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

Control Room
AREA/LOCATION: STRUCTURE No. E4 was 139
DATE: 1960 NGR: TM 43325 48114
ORIGINAL FUNCTION: Control Room
CONSTRUCTIONAL TYPE: Brick
LATEST FUNCTION: Control Room
DIMENSIONS: 35.07m (115ft) x 15.88m(52ft) x
Height: 3.67m (12ft)
DOCUMENTARY REFERENCE: UKAEA SW/S7842/139 Control Room Orford Ness Control
Building No 139 Plans, sections and elevations 1 12 61; AWRE 1971 139; PSA 1973 139 New
Control Room (disused); TNA:PRO AB16/2975
PHOTOGRAPHS:AA99/08482 and AA99/08483, DP070005-6, DP070009, DP070017
RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER FEATURES: E1, E2 & E3
DESCRIPTION:
The Control Room is a large single storey rectangular building of brick cavity wall construction faced in
Burwell whites laid to stretcher bond. It has a flat roof composed of reinforced concrete beams with
concrete block infill and is felt covered. The building may be divided into two sections. The west of the
building is slightly taller and wider with a central east-west longitudinal corridor. This may be entered
from main entrance from the east and from the west end through a set of double-wooden doors with
a louvred vent above. Internally, suspended from its ceiling are various heating and electrical pipes and
there are the remains of flourescent lighting tubes. To either side of this corridor are six bays, three to
the front and three to the rear all with cable ducts in their floors. To reduce nosie their walls and ceilings
were covered by pierced, square plasterboard panels mounted on wooden batons. The southwest
room comprises a large open room comprising two bays. The upper sections of the windows appear
to have been glazed in a yellow-tinted perspex while the lower windows were glazed in clear glass. It is,
however, known that a film company used the building and the yellow perspex, or sugar glass, originate
from their activities. Each bay was lit by a large metal-framed ten-light window shielded with internal
venetian blinds. Below the windows the exterior walls are finished in a red asphalt-like surface render.
ENGLISH HERITAGE
AWRE ORFORDNESS