#abandoned #abandonedplaces #urbex #photography #decay #urbanexploration #explore #art #graffiti #photooftheday #adventure #jj_urbex #abandoned_junkies #urbexphotography #abandonedafterdark #urbandecay #urban #ig_urbex #urbex_utopia #travel #exploration #nature #renegade_abandoned #urbexpeople #streetart #photographer #urbexworld #ruins #decay #urbanexploration jj_urbex #abandonedafterdark #packsandcams #daveelsender Any donations towards my channel are welcome and much appreciated every penny goes back into my channel fuel and equipment etc π
East Boldon Anti-Aircraft Supply Depot (HER1829) Grid.....Reference: - NZ3687 6063
Please note that Boldon Camp is private property. Access is ONLY by permission of the owner.
Outline plan of the East Boldon Anti-Aircraft Supply Depot circa 1954 The Depot today.........
East Boldon Anti-Aircraft Supply Depot (HER1829) is the last of its type in the North East of England. The sister site of this depot which provided ammunition etc. to the Anti-Aircraft Batteries located north of the River Tyne at Killingworth was demolished in 2014/15 with the land being used for housing.
Prior to the demolition of the Killingworth Depot, the local press reported that:-
“The site was built in 1938 in anticipation of war with Germany. Its function was to supply ammunition to anti-aircraft and other gun emplacements guarding the conurbation north of the Tyne. Its other role was to store and maintain vehicles serving the gun batteries. Ammunition stored at the depot included 0.303 rounds for Lewis and Bren Guns, shells for Polsten and Bofors Guns plus heavy shells for the anti-aircraft and coastal batteries. Because the buildings were planned and constructed before the war good quality materials were used.
A report from the Tyne & Wear archaeology officer at the time stated that “Tyne & Wear may be unique in having two such surviving sites......
English Heritage also stated at the time that, “The Killingworth Depot is one of two surviving former World War Two anti-aircraft supply depots in Tyne & Wear and while the site is not nationally designated, it is clearly of regional and local importance”
The above details were reported in the regional press in August 2014, and it would seem that since the Killingworth Depot was demolished and the land turned over to housing, the last remaining Depot at East Boldon must assume a more important role in being preserved for future generations.
At present the detailed history of the East Boldon site is still being researched, however for an overview of the only web based information about East Boldon Anti-Aircraft Depot, we would recommend the Boldon Wartime Memories website where the Camp section contains some limited information about the depot.
The Boldon Camp Heritage Group believes that this depot like the Killingworth Depot played a major role in the supply of ammunition to all of the heavy and light Anti-Aircraft Batteries located south of the River Tyne in the South Tyneside and Sunderland areas during World War Two. The extent of the supply operation and the area covered by Boldon Camp is the subject of ongoing research which will be published on this website when completed.
The site is located to the east of East Boldon (Grid Reference:- NZ3687 6063) just as you leave the village on the A184. The track to the depot is on the right hand side of the road opposite the cricket ground. Within 100 metres of leaving the A184 you are travelling on the original wartime concrete laid roadway which swings up through the entrance gate between two large grassed areas and into the complex of derelict depot buildings and bunkers.
With regard to the 1954 plan above, all of the area to the North of the site where the hutted encampment was located was cleared of buildings decades ago and the land returned to rough grassland. However the main structures of the supply depot still exist today, but are in a poor condition.
All of the “still standing” buildings have been vandalised with steel framed windows removed, roof coverings taken down by the previous owner, some demolished brickwork, no existing original fittings, mounds of debris and extreme graffiti on just about every surface. There has been no grounds maintenance for many years with trees and shrubs growing over large swathes of what should be open areas between the buildings and bunkers.!!!!!
Covering an area of 7.6 hectares of brownfield and rough grassland, this site has remained in existence for over 75 years and is now the last remaining major “above ground” Word War Two site left in the North East of England. In its current state the buildings that still survive consist of the large main warehouse, workshop, administration buildings, a row of single storey offices, a post war metal Romney building, external brick storage area, small pump house, brick blockhouse assemblies and five concrete ammunition bunkers with blast walls and earth embankments.
0 Comments