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

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Figure 38: The Impact Facility F5, visible on the wall are the impact spots from firing bomb casings against its surface. To the right is the Control Room F4. (c) English Heritage DP068431 Figure 39: Centrifuge E1 to the right is one of the shingle revetted sides facing the occupied section of the site, also in view is an emergency escape way through the traverse. (C) English Heritage DP068500 © ENGLISH HERITAGE 54 10 - 2009
Figure 40: Centrifuge E1, interior showing the main entrance to the right and steps down into the pit. Also visible in this view are three of the four concrete piers that supported the centrifuge's frame. The rear door led to the emergency escape way. (c) English Heritage DP068497 gantry that supported a series of high speed cameras that recorded the impact of the weapon against the wall. During the dismantling of the establishment the wooden gantry was cut down and sections remain where they fell. On the northeast side of the wall are a number of spalled areas that mark the positions of impact. To its south historic photographs show torpedo netting supported on scaffold poles that were designed to catch the weapon, traces of these poles are evident at the side of the concrete surface. To the northeast of the wall is an area of largely featureless concrete on which the tracks for the rocket sleds were placed. These appear to have been semi-movable and were secured to fixing points along the edge of the concrete area. Also on this slab are a number of metal grid covers that probably gave access to control and monitoring cables, and two electrical switch boxes. Air photographs reveal that the programme to construct a second Centrifuge E1/176 (Figure 39) was begun sometime after 1965, and a typescript Property Services Agency building list dates it to 1966 (PSA 1973). It was constructed at the western extremity of the site to the west of the Vibration Test Building E2/136 and within the existing site boundary (Figure 52). To provide access to the new building a single track concrete roadway was constructed westwards from the Control Room E4/139. The design of the Centrifuge building suggests that it too was designed to handle devices containing explosives. It is a single rectangular concrete structure with gable ends and is covered by a light, pressed-metal roof sheeting with insulation board beneath supported on three rolled steel joists with angle-iron purlins. Its north and east sides, which face other © ENGLISH HERITAGE 55 10 - 2009
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RESEARCH DEPARTMENT REPORT SERIES n
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Research Department Report Series 1
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© ENGLISH HERITAGE 2009 10 -
Page 8 and 9: Sources 64 Primary sources 64 Secon
Page 10 and 11: Introduction The Atomic Weapons Res
Page 12 and 13: Topography and land use Orford Ness
Page 14 and 15: Previous archaeological and histori
Page 16 and 17: The First World War In 1915, the Ar
Page 18 and 19: Figure 4: Photograph taken during t
Page 20 and 21: sorties were flown from RAF Martles
Page 22 and 23: Ballistics Building and was able to
Page 24 and 25: With the closure of the Ministry of
Page 26 and 27: Figure 11: Vibration Test Buildings
Page 28 and 29: Figure 12: WE177A freefall tactical
Page 30 and 31: Orford Ness formally passed from AW
Page 32 and 33: Figure 14: RAF Orford Ness in May 1
Page 34 and 35: Figure 16: The remains of the Model
Page 36 and 37: hostel. Adjacent to this is the sit
Page 38 and 39: Figure 21: First World War Magazine
Page 40 and 41: First phase AWRE buildings Air phot
Page 42 and 43: Figure 24: View of the area to the
Page 44 and 45: Figure 25: Laboratory 1 F3/123 show
Page 46 and 47: on its northeast side that gave acc
Page 48 and 49: To support the functions of this bu
Page 50 and 51: The centrifuge arm was 16ft (4.88m)
Page 52 and 53: Figure 32: The Control Room E4, sho
Page 54 and 55: Figure 34: Vibration Laboratory E2,
Page 56 and 57: was supported on concrete piers. Th
Page 60 and 61: uildings, are covered by a shingle
Page 62 and 63: for solitary sheep and cattle graze
Page 64 and 65: Figure 42: AWRE in July 1958, by th
Page 66 and 67: programme, the development of the W
Page 68 and 69: Sources Primary sources The Nationa
Page 70 and 71: Secondary sources Anon 1931 ‘Radi
Page 72 and 73: Building list This list was compile
Page 74 and 75: 62 7 ton crane - quay 63 7 ton cran
Page 76 and 77: 125 F1 1956 Lab II & control room (
Page 78 and 79: Magazine AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTURE N
Page 80 and 81: Fuze Magazine AREA/LOCATION: STRUCT
Page 82 and 83: Fuze Magazine AREA/LOCATION: STRUCT
Page 84 and 85: a cruciform framework to support th
Page 86 and 87: Vibration Test Building AREA/LOCATI
Page 88 and 89: are 3 large concrete machinery moun
Page 90 and 91: At the south end of the main plant
Page 92 and 93: At the east end there is a slightly
Page 94 and 95: a similar sign on the south door re
Page 96 and 97: Electrical Sub Station 2 AREA/LOCAT
Page 98 and 99: Laboratory 2 AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTU
Page 100 and 101: Laboratory 3 AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTU
Page 102 and 103: ing the shingle traverse and protec
Page 104 and 105: and running along the north wall. T
Page 106 and 107: cylinder. Roughly in the centre of
Page 108 and 109:
tion board/fuse box, and a single s
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Impact Facility AREA/LOCATION: STRU
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Plinth E AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTURE N
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Black Beacon AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTU
Page 116 and 117:
Headquarters AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTU
Page 118 and 119:
Small Vibration Laboratory AREA/LOC
Page 120 and 121:
Office Annexe AREA/LOCATION: STRUCT
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Compound AREA/LOCATION: G Area STRU
Page 124 and 125:
Electronics Workshop AREA/LOCATION:
Page 126 and 127:
Plinth G AREA/LOCATION: Lighthouse
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Figure 44: Reference plan (1:10000
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Figure 46: West end of The Street (
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Figure 48: AWRE headquarters area (
Page 134 and 135:
Figure 50: Laboratory F5 (1:1000 at
Page 136 and 137:
Figure 52: Pagodas and Control Room
Page 138:
ENGLISH HERITAGE RESEARCH DEPARTMEN
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