RAF Patrington GCI Happidrome radar station, December 2011

[Jimthething]

Not much left to photograph here these days unfortunately as the remaining happidrome building and VHF transmitter/receiver sheds are now let out to private enterprises and have all been locked up. The most interesting feature is the steel escape hatch at the south end of the happidrome building.
The related buildings; toilet block, living quarters and stores to the west of the radar buildings have all been demolished now by the farmer who owns the land. Like I said, not much to photograph now and I only took these as an afterthought on my way back from visiting the excellent AA site on the Humber bank a couple of miles away. Anyway, onwards and upwards...


RAF Patrington 10 by jimthething, on Flickr


RAF Patrington 9 by jimthething, on Flickr


RAF Patrington 8 by jimthething, on Flickr


RAF Patrington 7 by jimthething, on Flickr


RAF Patrington 6 by jimthething, on Flickr


RAF Patrington 5 by jimthething, on Flickr


RAF Patrington 4 by jimthething, on Flickr


RAF Patrington 3 by jimthething, on Flickr


RAF Patrington 2 by jimthething, on Flickr


RAF Patrington 1 by jimthething, on Flickr

 

[Jimthething]

Apologies for the date-stamp, by the way - as I said I took these pictures on my way back from Stonecreek and I didn't realise the stamp was switched on!

 

[RichCooper]

Thanks mate Saved me a trip there

 

[cptpies]

Very few of these were built and less than half of them remain extant so it's a shame they aren't better protected. The only one that is as far as I know is the one at Neatishead which is now part of the Cold War Museum.

 

[Jimthething]

RAF Patrington was superseded by a newer base a few miles east at Holmpton. The new one was built deep underground and encased in 10 feet of reinforced concrete. It became operational in 1954 and was also named RAF Patrington confusingly. I'm pretty sure that the original RAF Patrington was decommissioned when they handed over to the new one and the name went with it.
Anyway, the newer version was itself decommissioned after the cold war and although it was still MOD property I was lucky enough to be able to get in there for a look around one evening. The radar equipment had pretty much all been removed at that time (around 1993) but the place itself was awesome. There was a road big enough for a truck to drive down that led down to workshops almost 100feet underground. There was a dormitory, operations rooms, a hospital, kitchens. The stores were still stocked up with all manner of soaps, bleach, cloths, you name it - all stamped with the MOD broad-arrow.
The place is now open to the public so anyone can go and visit for a few quid. Not quite the same thing but I'm sure it would still be worth a day out for anyone interested in underground cold-war stuff.