1. The History
The site was built in 1955 as a Remote Weapons Store for the nearby RAF Wittering. The airfield changed from a Fighter Station to a Bomber Command Station, hence the need for a bomb store in the vicinity. Collyweston ESA was not, as some reports state, a Nuclear Weapons area, it was solely conventional.
The site’s main entrance was guarded by a Yarnold Sangar Pillbox with an extra section on but this has now been dismantled. By the entrance are a Guard House, Sub Station, Mains Room and Admin buildings, Various roadways open-up and 10 Bomb Maintenance Buildings are located towards the front of the site. These were re-vetted for use with 1000lb High Explosive bombs and Cluster Bomb Units.
Deeper into the site straight on and to the right of the main thoroughfare are three rows of ten explosive storage units. Nine of the middle row have been demolished leaving 21 in total standing. Nicknamed ‘Dutch Barns’, they were used for the storage of BL755 Cluster Bombs, manufactured by Hunting Engineering in Ampthill, Bedfordshire.
To the left of the central row can be found a row of ten more 1000lb HE storage buildings - all of which have been flattened. To the left of this were another four 1000lb HE storage buildings again all demo’ed. More interesting however are three intact 68mm SNEB Rocket storage buildings (as used by the Harrier II (GR5 & 7) in the Ground Attack Role). Most interesting of all, in the final row of the left of the site are nine hardened ‘Igloo’ cells, fitted with filtered air supply and enclosed electrical supplies, these hardened units were used for storing ‘unspecified’ American explosives from RAF Lakenheath. The site closed circa 1996.
The site in the past has been used for many illegal raves over the years, mainly by the An Watt Sound System on Bank Holiday weekends. More than 4,500 revellers took part in a three-day illegal rave at a former bomb dump in April 2006.
Also, in recent years, travellers have removed to miles of 3-phase armoured cable, pipework for the underground fire prevention system and virtually all of the aluminium.
Ariel view of the site courtesy of Google Maps:
20180508_073936 by HughieDW, on Flickr
2. The Explore
Been on my list for a while but forgotten about this place. It’s been subject to reports now and again. It probably gets missed out because of its rural location and the fact it’s a bit of a shell. But a bomb store’s a bomb store! Easy entry and a relaxed mooch on a lovely sunny spring morning. Given the low-slung nature of this place a drone would have come in really hand.
3. The Pictures:
Gate No.1:
img7500 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Gate No 2:
img7499 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And we’re in:
img7453 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7452 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7451 by HughieDW, on Flickr
First ensemble of buildings were used for bomb maintenance. These are all wide open:
img7496 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7495 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7468 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7493 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7470 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7466 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7465 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7456 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7459 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7467 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7461 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7455 by HughieDW, on Flickr
These buildings known by the RAF staff as Dutch barns:
img7471 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7472 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7473 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7475 by HughieDW, on Flickr
This building was used to store 68mm SNEB rockets:
img7477 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Gate 48!
img7479 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Finally, it’s the IGLOO’s. These buildings were used to store American Explosives from RAF Lakenheath:
img7486 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7490 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Of the nine, only one is open:
img7487 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7484 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Finally,the obligatory penis graff!
img7497 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The site was built in 1955 as a Remote Weapons Store for the nearby RAF Wittering. The airfield changed from a Fighter Station to a Bomber Command Station, hence the need for a bomb store in the vicinity. Collyweston ESA was not, as some reports state, a Nuclear Weapons area, it was solely conventional.
The site’s main entrance was guarded by a Yarnold Sangar Pillbox with an extra section on but this has now been dismantled. By the entrance are a Guard House, Sub Station, Mains Room and Admin buildings, Various roadways open-up and 10 Bomb Maintenance Buildings are located towards the front of the site. These were re-vetted for use with 1000lb High Explosive bombs and Cluster Bomb Units.
Deeper into the site straight on and to the right of the main thoroughfare are three rows of ten explosive storage units. Nine of the middle row have been demolished leaving 21 in total standing. Nicknamed ‘Dutch Barns’, they were used for the storage of BL755 Cluster Bombs, manufactured by Hunting Engineering in Ampthill, Bedfordshire.
To the left of the central row can be found a row of ten more 1000lb HE storage buildings - all of which have been flattened. To the left of this were another four 1000lb HE storage buildings again all demo’ed. More interesting however are three intact 68mm SNEB Rocket storage buildings (as used by the Harrier II (GR5 & 7) in the Ground Attack Role). Most interesting of all, in the final row of the left of the site are nine hardened ‘Igloo’ cells, fitted with filtered air supply and enclosed electrical supplies, these hardened units were used for storing ‘unspecified’ American explosives from RAF Lakenheath. The site closed circa 1996.
The site in the past has been used for many illegal raves over the years, mainly by the An Watt Sound System on Bank Holiday weekends. More than 4,500 revellers took part in a three-day illegal rave at a former bomb dump in April 2006.
Also, in recent years, travellers have removed to miles of 3-phase armoured cable, pipework for the underground fire prevention system and virtually all of the aluminium.
Ariel view of the site courtesy of Google Maps:
2. The Explore
Been on my list for a while but forgotten about this place. It’s been subject to reports now and again. It probably gets missed out because of its rural location and the fact it’s a bit of a shell. But a bomb store’s a bomb store! Easy entry and a relaxed mooch on a lovely sunny spring morning. Given the low-slung nature of this place a drone would have come in really hand.
3. The Pictures:
Gate No.1:
Gate No 2:
And we’re in:
First ensemble of buildings were used for bomb maintenance. These are all wide open:
These buildings known by the RAF staff as Dutch barns:
This building was used to store 68mm SNEB rockets:
Gate 48!
Finally, it’s the IGLOO’s. These buildings were used to store American Explosives from RAF Lakenheath:
Of the nine, only one is open:
Finally,the obligatory penis graff!
