Shorts Brothers Seaplane Factory, Rochester, Jan 2010

[rigsby]

In 1941 Shorts Brothers contacted the Ministry of Aircraft Production
seeking authority to build a new underground works in tunnels excavated under chalk cliffs behind their existing MAP extension factory in Rochester.
The project was given the go ahead and the tunnels were excavated consisting of two parallel tunnels, each one hundred metres in length, these were linked by four 75 metre long adits to the cliff face at the rear of the factory. The tunnels were for the most part cut from chalk and brick lined.

After that Blaw-Knox who manufacturer paving equipment used the tunnels untell the 1990's for storage, and left many bits of metal and materials behind. The tunnels have been unused since.

At one end of the factory it a large air raid shelter it is very long and it felt like i was walking for hours to get to the end.

 

[tommo]

Nice one fella, is it very big down there then, looks like a good explore

 

[Seahorse]

Well, that's two of my preconceptions destroyed in one thread.

I always assumed Shorts were always based in Belfast.

And I always assumed Blaw Knox was a Scottish company.

Damn you, and your historically correct thread.

 

[King Al]

Good stuff rigsby, like first shot down the air raid bit

 

[Foxylady]

Blimey, it's ages since I've seen a report from here. Nice one, rigsby. Some interesting stuff remaining.

 

[swanseamale47]

Great explore, my dear Dad talked about visiting a seaplane factory during the war, he didn't know where it was but he remembered them taking the planes up a ramp and down onto a lake and flying away from there.
Sadly he couldn't remember any more details except it was a huge place inside.
Wayne

 

[urbex13]

Good pictures, well lit. This has got to be one of my main local aspirations, being Kent based. Looks like a good explore and a lot more content and stylistic difference when compared to say the Ramsgate Tunnels which are rather repetitive to say the least.

 

[oldscrote]

i read somewhere that they built seaplanes in the lake district during the war and launched them off one of the lakes.One plane that must have sunk was recently located by sonar on the lakebed whether it was recovered I do not know.

 

[Seahorse]

Here we go.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1051167.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1

I see they used sidescan sonar to survey the area. I'll have a scout for pics, but I would have loved for them to use multibeam for far better resolution. A far pricier option though, I suppose.

 

[swanseamale47]

i read somewhere that they built seaplanes in the lake district during the war and launched them off one of the lakes.One plane that must have sunk was recently located by sonar on the lakebed whether it was recovered I do not know.

So it seems a mooch about in the whitecross bay area might be in order? I wonder if this is the place my dear old dad talked about.
Wayne

 

[Seahorse]

Having done a bit more Googling, it appears that many reportedly sunk Sunderlands in that area, whether deliberately or not, are more than likely rumours, or mistaken assumptions.

There is even some doubt as to the authenticity of the above "find" reported in the Times, as some experts have stated that the sidescan image is a little too perfect. Unfortunately, there no longer seems to be a copy of that image available online, so we can't even judge for ourselves.

If anybody has incredibly deep pockets and would like to sponsor me, I'm more than willing to take a boat out with a multibeam spread and scan the whole lake for them.

Didn't think so.

 

[Munchh]

Damn fine work Rigsby.

Youv'e managed to convey the atmoshpere of the place very well in your photography. Some of the pics really suck you in particularly the air raid shelter.

A real doozy of a place and huge is an understatement.

 

[rigsby]

Thanks for the comments guys.

 

[CitadelMonkey]

Crikey...I haven't see pics from in here in years.

Were these pics taken on the recent Sub Brit organised visit?

 

[rigsby]

No mate not from a organised visit.
They are from earl this year so not sure what the score is now.

 

[Krypton]

This looks EPIC! Wow id love to go there!