Report - ROF Thorp Arch Estate - Wetherby - Nov 2010 to Jan 2011 (Pic Heavy)

[j0nny]

Hello all,
This is my first post, I'll warn you it's quite Pic heavy. Any feedback would be welcome.

I won't go into too much detail on the history of the site as it's been covered here and I don't think I've found much more out about the site as a whole.

I've been visiting Thorp Arch during my lunch breaks as I work near by. The site is huge and if anyone decides to visit I think you'll need about a day to see everything.

I'll start at Queen Mary House in the centre of the estate. Named after the Queen Mary due to it's 3 explosives storage towers, looking similar to the ship's chimneys. Currently used by Moores Furniture Group the building is only half used and the portacabin at the back is no longer used.















A view up into one of QMH's towers. From outside the tower you can still see the rails through the doorway.





Moving on, within the Moores perimiter fence I spotted this structure on Google earth. Anyone have any idea what it is?








Some shots from inside the warehouses







This kitchen is at the back of one of the warehouses, it has a strange plastic wrapped item, my initial reacton was is that a body?








More warehouse shots













Missing a shoe anyone?



A small outbuilding







Air raid shelter on the south of the site



Small bunker buildings full of junk






Thanks for looking, I have loads more shots if anyone would like to see?

[KingElvis]

Really good mate, nice to see some interiors too.

Like this one lots.

[homosapien1918]

[QUOTE=j0nny.;146788]


Moving on, within the Moores perimiter fence I spotted this structure on Google earth. Anyone have any idea what it is?




Antiaircraft gun mount?

[boxfrenzy]

That's very nice mate. Always surprised more people haven't been here as it is ace. Nice to see some of the other details, and I guess more and more of this place will be closing with the money shortage thingy. Nice report skipper

[Nicola]

Well done - some grand pictures there!

[j0nny]

Thanks guys,

I've been back and taken a few more photo's of other area (same site) if I want to post these should I do it on a new post or reply to my own thread?

[converse1]

Nice to see some of the derelict side of Thorpe Arch.

[compound eye]

From the layout of that mystery structure I wonder if it was perhaps the mount for a sighting or triangulation device rather than a gun mount. The roof is too close in to the centre, for my liking, for it to be an AA mount - effective AA would need to be at least 20mm cannon and I don't see any 'hardened' magazine in the bunker for ammo. Mounting a Bren or a Lewis in an AA role would be like throwing stones at passing aeroplanes, and would be on a lighter mount anyway. The solidity of the base suggests something more precise such as an optical instrument [isn't that a manual traverse gear on the side of it?], with the ceiling close in around it so chummy boy can keep phoning in the goods even under fire.