Tanktraps. Outer London Defence Ring. 04/2008

Hi all,
These tanktraps form part of the outer London defence ring at Cuffley, protecting a river, a road and a train line. Alltogether there are 85 tanktraps and are the most extensive surviving group in the country.











And this larger than normal one.

Very interesting Sneaker thanks for posting.

The cubes under the bridge would have originally have been on the road, something like two on either side of the road spaced apart roughly 20-30 yards. Vehicles would be stopped and checked by members of the Home Guard.

Probably would have looked something a bit like this pic below.




The large concrete block looks to me as though it was part of a roadblock, the two rusty bits of metal on the left side of the block were most probably loops so a piece of rail line could be slotted into place.

Here's a pic of a rather beefy version of what I'm talking about.




Remains of a road block at Monkton Farleigh, Wiltshire with loops still in place the block on the other side of the road has been destroyed.



Pic from the IWM collection showing Home Guard troops on exercise guarding a roadblock.



B

Thats great mate, explains the large block nicely.

Tank traps

Interestingly different stuff,they made stuff to last in those days,not like the rubbish they make now,would be grey breezeblocks and grey tin nowadays.

Great before and after angle on the pictures,nice work guys.

Sorry to disappoint. This railway bridge is well known to me, and the 'large' concrete block never had any loops in it. The rusty metal you can see is the internal rebar, which it too close to the outer surface at that corner. Spalling, due to the corroding rebar has push an outer layer of concrete off. If you look carefully you can see pieces of the detached surface on the ground.

There are pictures - in the IWM archive I think - with a bloody great chain stretched between the Monkton Farleigh block loops. The pictures were in some self published booklet, issued years ago. Unfortunately I cannot lay my hands on it at the moment!

Very interesting,. thanks for sharing! I wonder how many people pass these every day without giving them any thought!

Amazing to see that many tank blocks in such a relatively small area! Good stuff!

Dirus Strictus wrote.

Sorry to disappoint. This railway bridge is well known to me, and the 'large' concrete block never had any loops in it. The rusty metal you can see is the internal rebar, which it too close to the outer surface at that corner. Spalling, due to the corroding rebar has push an outer layer of concrete off. If you look carefully you can see pieces of the detached surface on the ground.

There are pictures - in the IWM archive I think - with a bloody great chain stretched between the Monkton Farleigh block loops. The pictures were in some self published booklet, issued years ago. Unfortunately I cannot lay my hands on it at the moment!

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Thanks for the info DS. My theory that the large concrete block was part of a road block could very well be incorrect, one thing though is that the large block is very different from the anti tank cubes at this location.

Regarding the Monkton Farleigh defences, the underground ammo store was a huge site with numerous sloped shafts for the transportation of shells/bombs. I know of two remaining roadblocks but it wouldn't surprise me if originally there had been 8 or more. I hope you find the picture you have as I and probably quite a few other people on here would love to see it.

I have read somewhere about a Home Guard road block that used a chain whilst it was guarded and a length of rail line when it wasn't, this makes sense to me as a chain is easy to move whilst a bit of rail line is going to require many hands and is not going to be shifted quickly.

B

I bet they couldn't stop a caravan being towed by a LDV

Bishop said:

Thanks for the info DS. My theory that the large concrete block was part of a road block could very well be incorrect, one thing though is that the large block is very different from the anti tank cubes at this location. B

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I think you are correct about the block being used in a road block. It is just the fact that it never had a metal loop in that damaged area. When I first worked in that area, we actually unloaded our equipment cases onto that particular block. There was no surface damage then, that happened much later on.

Looking at this pic, could there of been something on the road facing side of the large trap? (one place i did not look at, doh), the trap in the middle looks like it might of had something broken off but i am not sure if they line up!!.

I am going to have to go back for another look aren't i?

Sneaker wrote.

I am going to have to go back for another look aren't i?

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That would be good mate. Are you going to check out the HAA as well?

B

Bishop said:

Sneaker wrote.



That would be good mate. Are you going to check out the HAA as well?

B

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Yes mate i certainly am!.
Thanks for the link, i now have a list as long as my arm, mostly local too, cheers.

I went back and took a pic of the front of the large block.





Also found this one all on it's own as well.