juggy0_1 Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 For many years i have travelled down the M56, near Junction 14 for chester services are some anonymous brick buildings which looked like they had military connections on both sides of the motorway, i imagined they were leftovers from a wartime airfield, however a look back on google earth to 1945 showed loads of them dotted around the area with each one served by a rail line into the end of each building, after a chat with my pal who's lived in the runcorn area he was non the wiser until he came up with the definitive answer as to their purpose. Follow the link for a detailed explanation.. Darren http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/community/showthread.php?2992-Dunham-on-the-Hill-WW2-Bulk-Explosive-Store Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Road Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Funny that ! I travel along the 56 a lot as well and I always wondered what they were as well . Thanks for sharing . M b Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
juggy0_1 Posted October 1, 2013 Author Share Posted October 1, 2013 After reading the info on the web site it concentrates mainly on the war years but doesnt give any clue as to whether the railway sidings to each building etc were in place up until it closed in 1985, even if they were'nt, someone on here must have taken some up to date (60's,70's,80's etc) photo's of the place, here's hoping.... cheers Darren Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryMeerkat Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 As well as the former munitions stores there are also underground tanks of aviation fuel held nearby, as part of a national network. Check out www.secret-bases.co.uk for more info on this. It is mainly current stuff but may offer an idea as to the history. Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 Not so sure about: "It is quite impossible to miss it, driving into, or out of N. Wales on the M56." (in the original link). I grew up in Stockport and my parents used to have a static caravan in Pembrokeshire (they still do have a static caravan in Pembrokeshire, but it's in their back garden now!) so we used to travel to and fro on the M56 (then down to Oswestry, Welshpool, Newtown, Aberystwyth, Cardigan) four or five times a year for 10 years, but I never remember seeing it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 After driving past the site lots of times,i went for nose round last year!! i always though it had something to do with RAF Hooton.. But now thanks to this thread i no alot more.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 Went for another look round that area today in the rain!! Came across ww2 (ROC) Cold war bunker in farmers field,near to Helsby Hill... Plan is to re-visit again soon!! in better weather,and snap few photos... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gismorail Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 I used to farm at Dunham Hill and although our land did not have any of these structures I can clearly remember them in the late 70's to mid 90's. Most of them are now used for either stock shelter or feed storage. There was an application made in the early 80's to convert them into maggot farms but nothing ever came of the application mainly due to local protest. If you wish to find out more about these type buildings I would recommend a recent publication titled 'The Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Light Railway under Military Control 1940 - 1960 written by Mike Christenson OBE and published by Lightmoor Press. I have enclosed some pictures from the above publication to give you some idea as to what went on in these buildings during WD times. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Note how the bombs in the second photo have neither the fuse-cap, or the tail fins, fitted. As such, they'd have been relatively safe to transport, the only risk being of heat from an external source detonating the explosives. The first and third shots appear to show small arms or similar ammunition being transported in wooden boxes- into the 1970s no garden shed, or domestic garage, was complete without at least one of these. The track layout is somewhat different to later bases, such as Kineton, Bicester or Longtown, where the main track formed a large loop around the site, allowing the base to continue to function even if part of the track was damaged. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gismorail Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 The main concern on the Shropshire & Montgomery site was that of flooding being near the river Severn which even in those days pre-globle warming was always a risk, a great deal of planning was put into making sure that the sheds were high enough to avoid this threat. the main construction work was carried out by Mc Alpines and the foreman was a Mr Murphy believe it or not ! According to the book quoted in my previous post the sites numbered over 200 sheds all rail serviced. The only ones not rail serviced were the ones in the Ford area which were road serviced and reputed to contain chemical weapons.!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 Very interesting good information... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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