Porton Down, BBC4

[LambShank]

Just like to thank Ginetta for the long but incredibly informative post.

This really is bloody scary stuff!

[princealbert23]

gareth h said:

I lived in Andover and there were stories back in the 1970s that they would pay for you to test cures for the common cold

Could they be confused by the CCU at Odstock? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Cold_Unit
I couldn't think of a better reporter than Michael Moseley to do a programme on PD

[Stickyfinger]

princealbert23 said:

gareth h said:

I lived in Andover and there were stories back in the 1970s that they would pay for you to test cures for the common cold

Could they be confused by the CCU at Odstock? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Cold_Unit
I couldn't think of a better reporter than Michael Moseley to do a programme on PD

Yes, redeveloped in to the new hospital for the area

[Some Gump]

Ginetta G15 Girl said:

Indeed.

However I wanted to concentrate on the Nerve Agents (G and V) and not go into Blister Agents (HD, HN), Blood Agents (CK, AC), Choking Agents (PS, DP, CG), Nettling Agents (CX) or Incapacitants (BZ, CS) else I would have been typing all afternoon!

If you ever decide to type all afternoon, I'll not criticise

A very interesting, well written post - IMO the level between detail and understandable was just right


For some of the posters questioning what PD can do all day with 500m, the bit I'm directly aware of is that they are our UK centre for bio safety. All the equipment that is used in bio / cancer research, or in hospital blood labs, national blood service etc etc is tested for safety at portion down. I believe, but don't know for certain, that a lot of clean room garments / bio safety suits are also tested there - think the yellow suits from Outbreak, but for use in pharma production.

[coopedup]

LambShank said:

Just like to thank Ginetta for the long but incredibly informative post.

This really is bloody scary stuff!

I would also like to thank Ginetta. Having watched the programme last night I feel far better equipped in the pub debate now! Joking, huge thanks for taking the time to explain this us all, really appreciated.

[llewop]

RizzoTheRat said:

boobles said:

Or how much protection there is from them bombs found on the beach sat on pallets with just a small walls around them!
Thought they would also be in more of a "controlled" environment.

From an explosives point of view strong walls and minimal roof is a good thing, but while containment is a good idea from a chemical perspective presumably if anything detonated inside a sealed building the pressure would likely damage the building and gas would escape anyway. It's a big site, I assume those bunkers are a hell of a long way from anything else.

Presumably in the case of mustard, chlorine or phosgene they eventually react with moisture in the air, so would water sprays limit the distance they could spread in an accidental release?

Just caught up with this on I-player. As well as the bunker-walls they did also mention that the location was 'a classified location in the middle of the range' or something like that, so a fair distance from the public if anything were to go wrong.

Interesting if melodramatic program - not sure what all the lab geekery proved, other than they could scare him with various funny coloured liquids! Does though re-iterate that this stuff (chem/bio) is more of genuine concern than my line of work - the R/N bit of CBRN.

[hidetheelephants]

llewop said:

Just caught up with this on I-player. As well as the bunker-walls they did also mention that the location was 'a classified location in the middle of the range' or something like that, so a fair distance from the public if anything were to go wrong.

Interesting if melodramatic program - not sure what all the lab geekery proved, other than they could scare him with various funny coloured liquids! Does though re-iterate that this stuff (chem/bio) is more of genuine concern than my line of work - the R/N bit of CBRN.

Nuclear is too hard for scumbag terrorists, blowing people up is a lot easier than actually threatening people with a credible NBC threat.

[Stickyfinger]

hidetheelephants said:

llewop said:

Just caught up with this on I-player. As well as the bunker-walls they did also mention that the location was 'a classified location in the middle of the range' or something like that, so a fair distance from the public if anything were to go wrong.

Interesting if melodramatic program - not sure what all the lab geekery proved, other than they could scare him with various funny coloured liquids! Does though re-iterate that this stuff (chem/bio) is more of genuine concern than my line of work - the R/N bit of CBRN.

Nuclear is too hard for scumbag terrorists, blowing people up is a lot easier than actually threatening people with a credible NBC threat.

Dirty radiation is not however and is very much a grade threat.

[Cyder]

llewop said:

RizzoTheRat said:

boobles said:

Or how much protection there is from them bombs found on the beach sat on pallets with just a small walls around them!
Thought they would also be in more of a "controlled" environment.

From an explosives point of view strong walls and minimal roof is a good thing, but while containment is a good idea from a chemical perspective presumably if anything detonated inside a sealed building the pressure would likely damage the building and gas would escape anyway. It's a big site, I assume those bunkers are a hell of a long way from anything else.

Presumably in the case of mustard, chlorine or phosgene they eventually react with moisture in the air, so would water sprays limit the distance they could spread in an accidental release?

Just caught up with this on I-player. As well as the bunker-walls they did also mention that the location was 'a classified location in the middle of the range' or something like that, so a fair distance from the public if anything were to go wrong.

Interesting if melodramatic program - not sure what all the lab geekery proved, other than they could scare him with various funny coloured liquids! Does though re-iterate that this stuff (chem/bio) is more of genuine concern than my line of work - the R/N bit of CBRN.

Not so hard to find it on Google maps while watching the program. Highly classified!

[TheExcession]

LambShank said:

Just like to thank Ginetta for the long but incredibly informative post.

Seconded. I've got a reasonable level of edumacation in physiology & pharmacology and Ginetta's posts on this thread have been very interesting and definitely a worthwhile read.

[callyman]

RizzoTheRat said:

boobles said:

Or how much protection there is from them bombs found on the beach sat on pallets with just a small walls around them!
Thought they would also be in more of a "controlled" environment.

From an explosives point of view strong walls and minimal roof is a good thing, but while containment is a good idea from a chemical perspective presumably if anything detonated inside a sealed building the pressure would likely damage the building and gas would escape anyway. It's a big site, I assume those bunkers are a hell of a long way from anything else.

Presumably in the case of mustard, chlorine or phosgene they eventually react with moisture in the air, so would water sprays limit the distance they could spread in an accidental release?

They are about a mile max from Porton Village.

[joshleb]

I put this on last week as some background noise whilst working, ended up just watching it for the hour.

Great program about a place I had never heard of, and hopefully won't have have to!

Would truly be amazing to know everything that is going on there, inside all the buildings and what they have stored.

[IN51GHT]

Just downloaded to watch tonight (after the Bloodhound meeting has finished)