Marchington Barracks, Snowy Jan '13

Marchington Barracks

As a newbie (both photographer & explorer) I hope this report is informative, and welcome any constructive critisism.

I have been wanting to go and explore this local site for a while, and when the snow came, i just knew the time was right! I know it has been done many times before on here, but even so I feel a recent update may show its decay since previous reports, and the snow was so picturesque and quiet! The site has been entirely stripped and sealed up very well, and upon entry i was amazed by the layer of green slime on the floor that had not been disturbed for some time, and the amount of snow that had blown inside of the building was fascinating.

A bit of history, I won't bore you...
Royal Army Ordnance Corp (RAOC) Marchington, was built around 1957 and dealt with the supply and maintenance of weaponry and munitions and various other military equipment until 1993 when the Corp amalgamated with the Royal Logistics Corp. The site is now an industrial estate.
It was also a Central Vehicle Depot during this time until the barracks closed in 1970, and the Territorial Army took over. Until it finally closed the site in the early 1980s.
Marchington also housed the Armys fleet of Green Goddesses which came under the jurisdiction of the Office Of The Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM).The site is now an industrial estate. The Barracks lie bare and derelict and the married quaters have are all now private housing.


Barracks by Urban Rambler, on Flickr

Snow Edge by Urban Rambler, on Flickr

Decay by Urban Rambler, on Flickr

The 1 by Urban Rambler, on Flickr

Officers Lounge by Urban Rambler, on Flickr

Middle Landing by Urban Rambler, on Flickr

Stairs up by Urban Rambler, on Flickr

Stairs Down by Urban Rambler, on Flickr

Balcony view by Urban Rambler, on Flickr

My View by Urban Rambler, on Flickr

self portrait by Urban Rambler, on Flickr

what a view by Urban Rambler, on Flickr

Paint Peel by Urban Rambler, on Flickr

Landing View by Urban Rambler, on Flickr

Close that window by Urban Rambler, on Flickr

P*ssing in the wind by Urban Rambler, on Flickr

Rusty Bath by Urban Rambler, on Flickr

Great first report, I've never seen this place before! Your photos do a great job of documenting the place, thanks for sharing.

Nowt wrong with that for a first report. It's informative, the photos show the outside and inside, and show the buildings clearly and well. Cant ask for more than that

Nice one mate. Looks good in the white stuff.

very nice stuff!

Great report & photos.

looks very much like the accomadation part of RAF sculthorpe.

nice work mate looks good thanks for sharing

Marchington Camp History

Nice to see shots in snow, think i've been here in every other weather !
Just to correct the info thats told on the web, Marchington camp was re built from the previous war time camp, and the barrack block area and part of the married quarter site was opened in 1957, the main use of this huge site was as CVD Marchington,(central vehicle Depot) a holding depot for all kinds of military vehicles and the service and maintainance of them.
More married quarters were built in 1963, forming Didcot drive, Corsham place and Hillsea crecsent.
The central vehicle depot use ended in 1967,and then used for other military uses untill the whole site was mothballed in 1973 and put under care and maintainace incase of re use.
The whole site was sold off in 1980 and became derelict from this point onwards.
The old vehicle depot was set up as marchington industrial estate in the early 80's and is still today.
The barrack block site has never been re used since closure.
The married quarters were sold off as private houses from the early 80's onwards, and so were the officers houses up the road.
The green goddess fire engines were re housed in part of the former B depot vehicle sheds from about 1990 after they were removed from their old home in the Branston Ordanace depot, Burton On trent.
The fire engines were all de commisioned from active service a few years back when it was decided the military could use the red current day fire engines ancase of a fire strike in the future.
There is no military use at marchington anymore.
I've been coming here on and off forthe last 25 years.

Interesting to see a report agiain from here.

THE ODEON MAN

Thanks Odeon Man, very interesting to find out more information on the place, and stand corrected from my 'web' information! A lot of my family were from Uttoxeter, but are all sadly passed away, which is a real shame as they would of held many stories and memories of the place a suspect!

Thanks for all comments, and will get on with se more reports from past explores and many more future ones to come!

Hi,
Did you ever see the other buildings on the barrack block site now demolished?
About 5 to 8 years back in the middle of the 6 barrack blocks stood a perpous built kitchen and dining hall with serving hatch etc, it was very derelict indeed towards the end.
Inbetween the barrack blocks and the industrial estate stood 3 large nissen huts, this was the guard room depot and ammunition store, they still had wooden rifle racks in them !
Also between the industrial estate and the barrack blocks stood 3 large wooden clad buildings of typical war time construction and were older than the brick buildings.
These wooden buildings housed the NAFFI and had a small canteen, pool rooms, darts, etc.
One building housed the dance hall and had a full size bar, all 60's styled, there was a stage too.
The other collection of buildings now gone were the boiler house blocks and oil tanks, this supplied all the heating for the barracks and B Depot vehicle sheds on the industrial estate, inside 4 huge 1950's boilers and control panels, again very vandalised towards the end.
back in the 80's this place was still intact, could of easily been re used, sadly lack of a fence caused its demise.
Its just a ruin today.
THE ODEON