Interesting Wikipedia articles?

Interesting Wikipedia articles?

Author
Discussion

loafer123

15,406 posts

214 months

Thursday 28th September 2017
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Maybe the tunnel access is just an old wives tale, but given the ammunition tunnel access was updated to allow for diesel trains with two half mile long platforms, and the ammunition and Burlington complexes interconnect, I suspect it was possible to use the underground station for people as well as ammunition.

Certainly the publicly stated plan to muster people at Warminster and then take them by lorry to Corsham seems needlessly convoluted!

This is interesting;

https://www.higgypop.com/underground/tunnel-quarry...

llewop

3,585 posts

210 months

Thursday 28th September 2017
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Pebbles167 said:
Glad you all liked Burlington smile


I'm a train driver and regularly go through Box tunnel. I've not seen anywhere that would allow access? There is a smaller tunnel to the side on the eastern entrance though which is supposedly an ammunition storage road or some such?

It was; apparently. - all part of the same complex: when I was a cadet at school and had a summer camp at RAF Rudloe Manor we went down into it and walked to that entrance & looked out at trains zooming past.

matchmaker

8,463 posts

199 months

Thursday 28th September 2017
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loafer123 said:
When I was a lad in the 1980's, one of my schoolmates broke in there a couple of times. The place was so massive, it was mostly deserted and derelict, but apparently you would eventually find occupied space and security officers if you went close enough.

The Wiki page is, I think, inaccurate. The access in times of national emergency is by train off a branch spur in the middle of the Box tunnel. There is also a well placed "Works Access Only" on the M4 not far away.
Thought that's where the Strategic Steam Reserve is stored?

loafer123

15,406 posts

214 months

Thursday 28th September 2017
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_steam_re...

An urban myth, it seems, regrettably.

Gilhooligan

2,211 posts

143 months

Monday 2nd October 2017
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wittenoom,_Western...

Now a ghost town, used to produce lots of Asbestos.
I always assumed asbestos was a man made substance. Everyday's a school day.

Vaud

50,291 posts

154 months

Monday 2nd October 2017
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Gilhooligan said:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wittenoom,_Western...

Now a ghost town, used to produce lots of Asbestos.
I always assumed asbestos was a man made substance. Everyday's a school day.
And closer to home...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armley_asbestos_disa...

bishbosh66

118 posts

121 months

Monday 2nd October 2017
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Allanv said:
Upon checking it is still MOD and is behind the building I will be in tomorrow Ark Data Centres.

A very old sattilite view

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Ark+Data+Centr...

It has been called many things but now it is called The Burlington Bunker
I was lucky enough to be given a guided tour of the bunker complex during my last duty post at JSU Corsham before retiring from the RN. We went down in a very small lift (just room for four people) and had a very intresting walk about. You are warned not to touch the walls due to flaking paint and asbestos, the galley is fully equipped with all the necessary machinery for making dinner (the coffe machines were smart), the telephone exchange is standing ready, including telephone books. Apparently, one of the favourite pastimes for the guards was having trolley races - involving lying down on "dinner lady" type trollies and being pushed by your oppo...... The rooms for the MPs are all fitted out, but were crumbling with decay (this was back in 2006). Very intresting, I still have a brass key tally from the keyboard !
At one point I'm sure they mentioned that part of the underground cave complex had been / was being used for cheese storage - was a few years ago now so may be wrong.

Mothersruin

8,573 posts

98 months

Tuesday 3rd October 2017
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Operation Mincemeat - how a down and out became the centre of a WW2 ruse.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Mincemeat


anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 11th October 2017
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_G%C3%B6ring

The brother of hermann goring, not what you think.



GOG440

9,247 posts

189 months

Monday 16th October 2017
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majordad

3,600 posts

196 months

Tuesday 17th October 2017
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Some great stories here, and poignant too. Thanks.

wombleh

1,778 posts

121 months

Wednesday 18th October 2017
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I thought that water hammer just caused loud pipes at home but picked up a presentation at work today the major problems it can cause on industrial scales, like this one:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_New_York_City...

Wing Commander

2,179 posts

231 months

Wednesday 25th October 2017
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Heard this on the radio this morning

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Rankin?wpr...

Had to bail out of his fighter jet into the top of a cumulonimbus thundercloud. Only person known to have survived such a thing

FredClogs

14,041 posts

160 months

Wednesday 25th October 2017
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Crikey, the lucky b'stard or not...

I just did some reading on this bunch, great bunch of lads

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/43_Group

SpeckledJim

31,608 posts

252 months

Wednesday 25th October 2017
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Wing Commander said:
Heard this on the radio this morning

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Rankin?wpr...

Had to bail out of his fighter jet into the top of a cumulonimbus thundercloud. Only person known to have survived such a thing
I went in thinking 'doesn't seem too big a deal'.

Blimey. Pretty big deal.


Further eye-opening reading: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_suck

Edited by SpeckledJim on Wednesday 25th October 14:56

Wing Commander

2,179 posts

231 months

Friday 27th October 2017
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Double hard paramarine in WW2

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Stein?wprov=s...

Snaffled a aircraft mounted machine gun from a downed us navy fighter plane capable of 1500 rpm, then modified it to "shoot from the hip". Single handedly stormed pillbox after pillbox, only stopping when he ran out of ammo. Would then run back to the beach carrying the wounded as he went, then come back with as much ammo as he could carry, only to resume being a mischief.

Got killed eventually, then has a warship named are him

Mothersruin

8,573 posts

98 months

Friday 27th October 2017
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Awesome!

Warfare always throws up so many instances to post but I don't for fear of it turning into the 'cool st done in bad times' thread.

lufbramatt

5,318 posts

133 months

Tuesday 31st October 2017
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Biggest tunnel fire in UK:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summit_Tunnel_fire

"At the height of the fire, pillars of flame approximately 45 metres (148 ft) high rose from the shaft outlets on the hillside above."

eek

matchmaker

8,463 posts

199 months

Tuesday 31st October 2017
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lufbramatt said:
Biggest tunnel fire in UK:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summit_Tunnel_fire

"At the height of the fire, pillars of flame approximately 45 metres (148 ft) high rose from the shaft outlets on the hillside above."

eek
Film of it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMkokwMROGs

anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 31st October 2017
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Driver and 2 engineers survived unhurt. Mental.