I'm still working on my Pyestock site...
And next to be completed is Cell 3. I suspect the trench and parts of the underground sections (where you can walk under the cell itself) have now flooded - we had to wade through parts in 2006 and 2007.
Cell 3 (630)
Built: 1961
Decommissioned: 2002
Cell 3 was the first testing cell built after plans in the early 1950s to expand the initial capacity of the site. Constructed at the same time as the Air House, it was designed as a general purpose cell to provide greater capacity than Cell 2 e.g. it could cater for the new larger engines with their improved performance, and could simulate higher altitudes, all within a wider range of engine entry temperatures.
The cell was 138 feet long. The working section, where the gas turbine under test was connected, was 56 feet long, the diffusing section (where hot exhaust gases were rapidly cooled) was 64 foot long, the cooler and frame trap sections were 90 foot long with the rest of the length comprising the connection to the suction mains manifold. The diameters of these components was also impressive with the working section having a diameter of 20 foot, with a removable section in the roof, and the diameters of the diffuser and cooler sections were 10 foot and 30 foot respectively.
Such a structure should've had a major presence, easily dwarfing the size of Cells 1 and 2 which it replaced. But to reduce unwanted emitted noise, the whole structure was submerged below ground level in a concrete trench. Therefore there was little outward appearance of this complicated engineering installation.
Two buildings were constructed on top of this trench. The first was the main cell building which covered the working section. This steel framed building was typical of the austere, functional buildings of Pyestock. It was shuttered at its western end to allow gas turbines to be winched into the loading bay and then lowered in a well which contained the working section. The northern side was clad with glass to increase the natural lighting, whilst brick appendages on the north and south sides provided space for workshops, storage space and control rooms for icing tests.
A second building was constructed over another well which gave access to the exterior of the exhaust manifold. This was little more than a metal frame with steel cladding over its northern and southern sides.
The main control room for the cell was housed in the Computer Building over 700 meters away. A tunnel, called Monks Passage, was constructed to provide a connection path between the control room and its cell.
The cell was connected to the new air main and suction mains which were constructed along with the Air House. It used the Air House (and later the Parsons No. 9 and No. 10 exhausters) to produce altitude conditions (unlike Cells 1 and 2 which were driven by the ejectors). Compressed air was supplied by the Air House only, whilst exhausting conditions could be produced by all the plant.
It could simulate altitude conditions to 70,000 ft. at mach 2.2, with temperature ranging from -70 through to 250 degrees.
Temperature control was achieved by a separate heating plant (since removed), a separate cold air plant (produced by a pre-cooler and pressure dryer system housed in a neighbouring building) and ice making facilities (which could be found in the Cell 3 building). The four fuel systems connected to the cell could also be varied and set to different temperatures and pressures. Additionally the GEC sets could be configured to draw air through the Ceca Air Drying Plant so tests could be conducted with dry air.
Cell 3 became one of the most used cells of the site, its positioning within the air and suction mains allowing a plethora of different connection strategies and options. Initially designed for testing large diameter engines and combat jet testing, it was later used for military engine testing. It could also be used for steady state performance measurement, control system evaluation, altitude relighting, the limits of combustion stability, the evaluation of engine performance in severe icing conditions and the tolerance to distorted inlet flows.
It only closed in 2002 when it was determined obsolete after over forty years of service. But its working life wasn’t quite over and the working section was dressed up for the feature film Sahara where the cell doubled-up as part of a futuristic toxic waste disposal facility.
Some choice shots follow:
The western section of Cell 3 looking west from the covered section to the suction mains. The connecting building at the other end is Cell 3 West.
South-western corner of Cell 3 looking across the roof of building 627.
Looking east towards Cell 3 from the rising suction main of Cell 3 West.
The testing room of Cell 3 looking east.
View north-west across the Ice Plant Control Room.
Elevated view westerly across the whole of the external building of Cell 3.
First basement floor alongside the southern wall of the cell testing chamber. Looking east.
Elevated view across the working section and looking up to the roof of the cell.
The view east from the end of the exhaust gas cooler towards the flame traps and water cooled diffuser.
Elevated view south-west across the third well and the air inlet.
Piping and connections for the water cooled diffuser section. Looking west.
Looking west across the southern flank of the water cooled diffuser section.
Climbing over the exhaust gas cooler to the well in the covered section.
The northern side of the exhaust gas cooler looking east.
View up from the second basement floor up to the well in the covered section. Looking west.
Doorway through bulkhead on the second basement floor to the suction mains. Looking west.
Stairs up the gully connecting the final sections of Cell 3 and Cell 3 West to the suction mains. Looking west.
Elevated view east of the bulkhead door which leads to the second basement under Cell 3.
There are more pictures and a full walkthrough on my website.
All the best,
Simon
And next to be completed is Cell 3. I suspect the trench and parts of the underground sections (where you can walk under the cell itself) have now flooded - we had to wade through parts in 2006 and 2007.
Cell 3 (630)
Built: 1961
Decommissioned: 2002
Cell 3 was the first testing cell built after plans in the early 1950s to expand the initial capacity of the site. Constructed at the same time as the Air House, it was designed as a general purpose cell to provide greater capacity than Cell 2 e.g. it could cater for the new larger engines with their improved performance, and could simulate higher altitudes, all within a wider range of engine entry temperatures.
The cell was 138 feet long. The working section, where the gas turbine under test was connected, was 56 feet long, the diffusing section (where hot exhaust gases were rapidly cooled) was 64 foot long, the cooler and frame trap sections were 90 foot long with the rest of the length comprising the connection to the suction mains manifold. The diameters of these components was also impressive with the working section having a diameter of 20 foot, with a removable section in the roof, and the diameters of the diffuser and cooler sections were 10 foot and 30 foot respectively.
Such a structure should've had a major presence, easily dwarfing the size of Cells 1 and 2 which it replaced. But to reduce unwanted emitted noise, the whole structure was submerged below ground level in a concrete trench. Therefore there was little outward appearance of this complicated engineering installation.
Two buildings were constructed on top of this trench. The first was the main cell building which covered the working section. This steel framed building was typical of the austere, functional buildings of Pyestock. It was shuttered at its western end to allow gas turbines to be winched into the loading bay and then lowered in a well which contained the working section. The northern side was clad with glass to increase the natural lighting, whilst brick appendages on the north and south sides provided space for workshops, storage space and control rooms for icing tests.
A second building was constructed over another well which gave access to the exterior of the exhaust manifold. This was little more than a metal frame with steel cladding over its northern and southern sides.
The main control room for the cell was housed in the Computer Building over 700 meters away. A tunnel, called Monks Passage, was constructed to provide a connection path between the control room and its cell.
The cell was connected to the new air main and suction mains which were constructed along with the Air House. It used the Air House (and later the Parsons No. 9 and No. 10 exhausters) to produce altitude conditions (unlike Cells 1 and 2 which were driven by the ejectors). Compressed air was supplied by the Air House only, whilst exhausting conditions could be produced by all the plant.
It could simulate altitude conditions to 70,000 ft. at mach 2.2, with temperature ranging from -70 through to 250 degrees.
Temperature control was achieved by a separate heating plant (since removed), a separate cold air plant (produced by a pre-cooler and pressure dryer system housed in a neighbouring building) and ice making facilities (which could be found in the Cell 3 building). The four fuel systems connected to the cell could also be varied and set to different temperatures and pressures. Additionally the GEC sets could be configured to draw air through the Ceca Air Drying Plant so tests could be conducted with dry air.
Cell 3 became one of the most used cells of the site, its positioning within the air and suction mains allowing a plethora of different connection strategies and options. Initially designed for testing large diameter engines and combat jet testing, it was later used for military engine testing. It could also be used for steady state performance measurement, control system evaluation, altitude relighting, the limits of combustion stability, the evaluation of engine performance in severe icing conditions and the tolerance to distorted inlet flows.
It only closed in 2002 when it was determined obsolete after over forty years of service. But its working life wasn’t quite over and the working section was dressed up for the feature film Sahara where the cell doubled-up as part of a futuristic toxic waste disposal facility.
Some choice shots follow:
The western section of Cell 3 looking west from the covered section to the suction mains. The connecting building at the other end is Cell 3 West.
South-western corner of Cell 3 looking across the roof of building 627.
Looking east towards Cell 3 from the rising suction main of Cell 3 West.
The testing room of Cell 3 looking east.
View north-west across the Ice Plant Control Room.
Elevated view westerly across the whole of the external building of Cell 3.
First basement floor alongside the southern wall of the cell testing chamber. Looking east.
Elevated view across the working section and looking up to the roof of the cell.
The view east from the end of the exhaust gas cooler towards the flame traps and water cooled diffuser.
Elevated view south-west across the third well and the air inlet.
Piping and connections for the water cooled diffuser section. Looking west.
Looking west across the southern flank of the water cooled diffuser section.
Climbing over the exhaust gas cooler to the well in the covered section.
The northern side of the exhaust gas cooler looking east.
View up from the second basement floor up to the well in the covered section. Looking west.
Doorway through bulkhead on the second basement floor to the suction mains. Looking west.
Stairs up the gully connecting the final sections of Cell 3 and Cell 3 West to the suction mains. Looking west.
Elevated view east of the bulkhead door which leads to the second basement under Cell 3.
There are more pictures and a full walkthrough on my website.
All the best,
Simon
