Atomic Weapons Research Establishment. Orford ... - English Heritage

suppressant, and within the roof structure are the remains of large air conditioning ducts.
On the northern side of the south eastern entrance passage are two rooms that
probably accommodated switch and monitoring equipment, and on the south side of the
south west entrance passage was a staff room and toilet cubicles. Testing required the
building to be temperature and humidity controlled and on the northwest side of the
mound is a large self-contained reinforced concrete, two bay plant room measuring 21m
(69ft) by 3.89m (12ft 8in). This sits within the main shingle traverse and is insulated from
it by a surrounding brick wall that acts a damp course. Air conditioning ducts from the
main chamber enter this building and surviving plant within it indicates that it housed air
conditioning plant. On the north side of the traverse is a similar self-contained structure;
surviving fittings show that it mainly housed electrical switch gear, controls for the
vibrating machines and carbon-dioxide supplies for the fire suppressant system. To the
northwest of Laboratory 1 F3/123 is a detached rectangular reinforced concrete building,
10.92m (35ft 10in) by 6.1m (20ft). It was formerly numbered 127 and its last function
was described as a Laboratory Store. Later alterations to this building, include the
bricking up of the entrance on its southwest side and the replacement of wide opening
with a single door, at this time a window was probably also blocked on the northwest
side. Internally, a breeze block wall was inserted. These alterations may point to a
change in the building’s function.
Figure 26: Control Room F4 127/67, showing the later brick porch and blast wall. (c) English
Heritage
The operations within Laboratory 1 were considered to be so hazardous that it was
provided with a detached Control Room F4/127/67 130m (142yds) to its northeast.
This is an L-shaped reinforced concrete structure, originally with an open sided porch
© ENGLISH HERITAGE
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10 - 2009