North Weald Redoubt - Sep '11

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UrbanX

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Apparently this has been reported “Everywhere” before so I won’t go into too much depth on the history…

It was built in Victorian times as a large armoury just safely outside of London. It stored a massive amount of guns, ammo, and no doubt men with moustaches.

When the first World war came around, moustaches had gotten shorter, and the armoury had been upgraded, and more heavily fortified.

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By the time the second world war came round, we’d all shaved our toothbrush moustaches off because they were considered a bit bad taste. Oh, and the fort became even more fortified, and nearly a hundreed soldiers were based up on the fort to guard it against a land invasion.

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A full and accurate history was been done by the boys and girls at SubBrit here:
http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/n/north_weald_ mobilisation_centre/index.shtml

…Although they don’t mention moustaches at all.

It’s methodically designed, in a ‘U’ shape, built into the hillside. With a blast bank in front of it. It something went off it wouldn’t all go up. It was also divided into loads of tiny ‘cells’ to prevent a chain explosion.
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Stop looking at my nuts….
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A jaunt up the hill side reveals yet another similar structure, it’s tunnels, and concrete labrinthes stretching deep into the hill side.
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Tiny rooms shoot off in every direction, some traces of their original purpose remain.
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In near complete darkness, and absolute silence, occasionally pools of light stream in through ventilation shafts.

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Most of the outer portions that are lit are covered in various qualities of graffiti:
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The site also had a presence from radio giant Marconi, as early as the 1920’s. Their buildings are near the public edge of the site: and are completely trashed. A couple of original relics remain:

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It’s sad but they are so beyond repair and stripped of their past, it’s almost the graffiti which makes them so photographic.

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blimey that looks dry, every time I have been its had at least a foot of water in it, did you spot the area of roof on the collapse, the centre section has subsided and the roof has buckeled.

its only taken a few years to get in that state, shame really.

in the adjacent field are the concrete stays for the large masts wich were once part of the radio station.
 
Glad you enjoyed your visit, its really gone down hill in the last few years.

Is the wrecked car still there?

Yeah we saw the car. Just can't work out how it got there in the 1st place though!!
 
Lovely pictures you two, and it was a pleasure Em. Lovely meeting you and good to see UX again. Look forward to next time.
I'll throw a few of mine in here if you don't mind.:)

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The other turret, just for Priority 7!
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Just can't help himself when there's a tree to clamber up!
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An excellent afternoon with great company, and the weather held out just long enough for us to finish a beer so that was a bonus! ;)
 
Those photos are stunning! Combo of ultra wide and and kooky compositions for the win!
Great to meet ya again, sure it won't be long again :p
 
Cracking post and love the combination of styles.
A thing that always surprises me ,especialy having visited the Redoubt a couple of times is how others see things that i had missed ;)
Hopefully we can catch up soon.
Thanks to you all SK :)
 

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