Having plotted out the tantalizing area running from East of Bramsall down to Hazeley, East of Hook and out along the Basingstoke Canal it was time for me to start chipping away at the plethora of goodies in the areas. It wasn't easy be any means and the area was criss crossed with rivers, boggy ground and the going was tough. Most areas in the woods were triffid head height in ferns and nettles and i wondered what the hell made me tackle such a forbidding tract of land. I did get a few fails as always but again they will still be sat there waiting for me to say hello soon so no worries on that score.
The rewards were high though as it got me to my first prefab 26, a section post and the amount of shutters still in place in the area with their pull to cables intact made for interesting viewing. I might have found an undocumented 24 though this will need confirming. Some of the information on the DoB was slightly inaccurate but i shall comment on this later in the thread.
I cycled down to the area after a faint hint that it wouldn't rain only for it to pee it down as soon as i reached the first area i wished to explore. Fantastic news when i knew i would be knee deep in wet sodden grass who seemed to pass their seeds to me like i was a magnet. I also came to a stand off with a herd of cows again but this time i handled the situation calmly, clucking at them like an idiot and touching their noses to let them know Sunday roast wasn't on the cards just yet. Once again i decided to stay out there after the light fell so i could make a very early morning start and get to the line of pillboxes that were so close but so far away. Hacking away at the undergrowth in certain areas proved just rewards so i hope you enjoy the photos.
PILLBOX (PREFABRICATED): S0011154
Partly flooded up to 2 inches or so, but the stones inside provided decent stepping stones to allow me to get inside to have a squint at me first prefab. There are two further nother in adjacent fields but the weather at this time was not fun so i need to revisit.
Shutters still in place on some of the embrasures. Something i was to find increasingly common the further into the explore i went.
Having searched in vain in the area for other remnants and battling the wet grass i gave up on the area and decided that a dryer day was needed for such madness.
Cycling back up towards the junction of Wiggins Copse and the junction of the B3011, located on the right hand side are two AT cylinders which are not on the DoB.
Taking a rest at the Shoulder Of Mutton Pub, i then left the bike behind for a cross country excursion which, with the sun breaking out brought a smile on my face once i had located my first reference point. From there i could get my bearings and skirt the fields full of curious cows. These ones stayed away from me thankfully. An open field dash on the pee, muck and mud would have been interesting. The DoB confused me here but more of that in a moment.
PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0010902
This was a first view of a T shaped table for me.
PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0010905 (possibly)
Sat further down the bank south east to the copse of trees running opposite to Hatch Farm. The pillbox overlooks the section post which is sat in the next field and to the south west of this pillbox. Overgrown and inaccessible. One wooden shelf in situ, and one 'T' shaped table.
SECTION POST: S0007439
Again something new for me. My first section post. Four embrasures in a boomerang shape. Sadly no shelving in situ and all the embrasures are southern facing. The nearby pillbox would have covered the exposed rear of the section post.
Single entrance on the western side.
PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0012846
Internal X-shaped blast wall.
As mentioned - in this line of hedge there are 2 type 24's and the variant.
PILLBOX (VARIANT): S0007005
Rectangular pillbox with 3 embrasures, all in the same wall. Sat in the line of hedge and facing opposite to the section post. This is a heavily fortified area.
The view from the doorway looking over the two 24's sat behind the line of hedge.
I shall add part 2 later. Thanks for viewing.
The rewards were high though as it got me to my first prefab 26, a section post and the amount of shutters still in place in the area with their pull to cables intact made for interesting viewing. I might have found an undocumented 24 though this will need confirming. Some of the information on the DoB was slightly inaccurate but i shall comment on this later in the thread.
I cycled down to the area after a faint hint that it wouldn't rain only for it to pee it down as soon as i reached the first area i wished to explore. Fantastic news when i knew i would be knee deep in wet sodden grass who seemed to pass their seeds to me like i was a magnet. I also came to a stand off with a herd of cows again but this time i handled the situation calmly, clucking at them like an idiot and touching their noses to let them know Sunday roast wasn't on the cards just yet. Once again i decided to stay out there after the light fell so i could make a very early morning start and get to the line of pillboxes that were so close but so far away. Hacking away at the undergrowth in certain areas proved just rewards so i hope you enjoy the photos.
PILLBOX (PREFABRICATED): S0011154
Partly flooded up to 2 inches or so, but the stones inside provided decent stepping stones to allow me to get inside to have a squint at me first prefab. There are two further nother in adjacent fields but the weather at this time was not fun so i need to revisit.
Shutters still in place on some of the embrasures. Something i was to find increasingly common the further into the explore i went.
Having searched in vain in the area for other remnants and battling the wet grass i gave up on the area and decided that a dryer day was needed for such madness.
Cycling back up towards the junction of Wiggins Copse and the junction of the B3011, located on the right hand side are two AT cylinders which are not on the DoB.
Taking a rest at the Shoulder Of Mutton Pub, i then left the bike behind for a cross country excursion which, with the sun breaking out brought a smile on my face once i had located my first reference point. From there i could get my bearings and skirt the fields full of curious cows. These ones stayed away from me thankfully. An open field dash on the pee, muck and mud would have been interesting. The DoB confused me here but more of that in a moment.
PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0010902
This was a first view of a T shaped table for me.
PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0010905 (possibly)
Sat further down the bank south east to the copse of trees running opposite to Hatch Farm. The pillbox overlooks the section post which is sat in the next field and to the south west of this pillbox. Overgrown and inaccessible. One wooden shelf in situ, and one 'T' shaped table.
SECTION POST: S0007439
Again something new for me. My first section post. Four embrasures in a boomerang shape. Sadly no shelving in situ and all the embrasures are southern facing. The nearby pillbox would have covered the exposed rear of the section post.
Single entrance on the western side.
PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/24): S0012846
Internal X-shaped blast wall.
As mentioned - in this line of hedge there are 2 type 24's and the variant.
PILLBOX (VARIANT): S0007005
Rectangular pillbox with 3 embrasures, all in the same wall. Sat in the line of hedge and facing opposite to the section post. This is a heavily fortified area.
The view from the doorway looking over the two 24's sat behind the line of hedge.
I shall add part 2 later. Thanks for viewing.
I've never seen or even heard of those T tables before, what were they for ? they can't serve as effective ricochet protection, could they have been post war modifications?
