# RAF CHILMARK ammunition store and underground, wiltshire sept 2010



## tommo (Sep 29, 2010)

well this was one that started as a chat in a pub last year, having read alot about the underground store and seeing the pics we started asking questions only to be told, there are workings but nothing much really, no one really knew its location and not having much time to go and have a look we just brused it under the carpet, that was until a couple of reports started to surface

top shout to kinger 

so me, vwdirtboy and toad made our plans and headed over to the other side of wiltshire, we meet and made our way to the site, only to drive past a strang looking fella looking dodgy near the entrance, camera and tripod in hand,a bit early to be dogging i thought ah he must be exploring, then as he turned round with a big grin on his face, relief was in the air for both of us as it was darkprince having a mouch about lol, having seen his comments on this place already i had a feeling he might be out this way soon

so we parked the cars up and head back to meet up with him, had a chat and made our way in, we did the site backwards to my report but i want to try and discribe the route of how the site would of worked so here we go 

*history *



> RAF Chilmark
> Chilmark Quarries and its underground limestone mines and the surrounding land were acquired by the Air Ministry in 1936 and served as a bomb store, RAF Chilmark, throughout WWII.
> 
> Close to the village of Chilmark the huge quarry workings had been supplied the stone for the building of Salisbury Cathedral.There was a standard-gauge transfer station at Ham Cross, with afour mile spur from Chilmark to the BR connection at Dinton which utilises part of the old double track main line from Exeter to Salisbury.
> ...



*Ruston & Hornsby 40DL diesel-mechanical 3-speed 0-4-0, works number 194771 (built in Lincoln) was part of a batch of small diesel locomotives built under contract for theAir Ministry in 1939. this has been restored now but was once used at chilmark during the war*








this is one of the old trucks used ot carry bombs in chilmark





as was this Jack is an ex-RAF Chilmark loco


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## tommo (Sep 29, 2010)

first up is the Trans-shipment shed from narrow-gauge to main railway at Hams Cross. Converted caves and surface magazine linked to Hams Cross by light railway, these would of been used to transfere the bombs from the main line to narrow gauge trucks so they could be taking in to the bomb store

its now being used by a local farmer for cattle






























found this old fire engine just sat in there being used for storage of faming stuff







*next we head up to the bomb and missle servicing building*
























*
then over to the Missile assembly building, its been used by the international school of security and explosives which is opposite RAF chilmark, they have been using shape charges to blow holes in the walls, i guess u need somewhere to practise*


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## tommo (Sep 29, 2010)

then we head top side for a quick look round the bomb stores, police office

this we guessed must of been like a wardens house for the site, it now looks like its used for the school, its been set up as a mock house, may be forensics or some sort of training, it had some strange stuff left behind, all would of been used to build a picture for some sort of scene they would of had to investigate, notes and stuff left about























*next we headed over to the locked up police office*












then on to the storage bunkers, most are locked and most have been welded shut as well and all the surface buildings are also locked up






*inside one of the storage bunkers*






*locked buildings*


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## tommo (Sep 29, 2010)

then the best was to come, the underground ammo store and it was in great condition and worth the trip just to see this 


*main entrance*














*office area near main entrance *






















*main entrance junction point*







*
all the points for changing tracks are in great condition*

































*this is the lift used to bring the bombs up and down, there is also an emergency exit behind it* 
















*top side shot of lift entrance*















*big old blast door*
































*the old bits of wood used to support the bombs*






























































*
and to finish of some arty farty ones*


























​
cheers all it was a great day out


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## Foxylady (Sep 29, 2010)

Stacks of stuff!  Nice one, Tommo, especially the underground ammo store.


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## klempner69 (Sep 29, 2010)

Very impressive shots indeedy,you got some lush colours in some of those tunnel shots,and I love the red handle/lever shot in particular.


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## tommo (Sep 29, 2010)

cheers folks, its a great place and one of the cleanest underground spaces i have been in, its strange because when your in there u dont feel it but once u start taking pics u realsie the whole place is sloping to the west and the best bit is there is not a single bit of chav art work in there or pikey damage


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## swanseamale47 (Mar 14, 2011)

Great explore and smashing pics, thanks for sharing.


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## chris (Mar 14, 2011)

Great report and photos


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## Bunker Bill (Mar 14, 2011)

Great pic's and report, well done


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## Badoosh (Mar 14, 2011)

Love it. Fantastic shots & plenty of 'em which is good to see. Looking forward to this one!


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## jindivik (Mar 14, 2011)

cracking chap well done


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## scottyg100 (Mar 14, 2011)

so gratefull i was able to see that, pictures are amazing and the location look fantastic thanks for posting it up.


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## Pugstar (Mar 14, 2011)

Thats fantastic, like the radon sign, must have been some firepower down there during the cold war


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## godzilla73 (Mar 14, 2011)

Great to see such a thorough and detailed report on an interesting site. Cheers Tommo!


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## skeleton key (Mar 16, 2011)

Hi tommo, 
loving this report 
Looks as if you could spend the whole day just taking it in and still have more to see.
The ammo store looks immense and the pics are quality.

SK


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## sYnc_below (Mar 16, 2011)

Fantastic stuff, well done


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## smiler (Mar 16, 2011)

This has got to be one of the best reports and set of pics I have ever seen on DP, Well done and Thanks to everyone involved.


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## chizyramone (Mar 17, 2011)

Nice one tommo, amazing report


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## outkast (Mar 17, 2011)

outstanding mate, top report


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## javamidge (Apr 17, 2011)

*Excellent pics*

I worked RAF Chilmark for a couple of years until it's closure. There are number of other mine workings on the other side of the of the road from the ammo store. They are behind the main admin building and appear to be just holes in the bank but if you go in they extend under the perimeter fence and out under the surrounding field. I spent many a lunchtime exploring these armed with only a torch. They are supposed to date from medieval times and used to supply stone for nearby Salisbury Cathedral. They certainly appeared to be very old and were considered unsafe with evidence of collapse in some places.


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## Grockle (Apr 18, 2011)

very good shots, thanks for sharing


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## tommo (Apr 18, 2011)

javamidge said:


> I worked RAF Chilmark for a couple of years until it's closure. There are number of other mine workings on the other side of the of the road from the ammo store. They are behind the main admin building and appear to be just holes in the bank but if you go in they extend under the perimeter fence and out under the surrounding field. I spent many a lunchtime exploring these armed with only a torch. They are supposed to date from medieval times and used to supply stone for nearby Salisbury Cathedral. They certainly appeared to be very old and were considered unsafe with evidence of collapse in some places.




thank u javamidge, we have a map for the other side of the roads, the other workings but as yet no one has been in and to be fair they have just started to quarry there again in the last month so i cant see us getting the chance as the moment, plus with the explosives school next door it wasnt worth the hastle

as for chilmark did u ever have anything to to with the "dinton and baverstock" side of RAF chilmark, again this place looks great but has been taken over by a number of companies and none will return emails, but that alone even thougth its only above ground explore the bunkers and stores look great


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## javamidge (Apr 20, 2011)

Unfortunately I was based in the garage site behind the main admin building. I did visit the Baverstock site on the odd occasion but cannot remember too much about it. I remember there was a shot blasting and painting shop on the site to the right of the road. The left side was mainly large sheds or hangers with racks of spare parts. Sadly the site was already running down towards closure when I worked at Chilmark. I do remember a pond on the left site and I believe Navy divers were brought in to check what was in there. There were rumours of a land rover having been sunk in there but the only items discovered were old railway signal batteries.

I visited the Ladydown site more frequently as we used to service the trollies the bombs were transported on. There were many bunkers on this site and this was where the bombs were stored and dismantled and serviced on a regular basis. I remember there was a tower just inside the entrance where the MOD fire brigade used to train.

The Ham Cross Rail site was more familiar territory. There were two full size diesel shunters in addition to the narrow gauge railway. At the time the full size rail track extended onto the main Exeter Waterloo line and it would have been possible to transport bombs etc via this route. However, this never happened during my time there. I remember being on site when they removed one of the large engines. They basically made up a ramp with rails on and drove it onto the back of a low loader. Very dangerous but it went off without any dramas.

By the side of the Police Office there used to be a cemetery for all the police dogs but I believe this has been removed.

Thanks again for your photographs and sorry I couldn't have given you more information.


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## tommo (Apr 20, 2011)

no thank u for the info its been great to find some new stuff out and chat to some one that worked there

the fire brigade training place we found and it looks like a smoke room , where they go in and find there way round in bad conditions

just before it there is a small house type building, with showers and extraction, looks like air locks and filters and we guested this must be a decontamination room where they must of been playing with the mustard gas or similar, but defo a gas room of some kind

got some great maps with building numbers on as well as each building being numbered but just ned to find a key to what each building was for, hopefully will trip over one, one day


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