# Abandoned Explosives testing station St Thomas Head, Sand Bay



## banwellboy (Oct 3, 2012)

this is an abandoned explosives testing station. during the war it tested the bouncing bomb and many many experimental weapons. it is fenced off and belongs to MOD. 
Had a job there the other day so took some photos, will deffo be going back
locals believe there is a large underground warehouse, I did find a fenced compound with a small building with heavy metal doors but could gain no access



IMAG0824 by Andrew Rout, on Flickr



IMAG0813 by Andrew Rout, on Flickr



IMAG0820 by Andrew Rout, on Flickr



IMAG0821 by Andrew Rout, on Flickr



IMAG0822 by Andrew Rout, on Flickr



IMAG0823 by Andrew Rout, on Flickr



IMAG0812 by Andrew Rout, on Flickr
very well fenced off but access can be gained freely by walking along the beach on the north side.
sorry its not a too exciting first post but had to start somewhere


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## UEP-Wales (Oct 3, 2012)

Welcome along to the forum, you may want to take a read of [ame="http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=17009"]THIS THREAD[/ame] to help you post the photographs up


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## krela (Oct 3, 2012)

This place is currently owned/run by Qinetiq and is subject to the usual MoD trespass bylaws (i.e. it's criminally illegal). There is a small underground storage bunker on the compound but it's not very interesting. It's used (only very rarely these days) to defuse/decommission unused MoD ordinance.

It was known as St Thomas's Point Bombing Range, dates back to WW2 days, and in conjunction with Brean Down was a test bed for a variety of unusual ordinances, none of which ever saw action!

It's probably been shut for good by now because Qinetiq had a habit of 'losing' explosives and them later appearing washed up on local beaches!


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## whitelaw (Oct 3, 2012)

If you listen carefully, you can hear the drone of the Wellington bombers that were used to test the bouncing bomb. I wonder if the piece of elevator that water spray knocked off one of them is still in the silt?

Lovely, emotive shots.


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## krela (Oct 3, 2012)

whitelaw said:


> If you listen carefully, you can hear the drone of the Wellington bombers that were used to test the bouncing bomb. I wonder if the piece of elevator that water spray knocked off one of them is still in the silt?



I doubt it given that it's not that type of bouncing bomb that was tested here but rather a type of bouncing torpedo that was designed to be launched from land or possibly submarines. It wasn't particularly successful!


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## waterski (Nov 14, 2012)

krela said:


> This place is currently owned/run by Qinetiq and is subject to the usual MoD trespass bylaws (i.e. it's criminally illegal). There is a small underground storage bunker on the compound but it's not very interesting. It's used (only very rarely these days) to defuse/decommission unused MoD ordinance.
> 
> It was known as St Thomas's Point Bombing Range, dates back to WW2 days, and in conjunction with Brean Down was a test bed for a variety of unusual ordinances, none of which ever saw action!
> 
> It's probably been shut for good by now because Qinetiq had a habit of 'losing' explosives and them later appearing washed up on local beaches!



Hi, Is this site still currently used then? On a recent run over these parts i noticed a perfectly servicable slipway still intact and left. With near enough 24 hour access to the water, which in the bristol channel is a tall order. Are places like this ever allowed to be used again for private use, such as launching a boat, or is there no hope? Thanks, Chris


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## Derelict-UK (Nov 14, 2012)

waterski said:


> Hi, Is this site still currently used then? On a recent run over these parts i noticed a perfectly servicable slipway still intact and left. With near enough 24 hour access to the water, which in the bristol channel is a tall order. Are places like this ever allowed to be used again for private use, such as launching a boat, or is there no hope? Thanks, Chris



If it's still owned by QinetiQ, and they have officers on site and you land your jet ski on their slipway, be prepared to 'unland' your ski and get out of there!

It's not like landing on a normal slipway, as Krela states, it is criminal trespass, not civil and caries a fine of up to £5,000.

For more info...

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/M...awsSeriousOrganisedCrimeAndPoliceActsocap.htm


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## outkast (Nov 14, 2012)

krela said:


> I doubt it given that it's not that type of bouncing bomb that was tested here but rather a type of bouncing torpedo that was designed to be launched from land or possibly submarines. It wasn't particularly successful!



The brennan torpedo?


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## James83 (Nov 28, 2012)

I recently discovered this site too, while out for an exploratory run. A quick search of the net has turned up the story about them losing the twenty anti-tank missiles back in 2002. What a bungle! I couldn't see anybody on the site today, and the windows of the permanent buildings were smashed and/or boarded up.

This article made me wonder!

http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/War...are-mudflats/story-16420692-detail/story.html

WW2 bomb, you say? Or one of the missiles lost in 2002?!


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## krela (Nov 28, 2012)

They're always finding unexploded ww2 ordinance in the channel, a lot was dropped on the area.


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## James83 (Nov 28, 2012)

I see. Fair enough. Let's hope they don't lose the ones that are given to them


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## banwellboy (Nov 30, 2012)

this is closed completely with no likelyhood of ever re opening, there are cameras but not in use and no staff whatsoever there. loads of rumours about night exercises etc but all complete tosh.
spoken to staff that used to work there and it is frightening how much ordnance was lost to unpredictable tides there !!


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## MrDan (Dec 21, 2012)

Now that's a site with a story to tell...


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