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

To the west of Laboratory 1 is Laboratory 3 F2 126/128, which was used for climatic
testing (Figure 50). Its function was to either warm or chill a weapon to simulate the
variations of temperature that it might face in service. This building is also of reinforced
concrete construction with a barrel vaulted roof and is entered from its south end
through a concrete canopy, the southern wall of which was revetted with shingle. To
manoeuvre the heavy test objects into position there was a hoist mounted on a beam
secured to the underside of the canopy and roof of the main chamber, traces of its
fittings may still be seen. Entry into the chamber was originally through double wooden
doors, but in common with the other earlier Laboratories security was strengthened
by the addition of crude welded steel doors. At the top of these doors is a slot for
the overhead lifting beam indicating that the doors were added while the building was
operational. Internally, it comprised a large central chamber, 24.5m (80ft 5ins) by 6m
(19ft 6in), which is divided into two sections. To the south was the preparation area and
on its walls are the remains of electric conduits and small bore pipes for electric cabling.
To the rear was an insulated chamber 13.5m (44ft 4in) in length, which was separated
from the preparation area by a cement covered expandomesh wall and a metal clad
sliding door carried on an overhead rail. This slid into a corridor to the west that also
gives access to a small switch room. The working area of the rear chamber measured
9.14m (30 ft) by 3m (10ft) by 3m (10ft) and its floor, set on four dwarf concrete walls,
was capable of supporting 6 tons. The temperature range that could be achieved varied
between plus 60° to minus 60° centigrade, and while undergoing thermal tests an object
might also be subject to vibration (AWRE nd, 10).
Figure 28: Laboratory 3, interior showing the rear climatic chamber and dismounted sliding door
that sealed the chamber. (c) English Heritage DP068471
© ENGLISH HERITAGE
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10 - 2009