RAF Ouston defences, Northumberland (pic heavy)

Here are a few pics taken around the old RAF Ouston, now Albemarle Barracks in Northumberland. It was a sector station in Fighter Command's 13 group, opened in March 1941. The most interesting part is around an old quarry South-West of the airfield, although why this quarry was so heavily defended is still a mystery to me.

A nicely camouflaged pillbox built into a wall


A closer look


Around the back


In the wood behind the camouflaged box are various brick rifle pits






Built into the cliff of the quarry is this one...


Still with gun mounts


On top of the cliff




Inside


On the quarry floor is this one, impossible to photograph due to the foliage, except for the entrance. Hard to find too, it even has a small amount of period grafitti, but the pics I took wouldn't show it clearly.


One of the embrasures. The gun mount was still fitted here when I first found this one way back in the early 80's

Interesting set of defences, got a map to go with it or the GE overlay.

Just below the quarry in the hedge of a field


Has a nice brick lined approach trench to it's entrance


On the other side of the airfield at Nesbitt Hill Head



Still with it's door frame and an embrasure in the entranceway


Beautifully clean inside

god its been years since I last explored round there looks like it hasn't changed much. Cheers for posting

Nice set of pics mate Cheers for sharing em

karltrowitz said:

...although why this quarry was so heavily defended is still a mystery to me.

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This is a wild guess, but I know that at least one of my local quarries was used to provide hard core for nearby WW2 airfields. Maybe it was something to do with that, or similar?

Some great remains there, Karl. Especially loving the one built into the cliff of the quarry.

Foxylady said:

This is a wild guess, but I know that at least one of my local quarries was used to provide hard core for nearby WW2 airfields. Maybe it was something to do with that, or similar?

Some great remains there, Karl. Especially loving the one built into the cliff of the quarry.

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More likely that the site has a fantastic view over the airfield. Where better to put a bunch of machineguns?

cptpies said:

More likely that the site has a fantastic view over the airfield. Where better to put a bunch of machineguns?

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You're right about the view over the airfield, but the camouflaged box and the one in the hedge, as well as the slit trenches are all facing west. If you look at the pic of the one in the cliff face, there is a building behind it which is a wartime building. I'm not sure of it's original function though. Maybe it was a standby sector ops room or something, away from the airfield itself?