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"It is symptomatic of the economic shifts in this country, and perhaps suitably symbolic, that a location devoted to
creation should be replaced with one devoted to consumerism; scattered test cells replaced by
stacked toilet rolls." - Simon Cornwell
Additions, updates and corrections will be posted here. So always check this section first.
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14|05|12
The Documentation Section has now been completed with the addition of the
Engine And Component Test Facilities - Issue Three. This comprehensive document
is an earlier version of the previously published Engine Test Facilities and includes several different
sections - most importantly there are sections on the Component Test Facilities (so there's more information about
the Plant House and Admiralty Test House) and a whole section devoted to noise testing
and the Anechoic Facility.
The whole Then And Now section has been updated with many new pictures.
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06|01|12
The Document Section will be the next part of the site to be completed. So the next booklet uploaded is a
Recruitment Brochure from 1975 which gives an overview of the scientific work carried out across the
entire site. It's also especially interesting as it includes pictures of the interiors
of the Anechoic Facility.
Two pictures of this new brochure have been added to the Then And Now section for
Cell 3 West.
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25|07|11
I have now completed the Pyestock Diaries section, uploading an account of my last exploration
(Magpie Abuse) along with an account of how the situation at the site changed in the next
year (Can You Guess Where I Am?) along with Major Tom's account of a narrow
scrape which occurred last year (Luncheoning With Security).
So with the whole urban exploration section is completed, I'll be moving onto getting the rest of the documentation uploaded.
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28|06|11
I think this website currently stands at about half finished, considering the amount of archival material and current photographs
left to publish. So, after a lengthy pause, it's time to push forward and add some more content.
Firstly a warning to all urban explorers: "I would be a good idea to put a little side note on your website about the
fully active and operational test cell in the top left hand corner of the site. Vector test the T56, the Dart and the RR Conway
engine at Pyestock. Whilst the T56 and the dart are relatively quiet and well silenced engines, you can be
stood outside the cell chimney and just hear a quiet hum. The Conway is a different animal entirely this is a VERY LOUD engine,
it will shake you to your core if you are stood near the hush house. But long term hearing damage can occur if you are near the
cell for any longer than 15 minutes without hearing protection."
It goes without saying that certain areas of the old Pyestock site are still in use and that urban explorers should
stay well clear of them. Having said that, it's perfectly obvious which parts are still active: they look modern, are well kept, and usually
have several cars parked outside them.
"I have chanced upon your website that documents the tours of Aquila and Pyestock. It is strange that you have visited two places
that had such a profound influence on my life so far. I was an apprentice at Aquila from September 1980 until September 1985.
I worked at Pyestock as Engineering Manager in Cell 3W for a short while and then for a longer period in Cell 3 in the period
Jan 1995 to Nov 1999."
"I think that the building in Pyestock that you describe as the power station was in fact the cold air turbine.
This was connected to a 5MW alternator but the aim was to expand compressed air to produce cold, dry air for
altitude conditions; electrical power was a by-product. The main air compressors were much bigger with the
eight in the air house in the order of circa 27MW each. From memory exhauster numbers 9 & 10 were a bit smaller
than the original compressor / exhausters."
"I have enjoyed looking through the pictures from your first five visits to Pyestock. Unfortunately the links for
visit 6 & 7 do not seem to work".
"It is a fact that I was very lucky to have worked at this site when it was THE benchmark test facility of its kind.
I have no doubt that there are cheaper ways to produce the engine performance data these days but I doubt that we
learn as much from those methods! It is a real shame that we will never see this type of engineering in the UK again.
The political decisions that lead to closure were wrong. The commercial case for keeping the Pyestock plant running was
very real; GE wanted to test a programme of engines in Cell 3W beyond the scheduled closure. The reason it closed was
(in my view) due to the poor choices made by some ill-informed people during the formation of Quinetiq from DERA."
"The excellence that was developed at centres like EQD Aquila and NGTE Pyestock came from investment in good people
that had bold visions that served the needs of our country. The reasons they closed is because a few individuals did
not have the appetite to manage risk and harness technical excellence for the greater good. Those individuals chose their
personal wealth and "honours" over the on-going needs of our nation. Because of their poor decisions we have fewer options
for our young people to really learn and experience and practice engineering excellence in the UK."
"I left Pyestock before the closure and have gone onto work with a number of large blue-chip multinational companies. I have
experienced work in FMCG and service sectors. None of the corporations that I have worked for have demonstrated the vision
and innovation that was clearly evident in the British Government when they were investing in the MoD research facilities
and apprenticeships. But the UK Government bet that the market new best and let the corporate decision makers take over!
I firmly believe that the cost saved by closing those MoD blue sky programmes was a fraction of the wealth that would have
been generated by investing in their on-going operation. The accounting methods that ended these programmes based on
balance sheet risk neglected to take appropriate account of the opportunity cost resulting from their demise."
"Please excuse my rant but I find it very difficult to forgive those that neglect the value that Engineering should play
in our economy. A recent article in the Times presents the case more eloquently than I could: www.mappingbritishbusiness.co.uk."
"Thank you for the documentary of your adventures" - Andy
Ric has added to the Water Pumping House pages with a description of the operation of
the Plant House Pump House. He also had the following point:
"Isn't it about time that someone spoke up about Pyestock and the current ash cloud crisis?
This is exactly the sort of testing we used to undertake and could prove beyond doubt whether it is safe to fly
through ash clouds or not. I’m sure I remember Pyestock importing volcanic ash to carry out
such tests."
Andre has written in with memories of working in the Admirality Test House in 1954 along with
a photograph of the staff.
And the future of the Pyestock site has now been decided. All legal challenges have been swept away as the former government has
ordered the diktat that the mega depot will be built. The whole site (with the exception of one or two buildings still in use) will be swept
away.
See www.gethampshire.co.uk for the local
point of view and SPLAT's website for more information.
And I've started, and completed, the media section. This is a handly collection of all the appearances of
Pyestock in TV programmes and films.
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02|03|10
This update is all about Pyestock's history. I’ve expanded the overlooked
History section (which was previously a lone comprehensive Then And Now)
with the naming of the site, a timeline, and a description of starting the turbines in the
Air House (and all the associated dangers) by Ric.
Plus there’s the real history of Pyestock as written and published by DERA
back in 1996 – which features some great pictures of the site in previous years.
(Thanks to Ric and Richard for the memories and scans which were used for this update).
Despite the lack of any urban exploration jaunts, or extra pictures, in this latest update, I’ve still got loads
of information to add to this site. I’ve got my last Pyestock Diary to upload, lots more archival information, and full descriptions
of the main testing cells to write up. It’s my intention to finish this website this year (which will probably coincide with the bulldozers
moving in) – so please keep an eye on it (and urbex|uk).
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06|02|10
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has effectively nullified democratic planning process and waved through
the redevelopment of the Pyestock site. Site owners PRUPIM and ProLogis reacted with predictable
glee and believe they have the go-ahead for their mega-depot: see their press release.
Except SPLAT are continuing the fight and will challenge through the High Court.
So, as usual, the future of the Pyestock site still seems open to debate. Of course, the whole thing will be eventually
demolished.
Our penultimate trip, the eventful Whatever You Just Pressed, Unpress It!, has now been written up.
I'm continuing to flesh out the site and have now written the introduction and the section on
urban exploration.
There are various fuel and water pumping houses scattered around the site. Therefore I've picked
Water Pumping House #10 as a representative example of them.
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28|07|09
Updates to Battle Test House:
1,
2,
3 and
4. (With thanks to Bob who worked at Pyestock
from 1965 until 2004).
A brochure from the RAE era of Pyestock has now been uploaded: Altitude Test Facilities
briefly outlines the testing capability of several of the altitude test cells at Pyestock along with a description of the air
generating plant. Of most interest however, are the colour pictures of the various cells and control rooms in use.
These new archival photographs prompt an expansion of the Then And Now section: Air House,
Cell 1 & 2,
Cell 3 and
Cell 3 West.
Our misadventures at Pyestock continue in the write-up of my fifth trip to the site.
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03|02|09
The Plant House is the next part of Pyestock documented.
This document from 1954 discusses the planned building of the Plant House; from the structure of the building itself,
through to the necessary plant and how it would operate with the rest of the site. Note that Cell 1 & 2 has yet to
be constructed (its called the Ram Jet Area) and
Battle Test House is called the 14000 H.P. Turbine Test House.
The full-write up along with the walkthrough can be found here.
The piece about the
International Stationary Steam Engine Society (ISSES) has been expanded with
an article they wrote about urban exporation. More details be found in
the academia section.
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31|12|08
The write-up to to the Power Station has been updated: 1 and
2.
The boilers of Battle Test House were of particular interest to the
International Stationary Steam Engine Society (ISSES). They've published a piece about Pyestock
in their latest newsletter.
Many thanks to those who've sent me scans of old Pyestock brochures and documents. These will
start appearing on the site over the next few weeks along with a write-up of the next building to be fully
documented (which will be The Plant House).
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21|08|08
The Maps and Plans section has been updated with all the various plans and schematics from the
Engine Test Facilities document. Several additional plans have been added including plans of
Cell 4 And Annexe (Number 9 Exhauster), the original 1954 siting plan of the
Plant House and a plan of the Plant House itself.
"Just wanted to say how much I appreciate the site. I served my electronics
apprenticeship at NGTE from 1972 - 1976 and then worked in Cell 3. Whilst
seeing some of the old rooms and kit brings back loads of very happy
memories, I find it very sad that it will all be wiped off the face of
Farnborough for ever."
"Anyway, thanks for bringing back my youthful good times." - David
A new section, Then And Now shows the differences between the photographs taken for
the Engine Test Facilities document and my photographs. Remarkably both the original photographer
and I chose the same vantage point for some of the shots, thus allowing a direct comparison of changes to the site over the
last twenty years.
"I stumbled across your website whilst taking a stroll down memory lane and looking for some information
on Pyestock. I worked there as a Data Acquisition Engineer from 1994 until its closure, first in Cell 3 West
and then in Cell 3 (in the EIC workshop that was sited in the former Cell 4 Control Room, next to the Photo
Room joined by Brian's Bridge).
Having had a long affilliation with both the airfield (having served an apprenticship there) and the Altitude
Test Facilities, it has saddened me to see it's fate should nothing be done to preserve it.
I therefore took the step of creating a petition on the 10 Downing Street website to call on the government to
step in and save the site and it's historic buildings. I would be grateful if you could forward details of
the petition to as many people as you can think of that would have an interest in this. I will be doing
the same as I still keep in touch with some of the guys I worked with during my time there.
The address for the petition is:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/savepyestock/
I hope you will agree with me that this is a crucial part of our British Aviation history that needs saving
for future generations to appreciate. " - Kieron
The often missed (by other urban explorers) Number 9 Exhauster has now been fully documented.
The introduction to the Computer Building has been slightly changed with corrections to
the installation dates of the various mainframe and mini-computers. (Thanks Mike).
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14|05|08
This is a huge update and one which underpins the entire website.
Fellow explorer Stuart Dobson has scanned the entire Engine Test Facilities brochure; page after page describing
the history of Pyestock, the air supply installations, the engine test facilities, data gathering techniques and the
electrical, steam, water and fuel survices. I've converted to these scans to webpages, and enhanced the hundred archival pictures of
Pyestock along with the schematics, engineering diagrams and cross sections of the key plant and gear.
This document gives a definitive account of the facilities available at Pyestock in the early 1980s.
Over the next few updates, I'll merge all the data into other parts of the website, correct and expand the existing write-ups, and then
continue with my pictorial record of Pyestock.
The introductory page of the Engine Test Facilities is here.
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24|03|08
Dave fills in some of the background behind the
Assembly Bays and includes a story about the night an
SAS training exercise went wrong.
After receiving an e-mail about the Computer Building, I decided to postpone my
documentation of the Plant House until the next update. The Computer Building
appears to have changed not only in function, but also in form, over the years.
"Very glad that you have taken the time to document Pyestock and some of its
history before that monstrous devil Tesco obliterates it for ever. I
sincerely hope they do not get their way. 61,000 vehicle movements a week
into the Pyestock site will destroy the local environment for miles around."
"I spent almost ten years at Pyestock starting as an apprentice, going on to
work in Cells 1 & 2,
Cell 3,
Cell 4 and the
Computer Building. I was an electronics
technician covering fuel systems, telemetry, data acciquisition in those
cells and eventually computers in building 574."
"I remember those years with fond memories of the whole site in full
operation with things steaming, creaking, roaring, Concorde engines in
Cell 4, Harrier engines and secret Russian things in
Cells 1 & 2. Cell 5 being
built, RB211 engines and whole Sea King helicopters in
Cell 3 West.
Battle House roaring away providing steam to the
Plant House, and running the site
in reverse during the miners strike putting many megawatts of electricity
back into the National Grid during the 3 day week, and of being an
apprentice and getting an engineering training second to none."
"It's a shame that parts of the site cannot be kept for some form of modern
museum to a jet engine aircraft industry that in it's day was a world
leader. Frank Whittle and Power Jets Ltd were apparently an instrumental
part of the original Pyestock scene, one of his engines stood in the
reception area for many many years." - Mike
Mike also drew a ground floor plan of the Computer Building
showing the positioning of the various computers and the function of each of the rooms.
As it has a close association with the Computer Building, I've also documented
Monk's Tunnel and other other tunnels nearby.
The rest of the DERA documentation specifying the capabilities of some of the test cells has now been
uploaded. There's an introduction along with specifications for the
Admirality Test House,
Cell 2,
Cell 3 and
Cell 3 West.
I've written up my third trip to Pyestock which took place exactly a year ago today.
David has written in with several additions and corrections concerning the boilers of the
Battle Test House so it's worth taking the walkthrough again to
read those. He's also supplied some diagrams of the Admiralty 3-Drum Boiler and
Forced Draught Blower.
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19|01|08
"Having worked at Pyestock from 1984 until its closure in 2001 I had the
fortune to work in most of the test facilities from
Cell 2 to
Cell 3 West
and most of my time spent as the electrical PTO for the
ATH being involved
in two complete rebuilds for testing the SPEY SM1C for the Type 23
Frigate to my last engine which was the WR21 which is used in the new
Type 45 Destroyer."
"Like most of my colleagues who worked at Pyestock we had a great time and
had many friends and enjoyed the varied work immensely. It is nice to see
that someone has taken the time to put something together to document the
site and what it could do." - Nigel
Further additions to the Admiralty Test Cell include more details about some
of the rooms on the ground floor (and a couple of
extra pictures). I've also uploaded some DERA technical information about
the ATH.
Ric wrote in about how Pyestock's
unique atmosphere affected the plant life.
The Main Stores gets a full write-up. I wouldn't ususally spend so much time on such
a relatively insignificant building (especially when compared to the rest of Pyestock) but its current contents
are definitely worthy of mention.
"I just found your site and wanted to share my appreciation for what you
have done here. I was an apprentice at Pyestock from 1978-1982, in fact
my class was the largest of all the years with 24 apprentices. After my
apprenticeship ended I spent two more years there before moving on."
"I am
kind of glad that I was not around to see the demise of this once great
and still historic site. Even today I still think back and wonder what
happened to all the characters I knew when I worked there. Even then we
still explored the older buildings with a sense of wonder, one day we
even found some of Sir Frank Whittle's old test parts and papers which
were restored and put on display in the main office building (don't know
what happened to them since)."
"Even though your site left me feeling a little sad I was glad that it
will not be forgotten."
"Today I am working as a manufacturing engineer at Boeing in America
building the new 787." - David Peason
Architectural glossy Blueprint Magazine recently published an excellent piece
about urban exploration. Whilst it's great to be mentioned by name, it
also provides a handy historical background of the UK urban exploration scene.
Sister website, urbex|uk, has been invited by the British Library
to be archived as part of the UK Web Archiving Consortium: "The British Library would like to invite you
to participate in this work by allowing us to archive your web site under the terms of the appended licence. We select sites
to represent aspects of UK documentary heritage and as a result, they will remain available to researchers in the future.
We aim to subsequently include the archived copy of your web site in our permanent collections." This means that the Pyestock
pages on that site (which are included here as the Pyestock Diaries) will be archived by the Consortium as
a historical record.
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21|11|07
This is just a small update as I've been working on a piece for my main urbex site.
The shell of the Admiralty Test House comes
alive thanks to comments from Pete who ran part of the facility
(and was able to give names and functions to the various rooms). It's worth taking
the interior walkthrough again.
You may have noticed an animated diagram of the WR21 project tests
(which I'm assured is now declassified). This was provided by Chris
who ran Cell 3 West for ten years and the
Admiralty Test House WR21 project for
two years. He's supplied further diagrams of Cell 3 West
which really help show how the cell worked.
Plus a bibliography has been added to documentation section.
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13|09|07
One of the misunderstood, and sparsely photographed, buildings at Pyestock is the
Battle Test House. I've now added a summary of its functions and a walkthrough
of its various key areas.
The third entry of the Pyestock Diaries is now online. Your Guess Is As Good As Mine
is an account of our second trip to the site.
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11|09|07
Whilst people have been creeping around Pyestock for months, one of the test cells is routinely
ignored and has hardly been photographed. So, it's time to redress this: the Admiralty Test House gets
the full write-up.
The Pyestock Diaries continue with an account of sitting around and fretting,
plus a rant against the current vogue for "macro" photography.
And I've published
my essay on urban exploration for the Construction History Society. It's partly concerned
with my plans for Pyestock (which ultimately lead to this website).
The first entries have been added to the Links section.
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08|09|07
As this is a new site, you’ll find many of the links take you to holding pages. I'll gradually add to
these pages over time.
The
Virtual Tour section is complete. Feel free to explore. This provides a historical
background of Pyestock, together with brief descriptions of the key buildings on the site.
More detailed descriptions of the buildings will be added to
The Buildings section in due course. At the
moment, the
Power Station is the first building to get a
full write up, but you’ll find further information on all the key buildings in this section.
If you're in need of a map of Pyestock, then I've drawn one up
here.
Plus the Pyestock Diaries have begun with the first entry.
I hope you enjoy the site. Keep checking back. There's much more to come.
Simon Cornwell
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