raf west raynham..decontamination block.

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Mikeymutt

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I took another visit to west raynham to show some guys up north around.this was my sixth visit there.we spent over seven hours there.and I went in quite a bit I have not been in all my visits.i will post a report on them bits in the new year.we did go in the medical block again.this time I took the time to photograph the decontamination block at the back.the block is set in three different chambers.with airlock doors.i don't really know the full workings of it.and I had a good look around to see how I thought it worked.and tried to do a fair bit of research on it to no avail..I guess the unit would have been used in a chemical attack or for fallout from a nuclear attack.with the air locks I presume the whole place could then lose all compression..to be honest it's quite an eerie place.its in pitch black.with no windows.its not eerie as in creepy.just eerie in how close and on the edge We were of a nuclear attack or a soviet invasion and use of chemicals.

This is the doors that lead from the medical block down to the de contamination block.

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Main corridor heading down.

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The thick red steel door gives you a clue of what this place is.

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Stage one was filled with tyres.working it out this was were they would be stripped of there contaminated clothes

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Once through the air lock door you head into stage two.there is a row of showers.these would be used to clean of contamination off.

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We then head into stage three there is like what looks like a rack of beds.some say this was the morgue.i personally think is was them decompression beds were they isolate you under plastic.

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Connected to room three was a little room simply named "control cell" just a few cupboards.and what looked like a telephone panel.i can imagine this prob had more controls and switches in here,and where it was all controlled from.the lights,the ventilation.etc.

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The ventilation room and boiler room.all self contained in case of an electrics failure or sabotage.

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That's it from here.if anyone else can add info I would be most grateful.thank you.
 
Bloody frightening when bits that show how close we came to slinging nukes at each other come to light,
Proper Job, Thanks
 
Bloody frightening when bits that show how close we came to slinging nukes at each other come to light,
Proper Job, Thanks

We're heading that way again too!

Decontamination blocks actually have their roots in WW2, most primary airfields had them (although their satellites didn't). Chemical/biological/radioactive warfare has always been and will always be a fear.

There's an interesting bit of propoganda on the BBC iPlayer at the moment, a BBC4 documentary on Porton Down. It's well worth a watch even if there is a bunch of smoke and mirrors in it.
 
Quote -We then head into stage three there is like what looks like a rack of beds.some say this was the morgue.i personally think is was them decompression beds were they isolate you under plastic.- Quote

It was the morgue - The run of 3" pipes suspended from the ceiling over the numbered racking carried the liquid ammonia refrigerant. Photograph 14 shows the motorised control valve for the run of ceiling mounted heating pipes, just above the green 'fire exit' sign. From memory the cooling system was very crude, judging by the ammonia compressor and sundry equipment in one of the machinery spaces. There was no control of the cooling circuits, the ammonia was circulated all the time the plant was in operation, temperature control was achieved by controlling the flow of hot water in the heating circuit pipes - hence the motorised valve(s) one sees. However these places were always 'dual purpose' - Dead bodies would be washed and decontaminated in the usual way; however, if there were large numbers of injured and contaminated personnel in the immediate area, the living could also be treated and decontaminated. Hence the run of heating pipework. Photo nine shows the washing stations where the stretchered injured would be washed and decontaminated. All decontamination was done to a very strict set of rules, hence the stages and all injured were marked accordingly.

Smiler, We would have come a darned sight closer if CND had had their way back then. It certainly was a mutual deterrent.
 
We're heading that way again too!Decontamination blocks actually have their roots in WW2, most primary airfields had them

Whilst the concrete facilities go back to WW2, the 'portable' or 'first aid' decontamination units have their origins in the use of phosgene and mustard gas in WW1.
 
Thank you ds you have really eased my curiosity if it was a morgue or not.
 

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