministry. The site had now been installed with a Chain Home Extra Low (CHEL)/CD Type 54 radar on a 200 ft. (61 m) tower. By 1945 the Oboe equipment had been removed. In 1947 Trimingham was placed in the Northern Signals Area under No. 90 Group. Between 1948 and 1949 the site was placed under care and maintenance.
In January 1949 the site was re-activated and in 1950 was renamed No. 432 Signals Unit (432 SU). In June 1950 RAF Trimingham was selected to be a Centimetric Early Warning Station (CEW). Between this event and 1961 the radar station had various systems installed at the site and operated constantly as part of the UK's ROTOR early warning systems until February 1964 when the site was mothballed. By 1965 the station had been largely dismantled and all the radar arrays had been removed apart from the Type 54 behind Beacon Hill Cottage but that was also removed by 1972. In 1981 RAF Trimingham was closed and the site had been sold. The guardhouse was converted into a private house.
By the latter part of the 1980's the MoD decided to re-purchase the site. The RAF installed a Marconi Type 91 Martello radar acting as a Ready Platform, along with RAF Hopton, Norfolk and RAF Weybourne, Norfolk, for the UKADGE Series II (United Kingdom Air Defence Ground Environment) Radar System controlled from the R3 underground control centre at RAF Neatishead. The guardhouse was converted into staff accommodation and offices and basic mess facilities. In May 1996 the Marconi Type 91 radar at Trimingham was sold to the Turkish Ministry of Defence and it was replaced by what used to be known as No. 86 Signals Unit, with a Type 93, Plessey type ADGE-305, NATO designation TGRI 50011, that had been moved from Hopton when that base was closed. The Type 93 was originally a mobile installation but at Trimingham it was fixed to a permanent mounting, due to constant cracking issues with the frame and mobile trailer. The Kevlon dome composed of irregular polygons erected around it became known locally as the Trimingham golf ball.
The Type 93 was replaced by the Type 101 radar, which was itself replaced by the TPS-77 radar which has increased capabilities to detect targets in the vicinity of the now prolific wind farms along the North Sea coast.
Today the TPS-77 feeds constant data back to the Control and Reporting Centres (CRC) at RAF Boulmer in Northumberland and RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire. RAF Neatishead has now been downgraded to a remote radar head which is actually at Trimingham, Neatishead only being retained as the circuits from Trimingham pass through Neatishead.
As part of a major upgrade of RRH sites around the UK the MoD began a programme titled HYDRA in 2020 to install new state of the art communications buildings, radar towers and bespoke perimeter security
RRH Trimingham, RAF, Trimingham Norfolk
Remote Radar Head (RRH) Trimingham is equipped with a Lockheed Martin AN/TPS-77 (Type 92) Air Defence Radar. It is located on the coast road between Cromer and Mundesley, 1 mile (1.6 km) east of the village of Trimingham, Norfolk. The radar station is a satellite station of RAF Neatishead in Norfolk. This radar station is controlled and maintained by a section of Radar Technicians and Operators and supported by a team of Ground Engineers. Trimingham provides extensive coverage of the East coast of the United Kingdom and helps contribute to the recognised air picture and defence of the UK.
The radar station was established on the cliff top at Trimingham by the British Army in the latter part of 1941. It was used to detect German Navy E-Boats and Luftwaffe low flying aircraft and was then equipped with a CD Mk.4 radar. The station also operated as an Oboe Navigation Station used by Mosquito Pathfinder bombers to guided them to their targets.
In April 1942, Trimingham was transferred from the authority of the War Office over to the Air Ministry. The site had now been installed with a Chain Home Extra Low (CHEL)/CD Type 54 radar on a 200 ft. (61 m) tower. By 1945 the Oboe equipment had been removed. In 1947 Trimingham was placed in the Northern Signals Area under No. 90 Group. Between 1948 and 1949 the site was placed under care and maintenance.
In January 1949 the site was re-activated and in 1950 was renamed No. 432 Signals Unit (432 SU). In June 1950 RAF Trimingham was selected to be a Centimetric Early Warning Station (CEW). Between this event and 1961 the radar station had various systems installed at the site and operated constantly as part of the UK's ROTOR early warning systems until February 1964 when the site was mothballed. By 1965 the station had been largely dismantled and all the radar arrays had been removed apart from the Type 54 behind Beacon Hill Cottage but that was also removed by 1972. In 1981 RAF Trimingham was closed and the site had been sold. The guardhouse was converted into a private house.
By the latter part of the 1980's the MoD decided to re-purchase the site. The RAF installed a Marconi Type 91 Martello radar acting as a Ready Platform, along with RAF Hopton, Norfolk and RAF Weybourne, Norfolk, for the UKADGE Series II (United Kingdom Air Defence Ground Environment) Radar System controlled from the R3 underground control centre at RAF Neatishead. The guardhouse was converted into staff accommodation and offices and basic mess facilities. In May 1996 the Marconi Type 91 radar at Trimingham was sold to the Turkish Ministry of Defence and it was replaced by what used to be known as No. 86 Signals Unit, with a Type 93, Plessey type ADGE-305, NATO designation TGRI 50011, that had been moved from Hopton when that base was closed. The Type 93 was originally a mobile installation but at Trimingham it was fixed to a permanent mounting, due to constant cracking issues with the frame and mobile trailer. The Kevlon dome composed of irregular polygons erected around it became known locally as the Trimingham golf ball.
The Type 93 was replaced by the Type 101 radar, which was itself replaced by the TPS-77 radar which has increased capabilities to detect targets in the vicinity of the now prolific wind farms along the North Sea coast.
Today the TPS-77 feeds constant data back to the Control and Reporting Centres (CRC) at RAF Boulmer in Northumberland and RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire. RAF Neatishead has now been downgraded to a remote radar head which is actually at Trimingham, Neatishead only being retained as the circuits from Trimingham pass through Neatishead.
As part of a major upgrade of RRH sites around the UK the MoD began a programme titled HYDRA in 2020 to install new state of the art communications buildings, radar towers and bespoke perimeter security