# Arrochar Torpedo Testing Station, April 2012 (Pic Heavy)



## Stussy (Apr 13, 2012)

Was out for a drive a couple weekends ago and spotted some boarded up buildings, so decided to stop off and have a look whilst trying to dodge the dreaded drizzle!! Had no idea what it was but it looked military related, after a quick session on an amazing thing called google, I discovered it was a old Torpedo Testing Station.

The site opened in 1912 and the main purpose of the facility was to test firing torpedos out of torpedo tubes built beneath the pier or from modified vessels.

Ariel View of the site.







In 1915 a spy Augusto Alfredo Roggen was caught and hanged at the tower of London for taking photographs here. 

The peak years at the Range occurred during the Second World War. Amazingly, in 1944 approximately 12,565 torpedoes were fired down the Loch, which works out at an average of 48 runs per day, Monday to Friday. On occasion as many as 62 torpedoes were fired in one day.
















The very last torpedo to be ranged, at RNTR Arrochar, was fired on the 19th March 1986.

Demolition of the facility commenced in June 2007, and is still ongoing, unfortunately a huge fire was reported in August 2007. Since then demolition has slowed but the building have deteriorated greatly in the past few years.

First building I explored was a very basic prefab, fairly well boarded up














No idea what this cylinder was for, thought it might be for heating but the floor and inside the cylinder was covered with brown soft pellets??






A short walk and through a massive hole in the security fence, I was in the range










A lot of the smaller brick buildings have been crudely demolished 










The warehouses for storing the torpedo's






Blue vinyl floor tiles remain














Turntable and tracks for moving the torpedo's














Turntable down one of the launching piers






Formerly a boat launching shed, winch still intact






Think these were harmful!






Huge amount of rusting reinforcement laying around






The building at the end of main pier, think this is where some of the torpedo's were launched from

















Loads of starfish and mussels!!





Looking back towards the warehouses






After spending about a good hour wandering around the piers I headed to see more of the facilities outbuildings that were still standing and found a couple of caravans














Fuel Storage tanks, pretty rusty!









Couple big nissan huts, looked to be used for storage by a local builder









A bed for the night..





Thought about going for a wee surf...





Cranes were intact inside 3 of the buildings, couldn't access the largest it was pretty well sealed









A row of abandoned houses which were once for the workers of the bse, all seemed to have been recently part refurbed then left, such a waste!









Typical interior of the houses









Newspaper from Sept 2009














Ended up spending around 2 and a bit hours on the site just drifting around snapping away, not bad for a off chance spot whilst driving along


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## Ninja Kitten (Apr 13, 2012)

Great report..plenty to look at..how interesting too..


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## jonney (Apr 13, 2012)

Great find, looks like you had a good explore. Thanks for sharing


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## strider8173 (Apr 13, 2012)

this is awesome!


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## oldscrote (Apr 14, 2012)

That's good stuff mate, thanks.I thought I'd seen it on here before and here it is

http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=8862&highlight=torpedo+testing


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## flyboys90 (Apr 14, 2012)

Amazing,thanks for sharing.


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## Pincheck (Apr 14, 2012)

Yes nice mate, nice to see someone else has finally found the old firing tubes . After the last few heavy snowfalls during the winters has had a adverse effect on the buildings. Well done


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## Stussy (Apr 14, 2012)

oldscrote said:


> That's good stuff mate, thanks.I thought I'd seen it on here before and here it is
> 
> http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=8862&highlight=torpedo+testing



There is two older reports, one you mentioned and another from 2008. Its a nice place to wander around even on the off chance if your nearby, oh and if its a nice day


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## urban phantom (Apr 14, 2012)

nice find great report thanks


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