Creative Midlands Heritage

RAF Comberton GCI ROTOR Radar Station, Worcestershire
Silverdale ROC Post
Melton Constable ROC Post, Norfolk
Weybourne Military Camp, Norfolk

RAF Comberton GCI ROTOR Radar Station, Worcestershire

Posted: 08 Sep 2012 02:33 AM PDT

Having last visited the site back in 2008 it was time for a return visit to the site.A chat with the farmer who kindly allowed access to the buildings,He was also able to tell me more on the sites history.So I have copied the site history from the earlier thread and expanded the history.As the Radar Station is built on the Flood plain of the River Avon this should explain why it has no underground bunker like you find at many other ROTOR sites.

HISTORY

This was the only operational Ground Controlled Interception (GCI)radar station established in the West midlands and was one of only five inland radar stations activated in the spring of 1941 as a response to the luftwaffe threat.The first equipment to arrive on site was an intermediate transportable type.In 1943 RAF Comberton was upgraded to a final GCI station with type 7 radar capable of multiple aircraft controlling, long range and better height finding capabilites.A brick built operations room and a number of ancillary buildings were added in 1943.
Post war the site was updated as part of the ROTOR system. An additional above ground ops building with eight concrete aerial plinths was added.All that remains of this building are the foundations that form a hard standing for the present day farm.The same can be said of other ancillary buildings that could not find a new use as farm out buildings,that all that remains of them is an outline on the ground.
The site was on care and maintenance in the late 1950s and was closed some time after that.The local TA also made use of the site for a time after that.But the site was derelict by the early 1980s.
There are also remains of the site accommodation which are located at Vandyke court.Later a purpose built camp was provided at nearby Pinvin.Where a water tower still stands.
Historical information from 20th century defences in Britain, The west Midlands area by Colin Jones, Bernard Lowry and Mick Wilks.
Cold war :Building for Nuclear Confrontation by Wayne Cocroft and Roger J.C Thomas, Edited by P.S Barnwell.

English Heritage Site Description

Quote:

The site of a Ground Controlled Interception (GCI) radar station at Comberton. GCI stations were developed by the Air Ministry from 1940 to detect, locate and track enemy aircraft and provide inland radar coverage of Britain. Comberton opened in May 1941 and initially functioned as a Transportable station reporting to Ternhill Fighter Sector. Transportable stations comprised transmitter and receiver aerial arrays mounted on gantries spaced no more than 220ft (67.1 metres) apart, with operations carried out from trucks or temporary hutting. In May 1943 the site was developed into a Final station. Final GCI or AMES Type 7 stations comprised a single rotating aerial array with transmitter equipment stored beneath in an underground well, plus an operations block, a standby set house for reserve power, and a guard hut for the site entrance. After the Second World War the site was converted into a Rotor station. Aerial photography from 1967 shows that an operations block and two attached ancillary buildings survive in good condition. Two small buildings are visible along the hedgeline toward the entrance. The remainder of the GCI site had been developed into a Rotor site.

Ops building built in 1943 and known as the 'Happidrome'

Hand painted signage.

Hand written in what appeared to be chalk.Still on the wall after 50+years.

The last time I visited the inside of the Happidrome was being used to store grain and this signage could not be seen let a alone be accessed

Standby Set House.

ROTOR period Radar Plinths, Four examples of these buildings still exist at the site.The steel from the gantries that would have surrounded these buildings was recycled on the farm to make trailers and such.

From subbrit a picture of how these buildings would have looked with the Gantry and aerial in place.

Silverdale ROC Post

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 02:17 PM PDT

This is all that remains of silverdale roc post vandals and arsonists have been at there work ruining our heritage was quite surprised not to find some tramp living there then again would have jumped a mile seeing me drop down into it in full fatiques wonder if anyone could get it restored or something....:cryin:

After spending an hour underground went back to the gaff for a much needed shower :D

Melton Constable ROC Post, Norfolk

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 05:35 AM PDT

Another trip to Norfolk and managed to see a few more places, apologies for the photos, they seem to have come out quite bright :o

Opened 1958
Closed 1991

The FSM had rotted through and was on top of the vent

A bit of water in the sump, unfortunatly,as usual the pump was seized

WW2 post

A nice find

Weybourne Military Camp, Norfolk

Posted: 07 Sep 2012 05:32 AM PDT

Ive not been on here for a while so i thought id show my face :blush2:

The site is at the top of what is now the Muckleborough collection, they are using it as storage/ workshops etc for the museum, these parts however are not in the museum.

Some history (from Wikipedia)
During the Second World War, Weybourne Camp was a highly secret site and was an Anti-Aircraft Artillery range. This, along with a complementary camp at Stiffkey, represented the main live firing training ranges for ACK-ACK Command in World War II. Here the Norfolk coastline became a controlled zone by the British forces. This controlled zone extended 10 km deep into the North Sea around Norfolk. Weybourne Camp was a vital part of this zone.

I also went to the gun emplacements but my camera battery died and i wasnt going to walk another few miles to get another on a hot day!