Report - Bandeath Munitions Depot - Stirling - May 21

[Bikin Glynn]

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This was a chill out in the evening of a rather hectic day so we only covered a small amount of the 35 buildings here.
TBH it was lovely just sitting there letting the drone do the work!

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Bandeath Munitions Depot lies within a meander of the River Forth, north of Throsk, three miles east of Stirling. The facility began as an Admiralty Depot during World War I, with a nearby PoW camp, after which it remained in use and became a Royal Naval Armament Depot in World War II.
Historically, Bandeath was once an estate of the Abercromby family. The depot was supplied via the main railway line, which connected to the site's own internal railway, which would distribute the munitions to more than thirty warehouses arranged in regularly spaced rows across the site. The stores were enclosed within protective earth blast walls, intended to direct the effects of an accidental explosion upwards, and away from the surrounding stores. From the warehouses, the railway allowed the munitions to be delivered to the rail mounted crane on the Admiralty pier, where they would be loaded on to puffersor Victualling Inshore Craft (
Victualling Inshore Craft which would carry them along the river and out to sea, where they supplied the British fleet.

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Having lain derelict for some years, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) sold the former depot site to Central Regional Council in 1978. Refurbished in the early 1980s, it became Bandeath Industrial Estate, a large, general industrial and storage complex (run by Stirling Council following local government reorganisation in 1996), intended to meet the needs of medium to large manufacturing and distribution users.

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More than thirty of the original warehouse buildings survive on the site (2007), together with their associated emergency water tanks, air-raid shelters and watch posts, although their blast walls have been levelled at some time. The crane still remains on the former Admiralty pier, which is now privately owned, but the crane is an empty shell, and the pier is a ruin, Only a few sections of the internal railway remain, the majority have been lifted following closure of the main line in 1978.

Some of the sheds are being used for storage of general rubbish & others are now left for the cows to freely roam!

Loved this old school desk

Thanks For Looking
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[Shaun]

It's a cool place, did you get near the crane? there's some buildings on the right side of the road that where quite cool aswell.

Wonder what's on it as I haven't actually seen any pics inside

 

[Bikin Glynn]

It's a cool place, did you get near the crane? there's some buildings on the right side of the road that where quite cool aswell.

Wonder what's on it as I haven't actually seen any pics inside

No, though it dosent look it it was too dark & its quite a bit further away.
Mate did get a drone shot but didnt come out great.
Was certainly a nice place to chill out

 

[Down and beyond]

Nice work a good collection of photographs

 

[Bikin Glynn]

Nice work a good collection of photographs

Thanks dude, its an impressive site

 

[Chickadea]

not seen this before, it looks amazing

 

[HughieD]

Loving that report, really different place that. Very photogenic...

 

[Bikin Glynn]

not seen this before, it looks amazing

It has been done a few times & as @Shaun mentions there is more there. we were just nackered by this point so was happy to sit & admire the view

 

[Bikin Glynn]

Loving that report, really different place that. Very photogenic...

Thanks dude if u are up that way its a relaxed explore though the estate security guy was looking for us but we had parked right in front of his barrier after him telling us the estate would be soon locked so he knew we were in there... but he soon gave up

 

[Calamity Jane]

Interesting site. Still see remnants from its og days. Looks peaceful. Great collection

 

[Mikeymutt🐶]

Nicely done mate. Always fancied this one and the others around. I was going to say did you see the crane with tracks. Looks nice that bit.

 

[MK83]

Nice report. That drone shot you've opened with is very nice. The old signage is cool as well.

 

[dave]

Not much has changed since my visit 5 or 6 years ago, i remember wandering into one of the buildings and got the shock of my life when a flock of sheep piled out i dont know who was more shocked them or me. Its a lovely place if not just for the scenery.

 

[Down and beyond]

It has been done a few times & as @Shaun mentions there is more there. we were just nackered by this point so was happy to sit & admire the view

Why was you knackered what had you actually done ? Every time I message you yourstill watching Jeremy Kyle on YouTube

 

[Bikin Glynn]

Interesting site. Still see remnants from its og days. Looks peaceful. Great collection

Thanks Jane Im sure there is a lot more to see here too

Nicely done mate. Always fancied this one and the others around. I was going to say did you see the crane with tracks. Looks nice that bit.

Its further than u think lol, I would go back & check the rest of the site if I had chance. Its good for wildlife there too.

Nice report. That drone shot you've opened with is very nice. The old signage is cool as well.

Thanks, as u may of guessed by lack of watermark its actually my mates drone ;-)

Not much has changed since my visit 5 or 6 years ago, i remember wandering into one of the buildings and got the shock of my life when a flock of sheep piled out i dont know who was more shocked them or me. Its a lovely place if not just for the scenery.

That dosent surprise me, I imagine there is not many visitors other than the odd farmer & the cows!