If the UK had ever been nuked...
Discussion
I remember the air-raid sirens local to me when I was young. There was one just round the corner to my house on top of a pole, and another a mile or so down the road. They were tested every now and then, which was a bit disconcerting when you weren't expecting it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESlAhH9pVXs
They were all removed around 1992 when the cold war infrastructure was dismantled.
There's quite a detailed overview of the system here: http://www.ringbell.co.uk/ukwmo/Page211.htm
They were all removed around 1992 when the cold war infrastructure was dismantled.
There's quite a detailed overview of the system here: http://www.ringbell.co.uk/ukwmo/Page211.htm
Edited by tank slapper on Friday 13th January 17:20
tank slapper said:
There's quite a detailed overview of the system here: http://www.ringbell.co.uk/ukwmo/Page211.htm
Yep, that's what we had, it used to make pinging noises if you pressed the test lever
tmk2 said:
Vieste said:
Why Newport Pagnall Service Station ? i know it is crap but ffs i lived 5 miles from that in the mid 80s/90s.
I now live 5 miles from there and have lived closer during the 80s/90s 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMGCC
I also reckon MK sewage works is actually a secret military installation. /Joke.
Le TVR said:
Giant Lance was nothing more than extreme provocation on the part of Nixon and the panic that caused inside the V force in autumn of 69 has been referred to by some as 'not the RAF's finest hour'...
There's not a lot of info out there on Giant Lance but one of the bits I found said This was the only moment we know of when a president decided that it made strategic sense to pretend to launch World War III.Chuffin' Nora!!
So what went on within the RAF when this escapade kicked off?
Pot Bellied Fool said:
So what went on within the RAF when this escapade kicked off?
Page 57 of this book at link explains a bit more:http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=wdM5wJlVhpcC&am...
And Post 55 here:
http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/1...
Edited by Seeker UK on Monday 16th January 09:19
JohneeBoy said:
tmk2 said:
Vieste said:
Why Newport Pagnall Service Station ? i know it is crap but ffs i lived 5 miles from that in the mid 80s/90s.
I now live 5 miles from there and have lived closer during the 80s/90s http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMGCC
I also reckon MK sewage works is actually a secret military installation. /Joke.
This thread gives me unpleasant memories of these things. Scared the crap out of me as a kid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXx5Y2Fr2bk&fea...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXx5Y2Fr2bk&fea...
Edited by DoctorX on Monday 16th January 17:17
Im pretty glad I dodnt have to live through the worst stages of the cold war. It sounds awful. I think that the best way to go would be right next door to where the bomb fell, at least that way you wouldn't have to live through the hell afterwards.
Maybe it would look something like this? (it was sunrise but I thought it was pretty cool under the nuclear bomb guise)
Maybe it would look something like this? (it was sunrise but I thought it was pretty cool under the nuclear bomb guise)
JohneeBoy said:
tmk2 said:
Vieste said:
Why Newport Pagnall Service Station ? i know it is crap but ffs i lived 5 miles from that in the mid 80s/90s.
I now live 5 miles from there and have lived closer during the 80s/90s http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMGCC
I also reckon MK sewage works is actually a secret military installation. /Joke.
rizzotherat said:
My propulsion lecturer at uni reckoned the first place to be hit in the event of nuclear war would have been Newport Pagnall Service Station. If an ICBM was launched out of Greenham Common and the main engine failed to start, that's how far the booster that lifts it out of the silo should get it.
HTHWhen I was a little lad in the 80's living at RAF Binbrook where my dad was based at the time, there was a lot of nuclear war exercises going on.
The air raid sirens would be tested regularly; they scared the crap out of me at the time, if I was in the garden playing then as soon as they fired up I'd start to panic, collect my toys and run into the house, much to my parents amusement!
I also have vague memories of RAF police cars driving around the married quarters, lights flashing, shouting down a tannoy system telling all the men to get onto base and prepare the Lightning jets for take off, or whatever else jobs needed doing. At least I presume that's what was going on, my memory only accounts for the police cars, flashing lights and shouting on a tannoy as they drove through the streets, so I'll presume it was to scramble the jets.
I think the air raid sirens were being tested at RAF Brize Norton when I was living there from '88 onwards, I seem to remember hearing them blasting out too.
One thing I was a little surprised to hear about is the small nuclear or fallout observation shelters that are scattered around the UK.
I'm sure you've all seen the underground reservoirs that are usually spotted by some pipes sticking out of the ground, but some of those, usually out in the sticks or on hills were small bunkers made for a couple of people to sit in and take notes of radiation readings, that sort of thing. I think someone posted a link to a page that had photos and info on them on here somewhere.
The air raid sirens would be tested regularly; they scared the crap out of me at the time, if I was in the garden playing then as soon as they fired up I'd start to panic, collect my toys and run into the house, much to my parents amusement!
I also have vague memories of RAF police cars driving around the married quarters, lights flashing, shouting down a tannoy system telling all the men to get onto base and prepare the Lightning jets for take off, or whatever else jobs needed doing. At least I presume that's what was going on, my memory only accounts for the police cars, flashing lights and shouting on a tannoy as they drove through the streets, so I'll presume it was to scramble the jets.
I think the air raid sirens were being tested at RAF Brize Norton when I was living there from '88 onwards, I seem to remember hearing them blasting out too.
One thing I was a little surprised to hear about is the small nuclear or fallout observation shelters that are scattered around the UK.
I'm sure you've all seen the underground reservoirs that are usually spotted by some pipes sticking out of the ground, but some of those, usually out in the sticks or on hills were small bunkers made for a couple of people to sit in and take notes of radiation readings, that sort of thing. I think someone posted a link to a page that had photos and info on them on here somewhere.
rizzotherat said:
My propulsion lecturer at uni reckoned the first place to be hit in the event of nuclear war would have been Newport Pagnall Service Station. If an ICBM was launched out of Greenham Common and the main engine failed to start, that's how far the booster that lifts it out of the silo should get it.
HTHBrigand said:
One thing I was a little surprised to hear about is the small nuclear or fallout observation shelters that are scattered around the UK.
I'm sure you've all seen the underground reservoirs that are usually spotted by some pipes sticking out of the ground, but some of those, usually out in the sticks or on hills were small bunkers made for a couple of people to sit in and take notes of radiation readings, that sort of thing. I think someone posted a link to a page that had photos and info on them on here somewhere.
Lots of info on those here http://www.subbrit.org.uk/I'm sure you've all seen the underground reservoirs that are usually spotted by some pipes sticking out of the ground, but some of those, usually out in the sticks or on hills were small bunkers made for a couple of people to sit in and take notes of radiation readings, that sort of thing. I think someone posted a link to a page that had photos and info on them on here somewhere.
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