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RAF Barnham, Norfolk

A forum for the discussion of Military aviation and RAF Station heritage
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Knife 04
Posts: 3407
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:05 pm
Location: 'Up the smoke doin' a deal'

RAF Barnham, Norfolk

Post by Knife 04 » Tue Oct 01, 2019 8:57 pm

Evening everybody

We were privileged to have a tour around the old Nuclear Weapon Storage Site on Saturday with the gang and led by Mr Keith Eldred, owner of the site - absolute top man and font of all knowledge. Sorry that others could not make it - James and Rich due to other commitments and of course Paddyboy who was suffering from a cold (or so he said - looked more like flu by lunchtime). A big thanks to Pete (Grumpy 616) for organising and his better half Anna for beating him into arranging. Good to be back in Suffolk / Norflolk with everybody again camping at The Nook! Massive thanks to John for accommodating and putting up with us!

RAF Barnham was a Nuclear Weapon Storage Site from the mid 1950s to early '60s for the storage and servicing of nuclear weapons, namely Blue Danube & Red Beard, for the 'V' Force stationed in the southern sector, Honington, Marham etc - not going to go into too much history here as I could go on for a few pages - this link tells it all

https://rafbarnham-nss.weebly.com/

Our thanks to Mr Eldred for the great tour, up keep and administration of the site and also English Heritage for recognising the site

The reason for the facility
Image'Blue Danube' - Britain's First Nuclear Deterrent - 1953 - 1962 by Darren Currie, on Flickr

ImageRestored Watch Tower, RAF Barnham by Darren Currie, on Flickr

ImageRestored Watch Tower, RAF Barnham by Darren Currie, on Flickr

ImageRAF Barnham, Nuclear Weapon Storage Area, Norfolk by Darren Currie, on Flickr

ImageFissile Core Storage 'Hutches' by Darren Currie, on Flickr

ImageCore Storage Flasks in Fissile Core Storage 'Hutches' by Darren Currie, on Flickr

ImageRadiation Warning Sign on Fissile Core Storage 'Hutch' by Darren Currie, on Flickr

ImageRestored Watch Tower, RAF Barnham by Darren Currie, on Flickr

ImageRestored Watch Tower, RAF Barnham by Darren Currie, on Flickr

Hope you found of interest

Darren

1marshn30
Posts: 974
Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2014 4:35 pm
Location: Bodicote Oxfordshire

Re: RAF Barnham, Norfolk

Post by 1marshn30 » Tue Oct 01, 2019 9:10 pm

Great post mate looks a really intresting place . It looks someone is making a good job of keep the place in decent nick for other generations to see .
Really must get over that side of the county again some time before it is either gone or built on .
Hopefully catch up with you soon
Ni

Fibrous Freddie
Posts: 181
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2019 2:24 pm

Re: RAF Barnham, Norfolk

Post by Fibrous Freddie » Wed Oct 02, 2019 9:37 am

Cracking images from a 'special' place. Amazing what is out there.... Sometimes there must have been quite surprising road traffic in the area!
Have spent many nights out on RAF Barnham on training 'exercises' and being intrigued by the bunkers and old railway sidings... I'd looked into the history of this site. Highly recommend a visit... I believe that the wider 'Barnham Camp' site leaves military ownership next year?

OFF TOPIC... just walking through a RSPB site we saw some concrete bunkers... obviously WW2 defences... but no!!!! it was a tracked vehicle gunnery range!
http://pillboxes-suffolk.webeden.co.uk/ ... 4590160935
Amazing what is out there, and great that it is being recorded. See also the anti-glider trenches near Woodbridge...
I have even trekked through the 'Ashley Walk' range to find the site of the TallBoy drop. Highly recommend a stroll around that part of the New Forest area.

Vulture 01
Posts: 400
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2010 9:20 pm

Re: RAF Barnham, Norfolk

Post by Vulture 01 » Wed Jan 13, 2021 4:12 pm

If you can get it Cold War: Building for Nuclear Confrontation 1946-89 is very good.
It was published by English Heritage in 2003
ISBN 1 873592 69 8 applies

HTH Bob

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Thunderbolt II
Posts: 1065
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 7:40 am

Re: RAF Barnham, Norfolk

Post by Thunderbolt II » Wed Jan 13, 2021 8:07 pm

Agreed. That is an excellent and informative book.

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