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

Figure 35: Vibration Laboratory E2 showing the main test chamber with slots for mounting test
equipment. (c) English Heritage DP068518
northern side of the lift pit, the upper walkway and to an emergency escape passage
through the north side of the traverse.
To the south of the main cell is a freestanding Burwell brick-built plant room. The main
plant room is entered through two sets of double doors on its south side, internally
are four machinery mounting plinths. Attached to its west wall is a metal cabinet that
probably housed equipment to operate the hydraulic compressor for the internal lift. At
the eastern end of the building is a store room with a blocked doorway to the south.
To the east of the main cell is another large freestanding Burwell brick plant room
running along the eastern side of the Vibration Test Building. At its southern end is
a large, now open, bay that housed water coolers, this comprises a flat concrete roof
with roof vents, that was supported on two steel girder portal frames and a brick wall
to the south with a door opening. To aid ventilation its side walls were infilled with
wooden louvered vents and probably for decorative effect the vertical steel columns
were originally covered with copper sheeting. Internally, there is a central walkway and
cable conduits, now filled with shingle. A now blocked door in its north wall gave access
to the main plant room. At the southern end of the main plant block was an electrical
transformer in a self-contained room bay and to its north three large openings closed
by metal concertina doors. Internally, the eastern section of the main plant room,
which housed amplifiers, a solid concrete floor remains, while to the west the floor
© ENGLISH HERITAGE
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10 - 2009