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View Full Version : Archived: RAF Driffield, Yorkshire - October 2010



boxfrenzy
31-10-2010, 09:15 PM
It's raining in Yorkshire today - a persistent autumn rain that started in the night and will continue throughout the day until dusk. A largely disappointing day of new boards, surprising demolition and no chance had meant the decision to visit RAF Driffield was taken, and by mid afternoon, we arrived. The rain was coming down harder than ever, and we were already soaked before we entered the first building. Long corridors led into the gloom.
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This place has been largely derelict for 7 or 8 years, some bits longer, and many people have been in here since - the metal thieves, the taggers and the explorer. In the officers mess, a building that lost one if its wings in a bombing raid on the 15th of August 1940, it was clear that this place had once been pretty impressive.
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Large rooms, dark and boarded showed signs of their original grandeur. Off to the side of here, water poured relentlessly from outside, and puddled on the floor.
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Upstairs was given over to bedrooms - empty and stripped. Bruce Wayne, auf wiedersehen.
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Downstairs, the corridors led to empty rooms, open doorways and dead ends.
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The kitchens were wrecked. Glass cracked underfoot, and off to the side were dark pantries and sculleries.
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Outside, the rain continued steadily, driving against boarded windows and pouring in through the holes in the roof. We pressed on, stopping to shine torches in dark rooms and take the occasional photograph. I loved the colours on this forgotten staircase.
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We left the building and moved on through the downpour, past abandoned accommodation blocks and outbuildings, drill halls and into Driff's Bar. I set up, and spent ages deleting photographs taken through a steamed up lens.
This place is massive - we visited about 40% of it. Sure, much of it is similar accommodation blocks, but there will be more stuff to see.
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Last orders had been called sometime ago, and the social club was wrecked and abandoned.
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The rain was getting heavier, and gave me no opportunity to take any externals at all. It wasn't worth it - standard military accommodation blocks, with some world war two buildings. The watch tower has long gone. Doors were open, and the site sprawled on and on, unvisited by us. We continued forwards until we reached the boiler room. It was a relief to be out of the monsoon, and by now the light was fading fast. An abandoned chair.
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I loved it in here. From the photographs, you don't get the smell of damp and oil, grease and the earthy smell of decay.
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The boilers, silent and cold were enormous. We spent ages in here, before finally slipping away into the torrential rain.
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