There was a similar rumour about in the 1980s that there was a secret reserve of steam locomotives around the country, some of these were allegedly at rof chorley in a closed up shed, others in bricked up tunnels etc. Buckshaw village community news, facilities booking and events fao all residents of buckshaw mcl old worden and main street as per previous correspondences and information provided, we do not manage the grass verges closest to the highways. The new development is taking place on the former site of the royal ordnance factory rof chorley, and covers several square kilometres. Since the war, the site has only been in partial use, and has really been run down since the early 90s. I believe it was built as an integeral part of the factory as an auxillary backup just i case the rail lines where bombed. The works, which at their peak employed over 40,000 people. Silbury tunnel excavation, silbury hill, wiltshire. On 6121866 work began on the chorley cherry tree line, and after. The holding sidings for heapey rof was behind the large tree in the center. The presbyterians had state backing and held power during the commonwealth, support for the puritans was strong, a local martyr being george marsh. Take the opportunity to be one of the first to view the buckshaw tapestry which will be on display. Recommended reading for every destination on earth.
The king opened rof chorley at the beginning of the war. Location lancashire chorley period 1990s 1990 1999 tags aerial view factory 1930s 1930 1938 war military bomb ammunition 1990s. Chorley rof royal ordnance factory euxton was a huge. The history of rof chorley books and media 28dayslater. Here is how you can read all about the history of the. One thing what puzzles me is that a huge underground storage depot still remains nearby containing hundreds of steam locos incase an energy crisis oc. Have any buried aircraft cachesdisposal aircraft actually. I have a theory that there wasis a tunnel from rof heapy to rof chorley, three miles long. Bofors gun emplacement and attached pillbox, whittlele.
History and the village of euxton, lancashire, england. By june 1940, the numbers employed there had risen to nearly 15,000 and, at its wartime peak, rof chorley had more than 28,000 employees. I believe it was one of the best kept secrets of the second world war. Here is how you can read all about the history of the former royal. Bae systems heapey depot, as the remote subdepot to the former royal ordnance factory rof chorley in lancashire, has long been rumoured to. Royal ordnance factory bishopton posted february 2, 2009 by admin the royal ordnance factories were built during the rearmament phase of the 1930s, just in time for wwii bishopton was by far the largest, employing over 20,000 workers at its peak in three almost. It was simply that proper records werent kept in the rush to dispose of the excess kit.
A windanddust bomb depicted in the ming dynasty book huolongjing. Royal ordnance factories rofs was the collective name of the uk governments munitions factories in and after world war ii. Rof chorley when orginally built in the late 30s the site covered 928 acres, had 1500 buildings, 25 miles of railway track and 50 miles of road. Habitation and settlements in south central lancashire were sparse, a.
The site of rof chorley was the biggest munitions filling site in the country and was dubbed filling factory no. Heritage list entry summary for bofors gun emplacement and attached pillbox. Bbc radio lancashires phil cunliffe takes you for a walk in time along the old railway line which used to link chorley and blackburn. Using wartime documents, specially commissioned architectural photographs and the recollections of some of the factorys workers, this book highlights the important contribution of the royal ordnance factories. Royal ordnance munitions factories rof in lancashire in.
From the mysterious tunnels under a house in rawtenstall, to the miley tunnel in preston and the victorian tunnels under blackburn. Royal ordnance factory royal ordnance factories redirects here. Royal ordnance view of the cleared rof chorley site. The main entrance comes down the left of the valley and the tunnels are on the right side of the valley. The individual buildings are protected by blast banks. This book tells the fascinating story of the royal ordnance factory at euxton, chorley. Rof chorley the royal ordnance factory in euxton near chorley was once home to a huge munitions factory. Scout group, mile stone meadow, euxton, chorley pr7 6fx. One thing what puzzles me is that a huge underground storage depot still remains nearby containing.
The site here was built as a storage facility for the near by ammunitions factory in chorley. Rivington and lever park, lancashire folk tales myths. I have met people who claim to have been inside it. It was planned as a permanent royal ordnance factory with the intention that it, unlike some other similar facilities, would remain open for production after the end of world war ii. Rof chorley was an extensive site, covering over 400 ha. Furthermore, older people will be able to get into the spirit of fitness on friday 2 october with bicycle rides from tatton community centre from 10am for free or clayton green sports centre from. Royal ordnance factory at chorley employed over 40,000 at its peak and this book tells of the scale, diversity and human aspects of the site. Steve williams, best known for his work with the chorley remembers project, brought back many memories on sunday, when he hosted a buckshaw before it was a village talk. During world war ii munitions were stored at locations around rivington and production was close by at rof chorley, located at euxton, these locations played a vital role in the war effort, in 1939 rof chorley employed by 1940 that rose to 15,000 and rose by 28,00 and at its peak it employed 35,000, it was one of the largest factories in. However in the mid 1930s an area of nearly 1,000 acres was compulsory purchased by the government to build a large purpose built ordnance factory, and it became known as rof chorley. Theres numerous derelict buildings dotted around, including an old farm house and barns, pillboxes, what seems to be a train work shop, parts of the old train line and.
It was an assembly factory, where components and explosives manufactured elsewhere were assembled. Browse our collection below or get in touch if you cant find what you are looking for. Royal ordnance factory, chorley, lancashire educational. Until privatisation in 1987 they were the responsibility of the ministry of supply and later the ministry of defence the rofs were built in the rearmament period just before the start of the 193945 world war to enhance the capacity of the royal arsenal, woolwich, the. A decision was taken by bae systems who by then owned rof in the mid 90s to. There is an official book in the public domain that i have seen. It is rumored that heapey is the location of the strategic steam reserve but this is highly unlikely. The entire history of the royal ordnance factory at euxton, chorley. A victorian tunnel under blackburn town centre was unearthed by engineers in 2012 when they were improving the towns sewage system. The larger area, north of the railway was the main explosive, or ammunition filling, site. Kirkby had two major accidents during its war years, and in. The peter grant series alternatively, the rivers of london series or the pc grant series is a series of urban fantasy novels by english author ben aaronovitch, and comicsgraphic novels by aaronovitch and andrew cartmel, illustrated by lee sullivan. Bbc lancashire history a day out by train to the hills. This is the fascinating story of how rof hayes, a world war ii tank and gun factory in west london, played its part in the war effort.
Royal arsenal, royal ordnance factory, rof risley, rof chorley, j. C royal ordnance factories rofs was the collective name of the uk government s munitions factories in and after world war ii. Chorley we are based in chorley, so delight in providing you with a range of chorley based local history books. The village now sits on what used to be the 928 acre site of the royal ordnance factory rof, better known as the rof chorley, or filling factory no. Rof chorley had its own private railway station, rof halt, separated from the factory by brick boundary walls some 20 foot high along each side. Before construction of the two new factories was completed it was realised they would not have capacity to meet the combined british and. Life inside lancashires bomb factory lancashire evening. In the book secrets of the underground door to an ancient world german. For centuries the site of what is now buckshaw village was made up of the estates of buckshaw hall and old worden hall and a number of farmsteads.
The factory was designed to be completely selfsufficient. Currently an active bae storage facility assumed conventional munitions, heapey was used for the storage and possible exctraction of the lithium isotope li6 for the detonators of nuclear weapons as part of project chrystal during the late years of ww2 and the post warcold war years. Prior to the 1930s, britains ordnance manufacturing capability had been concentrated within the royal arsenal, woolwich. Hoopers is a lowimpact agility sport that consists of ground level hoops and tunnels for dogs to go through and barrels to.
Books are limited but if anyone would like to request a copy, contact harry on 07531. Chorley is the author of royal air force bomber command losses of the second world war vol. The hidden tunnels under lancashire which reveal its. During world war ii munitions were stored at locations around rivington and production was close by at rof chorley aka rof euxton and a large munitions store was located at rof heapey, these locations played a vital role in the war effort. Other filing sites were rof risley filling factory no. For the football club, see royal ordnance factories f. At the time of the taking of the domesday book in 1086, lancashire extended from the northern shore of the river mersey to south of the river ribble preston, walton, etc. The area of land was known as buckshaw, before it was requisitioned by the mod in the 1930s. Chorley rof royal ordnance factory euxton was a huge munitions factory in world war two now it is being completely landscaped into buckshaw village. In the late nineteenth century, the term royal ordnance factories began to be used collectively of the manufacturing departments of the arsenal principally the royal laboratory, royal gun factory and royal carriage works which, though they shared the same site. The power of the church of england was reasserted through the clarendon code after the english restoration in 1660 by persecuting nonconformists to force them to conform to use of the book of common prayer in services, requiring prayers for the. This rare book is the story of the royal ordnance factory at euxton, near chorley, the worlds largest purposebuilt munitions filling factory.
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