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ishootpictures
31-10-2009, 02:52 AM
Hi again.

I made a return visit to the fort/radio station today, to investigate more of the old fort side of things. (I don't have post auth for the military thread, so it's in the new members bit).

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4525.JPG
OS calibration marker on top of the magazine

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4530.JPG
http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4531.JPG
Fallen radio mast still in place on the top of the artillery magazine from its later use as part of Marconi. Cable guys are still attached.

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4533.JPG
An entrance on the North side of the magazine

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4534.JPG
Which leads all the way through to the inside

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4538.JPG
Room at the far end of the tunnel, can't make out the writing, but it looks like store on the end

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4541.JPG
Inside of the battery. The large garage like openings are the casements for storing the guns. There are large metal hinges mounted for doors, but no doors were ever installed.

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4542.JPG
Electrics look a bit iffy... As the battery and gorge casements are below ground they do get flooded, especially the gorge casements as I understand the existing drain is unmaintained and blocked.

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4543.JPG
http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4545.JPG
http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4546.JPG
Inside the magazine. Most of these shots were done blind with the flash, I forgot my torch, and it's pitch black in there!

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4549.JPG
Looking back down into the magazine.

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4550.JPG
The back of the gorge casements, yet another set of stairs...

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4551.JPG
On the edge of the gorge casements

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4552.JPG
In the gorge

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4553.JPG
I have no idea what this was for, it was hiding in a dark corner. It looks like a variable voltage control, antique light dimmer?!
It's hard to guess as the gorge casements were used for many things in their life, ammunition storage, barracks and then various storage for the radio station.

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4554.JPG
Tough doors... Notice the covered firing hole at the top.

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4555.JPG
Benches or beds?

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4556.JPG
More rust power

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4560.JPG
A rusty can full of who knows what... It looked black and nasty!

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4561.JPG
Various storage

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4562.JPG
How much of this is from vandals, and how much from the flooding redistributing anything that floats is anyone's guess.

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4565.JPG
The insulators Broughton Boy was asking about

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4566.jpg
Just for Broughton Boy.

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4568.JPG
Remains of a door in the gorge... Surreal placement!

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4576.JPG
Bridge to the left, gorge infront.

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4578.JPG
The bridge which leads onto the roof of the gorge casements, and from there allows access to the magazines behind.

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4579.JPG
Gate hinge (down the bottom of the large gate post).

http://www.ishootpictures.co.uk/linkedimages/SJE_4587.JPG
Have a look at the third picture down on http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/n/north_weald_ongar_radio/index.shtml Spot the difference?

The table is part of some props a photographic student was in the process of packing up into the back of her friends car.

Kevsy21
31-10-2009, 11:09 AM
looks a very interesting place, great pics:thumb

ishootpictures
01-11-2009, 04:40 AM
Thanks guys/girls.

It is rather hidden away. I only found out about it recently, and I've lived within 20 miles for most of my life!

It's pretty good for a beginner explorer like me. It's all single storey, so no climbing dodgy stairs and falling through, and no security.
Basically as long as you have a torch (like this genius didn't), you can't go far wrong!
Plus the only people that seem to come up there are dog walkers, and they didn't seem at all phased by me climbing out through the fence (maybe having a big camera slung round my neck gave me a little more of an official air).

I believe the entire site was sold to a developer over 10 years ago, and since then a large chunk of the radio antenna fields has been turned into a golf course (yawn, like half the rest of the country). The old Victorian fortifications are listed as special interest, so the developer can't really do much with it, plus of course they really know how to build military structures, it would cost a fortune to even try to remove.
The old caretakers cottages may fall down eventually, but I don't think the casements will be going anywhere for a very long time indeed!

boxfrenzy
01-11-2009, 09:39 AM
This is good mate, I like it a lot.
Additional marks for going back. So often people say they will revist, and never do. Good job :thumb

ishootpictures
03-11-2009, 01:03 AM
Yup, I actually found the turret the first visit, I thought I'd posted a pic, but it looks like I forgot. I'm actually standing right next to it for the picture I took of the stairs going into the back of the gorge casement.
There is supposed to be another on the other side, but I think that will require a machete to find!

evilnoodle
05-11-2009, 11:23 PM
Some good stuff there. I like the look of the cottages in the last pic :thumb

BB
06-11-2009, 02:35 PM
Ahhh thought they would have been some sort of electrical insulator.

Great report :thumb