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The Kelvedon Nuclear Bunker
Hidden in a wood off the A128 Ongar - Brentwood Road, is a small bungalow which hides a big secret. Behind it lies a three floored bunker complex in which 600 people would have been confined behind blast proof doors in the event of a nuclear war.
The deep, 125 foot, bunker was built in 1952/3 as part of Rotor, an urgent government building programme to improve Britain's air defence network. The bunker was the Sector Operations Command for the RAF Fighter Command. Known as SOC - R4, it was to provide command and control of the London Sector of Fighter Command.
Once into the bungalow, it leads to a 100 yard tunnel before you are in the bunker itself. Above you are two more floors, the 'hill' which covers it, and a radio mast, one of two, which would have been vital for communications.
The reason for the bunker was to take on a far more potentially catastrophic role in the 1960's. Because of the threat of nuclear war the bunker became the regional government bunker for London. The aim of the bunker was that it was to be one of the government administration centres communicating with the many other smaller bunkers situated throughout the country, organising the country after a nuclear attack.
Further to the west on the spit are the buildings of the second phase. The most distinctive structures built during this phase were the two Vibration Test Buildings, now commonly referred to as ‘The Pagodas’ (National Trust buildings E2 and E3). The specification for the Vibration Test Buildings included the ability to withstand the accidental detonation of 400lbs (181.4kg) of high explosives; they were designed by G W Dixon ARIBA for the UK Atomic Energy Authority and are identical. Both Vibration Test Buildings, their control room and centrifuge were constructed in 1960.
They comprise a large reinforced concrete central cell 16.47m (54ft) by 7.30m (24ft) covered by a massive reinforced concrete roof supported on sixteen reinforced concrete columns. To the south and east of the main chambers are self-contained plant rooms. The main access to the building is from the south through an entrance passage which was originally sealed by a pair of outward opening metal covered wooden doors. On its western side, adjacent to the main entrance passage is a blocked doorway that led to a small staff room and toilet. Inside the buildings on the eastern side of the passageway one set of stairs gives access down to the main test cell and another to a walkway around the top of the chamber. At the end of the passageway is a lift pit, which allowed test pieces to be lowered on to the floor of the main test cell. To assist in manoeuvring heavy objects there are a number of substantial steel eyelets screwed into the underside of the roof. A travelling crane also ran on rails mounted on a ledge beneath the windows, a loose plate on the floor recorded ‘Becker twin Lift Maximum Working Load 40 tons serial A-2647-2’.
The floor of the main cell is formed of parallel and narrowly spaced steel ‘I’ section beams for test rigs to be firmly secured to the structure. To either side are cable ducts. At the same time as being vibrated objects might also be placed in jackets to simulate extremes of heat and cold, or in a portable altitude chamber to mimic the effects of altitudinal changes. Set into the north wall are seven steel plates with vertical cruciform slots that were also used for securing tests rigs or monitoring equipment. Below these are eight pipes opening from the service passageway to the north. In the south wall are three steel plates with horizontal slots, above the plate is stencilled 1-27ft and below it 1-7.5m. The walkway around three sides of the cell was originally protected by a handrail and there is another handrail fixed to the main wall. Running around the wall is a cable conduit and attached to the wall are various pipes for carrying electrical wires, switches, junction boxes and pressure gauges. Signs on the wall above the lift pit record ‘Telephone Instrument Room’, ‘Vac Pump Running, Vac Pump Stopped’ with associated light fittings. At the north east corner of the cell is a doorway to the rear service passage running east to west along the north side of the building. To the east a flight of stairs gives access to the eastern plant room. To the west another set of stairs provides access to the northern side of the lift pit, the upper walkway and to an emergency escape passage through the north side of the traverse. To the south of the main cell are free-standing Burwell brick-built plant rooms. The main plant room is entered through two sets of double doors on its south side, internally are four machinery mounting plinths. Attached to its west wall is a metal cabinet that probably housed equipment to operate the hydraulic compressor for the internal lift. At the eastern end of the building is a store room with a blocked doorway to the south.
A R7 bunker located not too far out of the village of Crail. This bunker and the plinth in the background were linked to the R3 bunker (RAF Troywood/ RAF Anstruther). Unfortunately it is mostly sealed but I might be able to find a way to get some footage of the inside.
Map of cold war, east versus west. This is relevant because it clearly illustrates the global divide between communism and democracy in the latter half of the 20th century.
5.04 Trace the course of the Cold War and assess its impact on the global community including but not limited to the Korean War, the satellite nations of Eastern Europe, and the Vietnam War.
The Kelvedon Nuclear Bunker
Hidden in a wood off the A128 Ongar - Brentwood Road, is a small bungalow which hides a big secret. Behind it lies a three floored bunker complex in which 600 people would have been confined behind blast proof doors in the event of a nuclear war.
The deep, 125 foot, bunker was built in 1952/3 as part of Rotor, an urgent government building programme to improve Britain's air defence network. The bunker was the Sector Operations Command for the RAF Fighter Command. Known as SOC - R4, it was to provide command and control of the London Sector of Fighter Command.
Once into the bungalow, it leads to a 100 yard tunnel before you are in the bunker itself. Above you are two more floors, the 'hill' which covers it, and a radio mast, one of two, which would have been vital for communications.
The reason for the bunker was to take on a far more potentially catastrophic role in the 1960's. Because of the threat of nuclear war the bunker became the regional government bunker for London. The aim of the bunker was that it was to be one of the government administration centres communicating with the many other smaller bunkers situated throughout the country, organising the country after a nuclear attack.
Further to the west on the spit are the buildings of the second phase. The most distinctive structures built during this phase were the two Vibration Test Buildings, now commonly referred to as ‘The Pagodas’ (National Trust buildings E2 and E3). The specification for the Vibration Test Buildings included the ability to withstand the accidental detonation of 400lbs (181.4kg) of high explosives; they were designed by G W Dixon ARIBA for the UK Atomic Energy Authority and are identical. Both Vibration Test Buildings, their control room and centrifuge were constructed in 1960.
They comprise a large reinforced concrete central cell 16.47m (54ft) by 7.30m (24ft) covered by a massive reinforced concrete roof supported on sixteen reinforced concrete columns. To the south and east of the main chambers are self-contained plant rooms. The main access to the building is from the south through an entrance passage which was originally sealed by a pair of outward opening metal covered wooden doors. On its western side, adjacent to the main entrance passage is a blocked doorway that led to a small staff room and toilet. Inside the buildings on the eastern side of the passageway one set of stairs gives access down to the main test cell and another to a walkway around the top of the chamber. At the end of the passageway is a lift pit, which allowed test pieces to be lowered on to the floor of the main test cell. To assist in manoeuvring heavy objects there are a number of substantial steel eyelets screwed into the underside of the roof. A travelling crane also ran on rails mounted on a ledge beneath the windows, a loose plate on the floor recorded ‘Becker twin Lift Maximum Working Load 40 tons serial A-2647-2’.
The floor of the main cell is formed of parallel and narrowly spaced steel ‘I’ section beams for test rigs to be firmly secured to the structure. To either side are cable ducts. At the same time as being vibrated objects might also be placed in jackets to simulate extremes of heat and cold, or in a portable altitude chamber to mimic the effects of altitudinal changes. Set into the north wall are seven steel plates with vertical cruciform slots that were also used for securing tests rigs or monitoring equipment. Below these are eight pipes opening from the service passageway to the north. In the south wall are three steel plates with horizontal slots, above the plate is stencilled 1-27ft and below it 1-7.5m. The walkway around three sides of the cell was originally protected by a handrail and there is another handrail fixed to the main wall. Running around the wall is a cable conduit and attached to the wall are various pipes for carrying electrical wires, switches, junction boxes and pressure gauges. Signs on the wall above the lift pit record ‘Telephone Instrument Room’, ‘Vac Pump Running, Vac Pump Stopped’ with associated light fittings. At the north east corner of the cell is a doorway to the rear service passage running east to west along the north side of the building. To the east a flight of stairs gives access to the eastern plant room. To the west another set of stairs provides access to the northern side of the lift pit, the upper walkway and to an emergency escape passage through the north side of the traverse. To the south of the main cell are free-standing Burwell brick-built plant rooms. The main plant room is entered through two sets of double doors on its south side, internally are four machinery mounting plinths. Attached to its west wall is a metal cabinet that probably housed equipment to operate the hydraulic compressor for the internal lift. At the eastern end of the building is a store room with a blocked doorway to the south.
The Angel Flight Annual BBQ occurs in June every year at the Byron Airport in California to benefit the organization. This year it was hosted by Randy Howell in the Patriots Jet Team’s hangar where participants were able to get up close and personal with the aircraft and talk to the team members about their role in the organization.
More information for both organizations can be found at www.angelflightwest.org and patriotsjetteam.com which as their scheduled appearances.
The Angel Flight Annual BBQ occurs in June every year at the Byron Airport in California to benefit the organization. This year it was hosted by Randy Howell in the Patriots Jet Team’s hangar where participants were able to get up close and personal with the aircraft and talk to the team members about their role in the organization.
More information for both organizations can be found at www.angelflightwest.org and patriotsjetteam.com which as their scheduled appearances.
The Kelvedon Nuclear Bunker
Hidden in a wood off the A128 Ongar - Brentwood Road, is a small bungalow which hides a big secret. Behind it lies a three floored bunker complex in which 600 people would have been confined behind blast proof doors in the event of a nuclear war.
The deep, 125 foot, bunker was built in 1952/3 as part of Rotor, an urgent government building programme to improve Britain's air defence network. The bunker was the Sector Operations Command for the RAF Fighter Command. Known as SOC - R4, it was to provide command and control of the London Sector of Fighter Command.
Once into the bungalow, it leads to a 100 yard tunnel before you are in the bunker itself. Above you are two more floors, the 'hill' which covers it, and a radio mast, one of two, which would have been vital for communications.
The reason for the bunker was to take on a far more potentially catastrophic role in the 1960's. Because of the threat of nuclear war the bunker became the regional government bunker for London. The aim of the bunker was that it was to be one of the government administration centres communicating with the many other smaller bunkers situated throughout the country, organising the country after a nuclear attack.
The Angel Flight Annual BBQ occurs in June every year at the Byron Airport in California to benefit the organization. This year it was hosted by Randy Howell in the Patriots Jet Team’s hangar where participants were able to get up close and personal with the aircraft and talk to the team members about their role in the organization.
More information for both organizations can be found at www.angelflightwest.org and patriotsjetteam.com which as their scheduled appearances.
At the former Bundeswehrverwaltungsschule III in Mölln, where I spent my army days in a secret army unit listening in to Red Army communications. Our office was behind the central window on the top floor, and the antenna array was on top of the main roof.
No. 20 Group ROC Headquarters was built in 1961 and was part of a nationwide network of monitoring stations as a result of the Cold War. The bunker was maintained in a high state of readiness until stand-down in 1991. It wasn't a shelter to ride out the end of the world; it was for early warning and monitoring, and could accommodate a staff of 60 and be self-sufficient for only 30 days. Shared beds, with no means of doing laundry of showering for the 30 days of running time...
The Rotor programme was developed to advance the wartime radar technology in detecting and locating fast-flying jets. It was approved by the Air Council in June 1950. The first stage of the programme, Rotor 1, was to technically restore existing Chain Home, centrimetric early warning, Chain Home Extra Low and Ground Controlled Interception Stations and put them under the control of RAF Fighter Command. There were three main components to the Rotor Stations: the technical site, including the radars, operation blocks and other installations; the domestic site, where personnel were accommodated; and the stand-by set house, a reserve power supply. The technical site for RAF Neatishead Rotor Station was located at TG 346 184. Crew were accommodated at RAF Coltishall and the stand-by set house was located at TG 342 200.
The two main constructions at Rotor stations were the operations block and guardhouse. Operations blocks were the largest structures built at Rotor stations. They were constructed of reinforced concrete and designed to withstand 2,000lb bombs. The outer walls and roof of the Rotor operations blocks were 9ft 10in thick and the internal walls between 5.9in to 1ft 11in metres wide. The exterior was coated with an asphalt damp course and surrounded by a 5.9in brick wall. The roof was usually flush with the ground surface and up to 14 ft 2in of earth was mounded on top. The operations blocks, identified by a 'R' prefix, contained technical equipment, domestic facilities, workshops and a plant for air conditioning and gas filtration, all within a single complex.
Four of the blocks (R1-R4) were underground constructions designed for the more vulnerable sites on the east and south-east coasts. Others were semi-submerged (R6) or above ground (R5, R7-R11) heavily protected structures built to withstand 1,000lb bombs. The guardhouses were designed to resemble ''bungalows''. They were single-storey buildings capped with a flat, concrete roof, above which a pitched roof contained water tanks. They were generally constructed of brick, but were built to blend in with the local architectural style. The guard rooms also contained an armoury, store, rest room and lavatories. Those associated with underground operations blocks featured a projecting rear annex that housed a stairwell leading down to an access tunnel.
Aerial photography from 1965 shows the R3 operations bunker at the site, as well as a Type 13, a Type 7 and four Type 14 radar plinths. A range of ancillary buildings survive. The area is part of an active base and museum. In March 1947 the station was established as a Sector Operations Centre. Between 1961 to 1963 the station was reduced to care and maintenance and was then reopened as a Master Radar Station. A fire in 1966 destroyed the underground operations complex and the station was closed until 1974 with a new data-handling system occupying the original Happidrome. In 1994 the Air Defence Radar Museum opened at the site, which also continues to serve as an operational base.
Personal experience of working at Neatishead communicated by email states ''I was posted there as a sgt in 1973 and it was fully operational, T85, T84, HF200 and more all working. Furthermore, the other half of my Locking entry was posted there in 1971 and all worked on the operational radars, txs and rxs. I left in 1976 and visited again in 1977. T85, stuff of legends, 60Mw with all 12 Txs running''. Detailed history of the 50 years of the founding of RAF Neatishead 1941-1991. R30 operations room, R12 Radar equipment building and R3 underground operations block; Listed. For the designation records of this site please see The National Heritage List for England. Decommissioned 2006 and sold. Feb 2013, 25 acres of the site were again sold. The Air Defence Radar Museum was not part of the sale.
Information sourced from — www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?ui...
The Kelvedon Nuclear Bunker
Hidden in a wood off the A128 Ongar - Brentwood Road, is a small bungalow which hides a big secret. Behind it lies a three floored bunker complex in which 600 people would have been confined behind blast proof doors in the event of a nuclear war.
The deep, 125 foot, bunker was built in 1952/3 as part of Rotor, an urgent government building programme to improve Britain's air defence network. The bunker was the Sector Operations Command for the RAF Fighter Command. Known as SOC - R4, it was to provide command and control of the London Sector of Fighter Command.
Once into the bungalow, it leads to a 100 yard tunnel before you are in the bunker itself. Above you are two more floors, the 'hill' which covers it, and a radio mast, one of two, which would have been vital for communications.
The reason for the bunker was to take on a far more potentially catastrophic role in the 1960's. Because of the threat of nuclear war the bunker became the regional government bunker for London. The aim of the bunker was that it was to be one of the government administration centres communicating with the many other smaller bunkers situated throughout the country, organising the country after a nuclear attack.
A 1960s breakfast table.
50 years after the Cuban Missile Crisis, the National Museum of Flight will take you back in time to experience what life was like in the middle of the Cold War.
Find out more about the Cold War Experience here.
Kettering Royal Observer Corps Post has been restored since 2009 by myself and a few friends. Open days are held in the summer, private viewings can also be arranged by contacting me. Please note, the post is locked and no items are kept there outside of open days.
During the Cold War the United States deployed its first in-ground based Atlas series of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) in sparsely populated areas of the country. The 548th Strategic Missile Squadron was activated in 1961 at Forbes Air Force Base in Kansas and had operational responsibility for nine Atlas E missile launch sites in east central Kansas.
The road in the photograph was the access route to Atlas E Launch Site 6. Most Atlas E sites were built on approximately twenty acres. The launch facility was on five acres surrounded by a 7 foot chain link fence.
The Atlas E missile was stored horizontally in a semi-hardened underground shelter protected by a retractable concrete roof.
Three years after activating Site 6 it was deactivated in 1964.
The U. S. Air Force replaced the Atlas E missile with the more sophisticated Atlas F missile that was stored vertically in hardened underground silos.