# Asfordby Gun Range



## Mr Sam (Jan 8, 2008)

*Asfordby Gun Range (update)*

parked on the gates here no end of times totally oblivious as to what was inside found it on dark places but still hadnt a clue where it was untill a short report on here back in December, unfortunatly at weekends the lane its on seems to have a continous flow of dog walkes/fishermen so access had so far been iffy thought id pop over tonight as i finished work early soon found a way in and immediatly found what i assumed was a riot police helmet  after about 15minutes inside the fence it was getting too dark to carry on without turning a torch on so left hastily

was extended just before the war for the home guard, then used to test high calibure guns during the 60's residents kicked up a fuss about the noise and the last gun was fired in '71 its been used in recent times for police dig training as the K9 defence section is just up the road

just doing some more reserch on it, was used to proof test naval guns, shells were fired into the hillside then dug out to see what happened to them aparently the force would shake the houses in Melton and houses in Asfordby developed cracks in them, after its closure its been used as a test and training ground for the police, the SAS, bomb disposal teams and to train dogs for northern ireland, was auctioned off at the begginging of 2003 possible for residential purposes or a transport outlet

excuse the shots my first outing with a new cam and id forgotten the ruddy tri-pod, Canon Powershot A510











after about walking straight into rolls of barbed wire (it got dark quick) i was met with a nice sign to invite me further in, it reads 'welcome come right in' dosn't it?





just shells all the frames have been ripped out it was windy and alot of creaky noises around










couldnt find the way through the undergrowth for the walkway to that building





first of the noise muffeling tunnels





well secured hatches into the banks.....





second lot of noise muffeling tunnels


going to have a better go when the evnings get lighter instantly get caught at a weekend with the ammount of do gooder dog walkers around, one guy shouted at me before but i was in the hedge on the opposite side of the road and he was shouting in the wrong direction


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## Kezza (Jan 8, 2008)

wheres this then? Is it near us?


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## sheep2405 (Jan 8, 2008)

Looks nice, its good thats its still in good condition with it being so big, suprised its not a housing estate.


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## Mr Sam (Jan 8, 2008)

Kezza said:


> wheres this then? Is it near us?



out towards Melton Mowbray


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## smileysal (Jan 8, 2008)

That looks great, love anything military. will have to have a trip out more when the weather gets better. 

Love the pics. was there anymore to the place?

 Sal


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## Foxylady (Jan 8, 2008)

Mr Sam said:


> after about walking straight into rolls of barbed wire (it got dark quick) i was met with a nice sign to invite me further in, it reads 'welcome come right in' dosn't it?



At dusk all signs magically disappear! 
Interesting explore, Mr Sam. When I was a kid there was a BSA factory about half a mile up the road from my house and you could hear the muffled boom as they tested the guns throughout the night. It was underground too!

Cheers


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## King Al (Jan 9, 2008)

Looks pritty cool have you got any more pic's


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## Mr Sam (Jan 9, 2008)

nope none worth posting all blurred as i didnt have a tri-pod ill be back in some daylight though and hopefully with someone else as the place was giving me the creeps kept expectin an alsatian to jump out


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## Kezza (Jan 9, 2008)

Let me know and ill come!


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## Mr Sam (Jan 10, 2008)

update time got the afternoon off so shot off down here scuppered by a fisherman when i tryed to find an alternate route is so just dashed through my original

appologies for crap images still learning with the new cam and only had a mini tri-pod






the main gate and my parking spot







so i started walking the walkways which seem to never end junctioning off to little store huts and the like






this took me through the bank and to one of the entrances that have those huge concrete blocks on them, there was a small room with an old cast radiator some old cans of PAL dog meat and empty bottles











found a resting point






even got flaking paint 






erm yeah stick to the paths is a good idea






one of the firing tunnels






no holes into the hillside just railway sleepers everywhere 






the lens shutter thingy didnt fully open for some reason but turned out nice, dont jump the fence you land in this stuff!!

found pretty fresh land rover tracks in some moss too


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## Foxylady (Jan 11, 2008)

Neat! Love those walkways with the trees growing between them and that firing tunnel is great!
That last pic's excellent. 

Cheers


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## King Al (Jan 11, 2008)

Foxylady said:


> Neat! Love those walkways with the trees growing between them and that firing tunnel is great



I agree, nice pics that place looks even more interesting could you please pm the location


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## Mr Sam (Jan 11, 2008)

PM on its way but heres the flash earth (note microsoft flash is a good few years old and most of the buildings shown are gone, switch to google maps for a 2005 view)


http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=52.768508&lon=-0.935125&z=17.9&r=0&src=msl


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## smileysal (Jan 11, 2008)

Love the concrete walkways in the trees, not seen those before. And the firing tunnel, didn't realise they were so big :O Are the old railway sleepers blocking a tunnel or something behind them? 

So is the place owned by a farmer or something like that, with him putting traps around the site? 

Cheers for going back and getting more pics.

 Sal


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## borntobemild (Jan 11, 2008)

Thanks for the pics

Looks really interesting and within commuting distance for me.

There used to be a coal mine in the same area and i believe there was a locomotive test track as well.

Anyone know if they are accessible?

oops..... just found thread on coal mine


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## Mr Sam (Jan 11, 2008)

borntobemild said:


> Thanks for the pics
> 
> Looks really interesting and within commuting distance for me.
> 
> ...



there literally across the road from here, the colliery was demolished in 1999, the test track is still there used for the famous nuclear flask test in 1985, the virgin pendileno (tilting) trains in 2000 and some new underground trains this year, i checked the track yesterday lots of activity so i guess the wheels are in motion for the next testing

http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=3052

where i started off all this lark exactly a year ago totally oblivious to the MOD land


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## prestwick pioneer (Jan 12, 2008)

It dont take me long to get to Melton, I would love to go on a visit here.


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## DJhooker (Feb 22, 2008)

Nice pics!


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