# Wymeswold Airfield, derelict MOD Buildings.



## Kaputnik (May 7, 2008)

below are some pictures i took on a recent trip to the former airfield at Wymeswold, on the Notts/Leics border, which opened in 1942, and was used as a bomber training base in WW2, and was still in use as a military airfield after the war until the late 50's, beyond that it was used by a private firm carrying out aircraft maintenance.
there are various original buildings still standing, which at one time were stores, crew rooms, workshops, fire crew, technical buildings, some are still in use as part of an industrial estate (still very recognisable among newer units, as 40's military buildings, despite being re-roofed, painted, re-glazed etc), but some are in 'jungle' like undergrowth, largely unvisited and forgotten, being slowly reclaimed by nature, decaying and neglected for decades, like the ones pictured here....




















the pic below looks like a blackboard, divided into columns and lines..




gas clothing stores,




scrap aircraft parts...




more buildings,




a very old lead/acid battery, with ceramic top-up caps, and a wooden case, never seen one like it!...








got a few more pics i can post up, if anyone's interested. the camera batteries gave up, so a return visit is definitely planned, especially as there are buildings i haven't even been in yet,
thanks for looking!


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## Bishop (May 7, 2008)

That place looks a bit special, loving the photos of the flaking paint. I wonder what type of aircraft those parts are from? The upside down seat looks like a real antique.

B


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## Kaputnik (May 7, 2008)

Not too sure, Bishop. one of the parts on the scrap pile was a lid from a bin in the toilet area of an aircraft, so maybe from a smallish 50's/60's era passenger plane?
the double seat which had lap belts fitted looks the passenger aircraft type.
love the peeling paint and unspoilt feel of the place myself, and will be back soon


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## Neosea (May 7, 2008)

Nice find, that vintage battery sure looks good.


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## Bax__ (May 7, 2008)

Looks like a great explore! Are there more buildings?


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## Mr Sam (May 8, 2008)

nice one this isnt too far from me ive had a brief looks now and then, did you check out the control tower?


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## Kaputnik (May 8, 2008)

Neosea, odd one isn't it, that battery?, no idea what it would have been used for,
Yes, Bax, there are more similar buildings, and some others dotted around the large site, mainly near the perimeter, more research i think, before a return visit, 
Mr Sam, i didn't check out the control tower, as there was a driving day in full swing at the car-track there, which i would have to cross! but an early morning viewing (like the guy on 28d did) would be a good bet


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## Neosea (May 8, 2008)

Kaputnik said:


> Neosea, odd one isn't it, that battery?, no idea what it would have been used for,



As far as I can tell, it's an 18v battery, every cell is normally about 2v on lead acid batteries. The only thing I have ever seen a battery like this on, is railway signals. What it would be used on at an air base I can only guess, I have no real idea.


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## fezzyben (May 8, 2008)

Neosea said:


> As far as I can tell, it's an 18v battery, every cell is normally about 2v on lead acid batterys. The only thing I have ever seen a battery like this on, is railway signals. What it would be used on at an air base I can only guess, I have no real idea.



Maybe emergency runway lighting???


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## Neosea (May 8, 2008)

fezzyben said:


> Maybe emergency runway lighting???



Most likely.


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## sqwasher (May 8, 2008)

Nice find!  Looks like an interesting area-i'll look forward to some more pics of here from you!?


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## King Al (May 8, 2008)

Cool place, that battery is great, can't be many of them left about like that now


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## RichardH (May 8, 2008)

Coo, I only live around the corner from this place. I thought it had all been flattened when it was turned into a racetrack. Excellent photographs.


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## Kaputnik (May 8, 2008)

Afew more of the pics i took before the half-charged batteries ran out, (note to self, take spares!)
inside the Gas clothing store, last use seems to have been a chicken shed....





haven't seen a switch like this before...




late 50's switch box..




70's graff!...younger viewers, ask your dad or mum who these were!...





outside slowly coming in....





everywhere you look there is something unusual to photograph around here...


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## Kaputnik (May 8, 2008)

a bit of info on NiFe batteries or accumulators, like the one pictured,
(the ceramic caps have 'nife' written on them)... nickel ferrite cells,
invented by thomas edison, the NiFe cells were considered a poor second to a lead/acid battery, as they could only hold 1.2 volts per cell not 2 volts like a lead/acid battery, (the 10 cell 'battery' pictured then, is 12volts) but, unlike a L/A battery, a NiFe was virtually indestructible, having nickel and steel plates and not the much flimsier lead plates , a NiFe battery would out last several cars without needing replacement, whether this is from a car i don't know but now i at least know what the thing is! will get the multimeter on it next visit, and see if it still has a charge!, yes i really am that sad!


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## ashless (May 8, 2008)

Kaputnik said:


> will get the multimeter on it next visit, and see if it still has a charge!, yes i really am that sad!



 Bless ya!


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## Foxylady (May 8, 2008)

That's a fantastic site. So many interesting things to see apart from the buildings themselves. Love the battery, that turn-key switch and the brick. Good stuff, very good stuff!


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## Neosea (May 8, 2008)

Kaputnik said:


> a bit of info on NiFe batteries or accumulators, like the one pictured,
> (the ceramic caps have 'nife' written on them)... nickel ferrite cells,
> invented by thomas edison, the NiFe cells were considered a poor second to a lead/acid battery, as they could only hold 1.2 volts per cell not 2 volts like a lead/acid battery, (the 10 cell 'battery' pictured then, is 12volts) but, unlike a L/A battery, a NiFe was virtually indestructible, having nickel and steel plates and not the much flimsier lead plates , a NiFe battery would out last several cars without needing replacement, whether this is from a car i don't know but now i at least know what the thing is! will get the multimeter on it next visit, and see if it still has a charge!, yes i really am that sad!



Nice to know, thanks


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## odeon master (May 14, 2008)

*ww2 airfield switch*

hi, this looks an interesting site. i'v been to many military sites in the past, there always full of historical artifacts. the switch on the wall that you have shown is actually made by walsall conduits of birmingham, and is a 15 amp weather proof switch. hope that helps
odeon master


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## Kaputnik (May 15, 2008)

thanks for the info, O.M,
it still turned very freely, so it's lasted well through 60+ years of weather!


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## slimrick (May 20, 2008)

That last pic is an marker tile, they place them over buried cable so when you're digging you know what you're about to cut through.


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## Kaputnik (May 20, 2008)

thanks for that info, slimrick. theres a pic of one at another airfield on the forum somewhere too.


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## johno23 (May 20, 2008)

You have captured the character there in your photos,old airfields always have a story to tell and theres always loads of stuff lying around to tell it as you have shown,nice work mate

By the way,I suppose that battery could have had a multitude of uses on an airfield "But" my dad worked as a sparky for a well known local bus company in the seventies and he had four of these on trickle charge in the garage for emergency lighting etc.He got them from a bus when it was scrapped.I suppose they would have needed some sort of a bus to move the personnel around on the airfield,...just a thought or useless bit of info


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## Kaputnik (May 20, 2008)

Thanks for the comments, Johno23,
the Nife batteries were very tolerant of abuse such as overcharging, long periods left uncharged, etc,without being damaged apparently.
i really like this place, and find something new everytime i go there!
got some more pics of 2 fuel storage/pumping areas to post up soon when i get round to it


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## NobodyGirl (Jul 31, 2008)

Thanks for showing me round today Kaputnik! Popping the photos I got up, Never looked at this thread yet I still have managed to take the same shot as you (the last one) lol.


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## Kaputnik (Jul 31, 2008)

Nicely done, as always, NG


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## thompski (Jul 31, 2008)

Nice little find you've got there, love the 'electricity' brick, and the old electronics.

Great photos both of you as always


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## Kingblag (Jul 31, 2008)

To think i have driven through Wymeswold so many times and never knew this little lot existed..would love to check it out myself as only up the road from me.


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## losttom (Aug 1, 2008)

I used to work at Bruntingthorpe aerodrome and dug up those marker tiles all the time, i wondered why they have them in areas that were right on the border of the site? why didnt they just bury them slightly deeper and save time and money?


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