Hot on the heels of 'Broken' I took the chance to have an explore of the Thames Water Emergency Centre at Blunsdon, Wiltshire.
Subbrit state that it was built in the 1980s however all the paperwork and plans indicate that it was built in the early 1990s.
It was designed to accommodate 12 people for 30 days without external power or water. The structure was designed to withstand a blast overpressure of 52 kN/m2. It is constructed as a reinforced concrete box with 300mm thick external walls and slabs. All walls between potentially contaminated areas and personnel areas are also 300mm thick to give a radiation factor of at least 100. All entrances and contaminated areas are separated from personnel areas by 200mm thick concrete blast doors, to protect against the effects of blast and radiation.
So a little tour...
The outside...
Down the stairs...
In the airlock, looking towards the decontamination area (left) and the generator room (right)...
Two shots of the generator and fuel tank...
Blast door between decontamination area and changing area, with the work area in the background...
Decontamination shower...
On the right then was the ventilation room...
The pumps still had the manual handles placed on top. The ventilation system could be routed through NBC filters if required.
Into the main work area...
Off the work area was the dormitory, with would have held four triple-high bunks, and a few lockers...
Next, the kitchen...
The store room, which just seemed to be a huge water tank...
and then the toilets and washroom...
There is two toilets, a urinal and a small sink in there. Also a large waste collection vessel and manual pumps...
Subbrit state that it was built in the 1980s however all the paperwork and plans indicate that it was built in the early 1990s.
It was designed to accommodate 12 people for 30 days without external power or water. The structure was designed to withstand a blast overpressure of 52 kN/m2. It is constructed as a reinforced concrete box with 300mm thick external walls and slabs. All walls between potentially contaminated areas and personnel areas are also 300mm thick to give a radiation factor of at least 100. All entrances and contaminated areas are separated from personnel areas by 200mm thick concrete blast doors, to protect against the effects of blast and radiation.
So a little tour...
The outside...
Down the stairs...
In the airlock, looking towards the decontamination area (left) and the generator room (right)...
Two shots of the generator and fuel tank...
Blast door between decontamination area and changing area, with the work area in the background...
Decontamination shower...
On the right then was the ventilation room...
The pumps still had the manual handles placed on top. The ventilation system could be routed through NBC filters if required.
Into the main work area...
Off the work area was the dormitory, with would have held four triple-high bunks, and a few lockers...
Next, the kitchen...
The store room, which just seemed to be a huge water tank...
and then the toilets and washroom...
There is two toilets, a urinal and a small sink in there. Also a large waste collection vessel and manual pumps...