I've realised that I never got round to posting a report on this place before, so after having visited again recently I thought I'd compile all of my shots into one report rather than backdating a handful (which I hope is ok!). First off, the usual bit of history ripped straight from www.ngte.co.uk, not that there's anyone who hasn't already read it.
Conceived in the build up to World War Two, and realised in the post-war paranoia of the opening virtual salvos of the cold war, Pyestock was one of a number of top-secret sites which would bolster the UK’s standing during the austere 1950s; and become a vital component of the White Heat of Technology in the twitchy 1960s.
It was arguably the world's leading research facility into the research and design of gas turbines (or jet engines). "V" bomber, Harrier and Tornado engines were designed and refined in its custom test facilities; the air plant and custom cells could fly a Concorde engine at Mach 2 from the safety of the ground; all the gas turbines used by the Navy were put through harsh, enduring sea-worthiness tests; and the hush-hush top-secret captured Soviet engines were discretely tested for performance and reverse engineered.
By the turn of the new millennium, the world had changed. The theory behind the technology was well understood and tests could be simulated on computer rather than physically run in power-hungry, resource-sapping testing cells. Personnel gradually moved to new facilities and Pyestock slowly emptied and eventually stood down.
Now that bit's over with, onto the photos.
May 2011
Visited on a great sunny day with Olz9181, on the spur of the moment after a fail elsewhere. Caught just as we were about to enter Cell 4 when the land rover bombed round the corner suddenly. So close...
Pipey goodness.
Pitch black.
Onto the air house.
Then onto Cell 4... busted. Got walked out with the landie slowly driving behind us.
November 2011
Time for my birthday week explore! What a fateful day... Visited with Olz9181, Robbiekhan and Greenwinghero (who doesn't seem to be into exploring anymore, but hey ho). Another great sunny day.
Hello again air house!
No. 10 Exhauster.
Then we went on to Cell 4 where my trusty D40 was murdered, kicked off the walkway, falling to it's demise way down below. As a result, no photos from Cell 3, 4 or anywhere else visited that day. Bad times.
December 2011
The death of my camera was a good excuse for an upgrade. Armed with my shiny new D3000, I set off with Olz9181, AnotherMansCause and Robbiekhan, determined to get the shots I wasn't able to last time.
Oh air house, you're looking more and more wrecked every time I see you.
Cell 4 was next on the cards. Nice and tranquil in first light.
Time for Cell 3 next! No need for climbing...
Satisfied, we headed off.
September 2012
After many months of very few opportunities for all of us to explore together it was time for the usual suspects (Robbiekhan, AnotherMansCause and Olz9181) to head back to say farewell (possibly), having heard rumours of imminent demolition. We met up with Phantom Bish, Webbly and three other guys whose 28DL usernames I didn't catch. A Mission: Impossible-style infiltration followed but we made it in together no problem, seeing all the usual sights - air house, Cells 3 and 4 and the plane.
We lost one of the guys as he had to leave early, then in Cell 3 two of the others who were pretty far away from the rest of us got caught when the guards came inside. We gradually made our way to meet them outside, with quite a few close calls and an epic game of cat and mouse. On the way we decided to risk it and try for the plane...
The risk paid off and we made it out just in time. It made for one of the most enjoyable and adrenaline-fuelled explores I've had to date. Thanks guys, it's been a pleasure!
Conceived in the build up to World War Two, and realised in the post-war paranoia of the opening virtual salvos of the cold war, Pyestock was one of a number of top-secret sites which would bolster the UK’s standing during the austere 1950s; and become a vital component of the White Heat of Technology in the twitchy 1960s.
It was arguably the world's leading research facility into the research and design of gas turbines (or jet engines). "V" bomber, Harrier and Tornado engines were designed and refined in its custom test facilities; the air plant and custom cells could fly a Concorde engine at Mach 2 from the safety of the ground; all the gas turbines used by the Navy were put through harsh, enduring sea-worthiness tests; and the hush-hush top-secret captured Soviet engines were discretely tested for performance and reverse engineered.
By the turn of the new millennium, the world had changed. The theory behind the technology was well understood and tests could be simulated on computer rather than physically run in power-hungry, resource-sapping testing cells. Personnel gradually moved to new facilities and Pyestock slowly emptied and eventually stood down.
Now that bit's over with, onto the photos.
May 2011
Visited on a great sunny day with Olz9181, on the spur of the moment after a fail elsewhere. Caught just as we were about to enter Cell 4 when the land rover bombed round the corner suddenly. So close...
Pipey goodness.
Pitch black.
Onto the air house.
Then onto Cell 4... busted. Got walked out with the landie slowly driving behind us.
November 2011
Time for my birthday week explore! What a fateful day... Visited with Olz9181, Robbiekhan and Greenwinghero (who doesn't seem to be into exploring anymore, but hey ho). Another great sunny day.
Hello again air house!
No. 10 Exhauster.
Then we went on to Cell 4 where my trusty D40 was murdered, kicked off the walkway, falling to it's demise way down below. As a result, no photos from Cell 3, 4 or anywhere else visited that day. Bad times.
December 2011
The death of my camera was a good excuse for an upgrade. Armed with my shiny new D3000, I set off with Olz9181, AnotherMansCause and Robbiekhan, determined to get the shots I wasn't able to last time.
Oh air house, you're looking more and more wrecked every time I see you.
Cell 4 was next on the cards. Nice and tranquil in first light.
Time for Cell 3 next! No need for climbing...
Satisfied, we headed off.
September 2012
After many months of very few opportunities for all of us to explore together it was time for the usual suspects (Robbiekhan, AnotherMansCause and Olz9181) to head back to say farewell (possibly), having heard rumours of imminent demolition. We met up with Phantom Bish, Webbly and three other guys whose 28DL usernames I didn't catch. A Mission: Impossible-style infiltration followed but we made it in together no problem, seeing all the usual sights - air house, Cells 3 and 4 and the plane.
We lost one of the guys as he had to leave early, then in Cell 3 two of the others who were pretty far away from the rest of us got caught when the guards came inside. We gradually made our way to meet them outside, with quite a few close calls and an epic game of cat and mouse. On the way we decided to risk it and try for the plane...
The risk paid off and we made it out just in time. It made for one of the most enjoyable and adrenaline-fuelled explores I've had to date. Thanks guys, it's been a pleasure!
