Between 1956 and 1965 the government ordered for 1,563 monitoring posts to be built about 15 miles apart and for 31 larger HQ and control centres to also be built. These posts were intended for ROC volunteers to measure nuclear blast waves and radioactive fallout. All sites were closed down in 1991 when the Cold War came to an end with the disintegration of the Soviet Union. The ROC volunteers trained for duties that were to be carried out during the launch of a nuclear attack and were to continue to operate as the missiles fell and exploded. The personnel were also expected to carry on with their duties for up to 3 weeks after an attack.
St Ives ROC Post opened in May 1959 and closed in September 1991. Inside there are still some items left behind from when it was used including a year planner from 1991.
Of note was the presence of an N-type connector coming from the wall at the far end of the room. The connector would have attached to a VHF radio. These radios were present in the “master posts” within their group. All posts were fitted with a “Tele-Talk” phone but it was believed in the event of a nuclear explosion the telegraph poles required for the Tele-Talk would collapse and the master posts would be able to communicate over VHF using a pump-up mast attached to the outside of the post.
Thanks for looking,
Rubex
St Ives ROC Post opened in May 1959 and closed in September 1991. Inside there are still some items left behind from when it was used including a year planner from 1991.
Of note was the presence of an N-type connector coming from the wall at the far end of the room. The connector would have attached to a VHF radio. These radios were present in the “master posts” within their group. All posts were fitted with a “Tele-Talk” phone but it was believed in the event of a nuclear explosion the telegraph poles required for the Tele-Talk would collapse and the master posts would be able to communicate over VHF using a pump-up mast attached to the outside of the post.
Thanks for looking,
Rubex