# Empacombe Fuel/Oil Storage and refuel depot



## steve_o (Jul 13, 2009)

Hard to find information on this. But what ive gathered is off locals and friends who know about it this place.

Fuel storage and refueling depot. Weather this was used to refuel Ships/landing craft, or land based equipment i don't know. But there is evidance of pipework running out into the estuary. Rumors are that it was mainly under American Military control during WW2.
There are two large tanks. each a few hundred meters apart from each other. The tank at Empicombe has all the associated buildings with it which im guuessing contained pumping equipment. There are lots of pipework that seem to go off in all directions. I know there are some very large Underground tanks closeby. Whether they are connected to this im not sure. Would make sense tho
This part of cornwall is littered with odd buildings that im told are of American military origin.

I am trying to find out more about it when i do i'll post it up. If anybody else has any Info please let me know.


----------



## kernowexpeditionary (Jul 13, 2009)

interesting site m8, been there many times, where the pipeline runs down to the river(pipes capped) at low tide u can also see two more pipes that run along the riverbed.... 

that site has planning for houses sadly, although the wonders in the woods nearby are safe i recon!


----------



## smiffy (Jul 13, 2009)

Yep ...........I like the look of that ol place ! cheers !


----------



## Badoosh (Jul 13, 2009)

Good to see this place again, cool first post Steve. Did you manage to locate the tunnels & the tanks? Fantastic acoustics in them!


----------



## graybags (Jul 13, 2009)

*Empacombe*

Seems to be some tasty graff since my last visit

G


----------



## steve_o (Jul 13, 2009)

Badoosh said:


> Good to see this place again, cool first post Steve. Did you manage to locate the tunnels & the tanks? Fantastic acoustics in them!



No, i know there nearby but didn't bother to find them. I'll probily pop back and snoop around sometime soon. There are a hell of a load of stuff to see on the Rame peninsular! Amazing as to the unknowing eye you would think its completly untouched countryside. But its bursting with Military features etc!

Local torpoint urban legends are that theres a tunnel from empacombe under the hill to the rear of fort picklecombe. wether its true i don't know.


----------



## klempner69 (Jul 13, 2009)

Very interesting place fella...lets hope some pics turn up of them tunnels etc


----------



## kernowexpeditionary (Jul 13, 2009)

steve_o said:


> Local torpoint urban legends are that theres a tunnel from empacombe under the hill to the rear of fort picklecombe. wether its true i don't know.





well there maybe some truth m8, certainly a couple tunnels there, one is esp grand in design and its certainly had its useage modified over the years....pretty sure i know the ww2 useage - beyond that? who knows!


----------



## kernowexpeditionary (Jul 13, 2009)

klempner69 said:


> Very interesting place fella...lets hope some pics turn up of them tunnels etc



this is the larger one of the two 






goes back around 150m, although looking at the concrete it used to go futher....


----------



## spikey (Jul 13, 2009)

aye that tunnel needs another recce with sum specialist kit


----------



## kernowexpeditionary (Jul 13, 2009)

spikey said:


> aye that tunnel needs another recce with sum specialist kit



lol we are the specialists!


----------



## spikey (Jul 13, 2009)

lol im just the access specialist but being serious i would be good to find what at the end of the tunnel behing that wall !!


----------



## james.s (Jul 13, 2009)

Looks very nice, and I like the looks of that tunnel


----------



## steve_o (Jul 14, 2009)

kernowexpeditionary said:


> lol we are the specialists!



yeap, I have a hammer and a chisel!


----------



## justcurious (Jul 19, 2009)

Visited this with kernow last week (thanks m8), got a few pics to add when I get time. Was an interesting site, couldn`t believe the size and scale of the bigger tanks, didn`t get any pics of that though as it was too dark and too vastly big for my little camera to cope with......maybe another time


----------



## kernowexpeditionary (Jul 19, 2009)

glad u enjoyed it m8, really great site!


----------



## steve_o (Jul 19, 2009)

I spoke to a local guy. A nice Midlands chap who has lived in the out Redoubt just along for over 30 years. Originally i was asking about the redoubt but conversation seems to flow onto the Mystery Tunnels. He remebered walking throught them when he first moved in. He says that One tunnel entrance leads along a tunnel to a Pumping station hidden in the woodland. This then has another tunnel that runs along and appears way out a few feilds over.

This is from what he says. Dunno if it would make sense of anything? ive not personally seen the tunnels. Tho i will be visiting them soon to find this pump station!


----------



## kernowexpeditionary (Jul 19, 2009)

yeah sort of m8, one tunnel is behind a pumping station building (same design as the two story building at the site u visited) 

the second tunnel is totally unconnected and is believed to be the magazine for an unfinished torpedo boat station.

interestingly tho theres a small fuel coupling sticking out of the wall in empacombe bay ( nr two-three houses)


----------



## steve_o (Jul 21, 2009)

kernowexpeditionary said:


> yeah sort of m8, one tunnel is behind a pumping station building (same design as the two story building at the site u visited)
> 
> the second tunnel is totally unconnected and is believed to be the magazine for an unfinished torpedo boat station.
> 
> interestingly tho theres a small fuel coupling sticking out of the wall in empacombe bay ( nr two-three houses)



Ah, i see. interesting. That the wall with the door way? Looks like the entrance to a fort. But im just guessing its a walled garden or simular.

Ive searched the net and can't find anything about any of it!


----------



## mk1kebab (Dec 10, 2009)

Just found out a bit of info on why these tunnels don't lead anywhere, according to a local guy I know who has lived in the village all his life, the tunnels were never finished due to the amount of water that they hit during the digging! so that explains why they just have concrete walls at the ends. Unfortunately he did not know anything about what they were going to be used for.


----------



## steve_o (Dec 10, 2009)

Humm, was in the one with the wall at the entrance about 2 weeks ago after all the heavy rain, whilst it was still raining! They're suprisingly dry inside, a little bit patchy were some water ground water is coming through the concrete. But about 90% bone dry. Weirdly warm tho, found a bat in there having a nap

Not been to the torpedo station tunnel yet so can't comment. But they do look unfinished, and a bit odd as to they're original use


----------



## mk1kebab (Dec 11, 2009)

yeah the torpedo tunnel is a lot wetter, we went in the dry and there was constant water running quickly through the drainage in the tunnel


----------



## Engineer (Dec 12, 2009)

*Fuel Store.*

Had some discussions with Kernow about the tunnel with the concrete dam wall, whatever it was originally it seems to have last served as a reservoir.


----------

