# Fuel Depot - July 2017



## SlimJim (Jul 30, 2017)

Visited with Dick Derpin.

I'd intended to keep everything local this summer because of a lack of funds and an aged car, but in the end I came to the conclusion that we'd done almost everything accessible within an hours drive. After some pondering I also realised that I've lost 'the spark' with most facets of Urbex. The only thing at the moment that really buzzes me is WW2 and underground stuff, so I set to work on finding something new outside of Kent...

I'd seen these fuel stores knocking around online not long ago and I managed to rope Dick Derpin into meeting up and driving down there... We were pleasantly surprised to find access and had a damn good old fashioned mooch about for over 3 hours! It's been a really long time since I've done a wartime site this big and in such good condition. An impressive place indeed.

The depot is 120+ foot underground, with 30cm thick walls. It was built in the 1930s to store fuel for the Navy. A number of men died building it because of collapses. It was decommissioned in the 90s.

One of the portals.






The passages here are some of the longest I've ever been in.





Bolted hatches which seem to lead to the reservoirs.





Some mad sets of stairs too.





Slope with a track for some kind of cart.





Shelter.





Pump room. I struggled to get shots in here because the room was flooded with oil and water and I had only carrier bags tied to my feet  Not only that, but it stank. The air was thick and hazy, so we didn't hang about long.





Group shot.





To finish, it was a really sweet site and topped off an excellent summer. Big up to DD for driving.

Thanks for looking,

SJ.


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## jsp77 (Jul 30, 2017)

I like this Slim, was only watching a video on this the other day. Great shots


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## Sam Haltin (Jul 31, 2017)

I too watched the same video, I think it was done by IKS Exploration. But the guy holding the camera was walking in a foot of sludge and oil. Like you, he didn't go far. I like your shot of the generator room.


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## krela (Jul 31, 2017)

Very nice, not seen this for an age, glad you got there.


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## Mikeymutt (Jul 31, 2017)

Enjoyed that mate.still yet to do one of these


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## Conrad (Jul 31, 2017)

Nicely done, looks like the place didn't disappoint.


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## smiler (Jul 31, 2017)

Interesting post Jim, the shots of the pump room are good, have you got the stink out of your cloths yet or did you dump em as I did after nosing around Falmouth's fuel depot? I enjoyed it, Thanks


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## cogito (Jul 31, 2017)

Shame that the pump room is flooded now, still its good that this place is still do-able!


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## mookster (Jul 31, 2017)

That's very cool!


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## Rubex (Jul 31, 2017)

Ooo very cool! That last pic is great!!


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## Electric (Jul 31, 2017)

Very nice SlimJim. Good luck with regaining 'the spark'.


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## SlimJim (Aug 1, 2017)

smiler said:


> Interesting post Jim, the shots of the pump room are good, have you got the stink out of your cloths yet or did you dump em as I did after nosing around Falmouth's fuel depot? I enjoyed it, Thanks



I wore some ripped up trews and trainers that were already wrecked, then promptly binned them when I got home  Was not prepared for that much oil though! Especially all the oil filled holes in the floor...was like the Bawdsey plant room all over again. It must be on my bag though because I'm smelling it in Poland


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## prettyvacant71 (Aug 2, 2017)

Some great shots in some pretty tricky conditions guys! Pitch black, poor air, steep steps and flooded thats enough to think about let alone getting the shots! Very interesting explore by the looks of it, thanks!


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## urban-dorset (Aug 2, 2017)

Very interesting.


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## Dick Derpin (Aug 5, 2017)

As Jim said this was a decent day out and a very welcome feeling to have hit WW2 stuff I havent done before!

Weirdly i was more prepared this time and left my wellies in the car (well thats what I told Jim, actually I just forgot to take them out from the last time I went metal detecting )

This place suprised me by the fact it was seperated.



Pump Station Stairs by Dick Derpin, on Flickr


Shelter by Dick Derpin, on Flickr


Bag boots by Dick Derpin, on Flickr


Portal E by Dick Derpin, on Flickr


Light at the end... by Dick Derpin, on Flickr


Reservoir Caps - Tank 7 by Dick Derpin, on Flickr


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## SlimJim (Aug 6, 2017)

Sweet shots brah. Big up the placcy bags one!


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## vulcanxh558 (Aug 8, 2017)

Isnt this a similar place to something that was on the TV a while ago. Im pretty sure it was Rob Bell doing some kind of hidden britain series. If im right, he used a kind of sledge and went through one of the holes as shown in the 3rd picture. It went into a enormous chamber and they even got a musical instrument in there too. The echo and reverberation was incredible


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## Electric (Aug 8, 2017)

vulcanxh558 said:


> Rob Bell doing some kind of hidden britain series.



Not sure. I think that series was 'Underground Britain' on Channel 5, ended back in March this year.
I missed it, has anybody seen it and is it good?


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## Walrus75 (Oct 3, 2017)

vulcanxh558 said:


> Isnt this a similar place to something that was on the TV a while ago. Im pretty sure it was Rob Bell doing some kind of hidden britain series. If im right, he used a kind of sledge and went through one of the holes as shown in the 3rd picture. It went into a enormous chamber and they even got a musical instrument in there too. The echo and reverberation was incredible



If I remember rightly he ventured into Inchindown which is inland from Invergordon.


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