Report - NGTE Pyestock, Fleet, July 2012

[Renrutt]

NGTE Pyestock, Fleet, July 2012


WARNING: ANOTHER PYESTOCK REPORT WITH A MILLION PICTURES SEEN A MILLION TIMES BEFORE....


..But I make no apologies, this was a big deal for me. My first time at Pyestock, first time touring the country to explore, first time sleeping in derps.
Visited with goan, chiroptera, momentum and teapot. It was a hell of a birthday weekend

Got around quite a bit of the site... Airhouse, Cell 3, Cell 4, Powerstation and the Airplane building(I forget its real name) were all conquered but we seem to have missed No 9 Exhauster and a few others and didn't get around much of the good bits outside, so a return visit will definitely be done at some point.

The National Gas Turbine Establishment (NGTE Pyestock) in Fleet, part of the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE), was the prime site in the UK for design and development of gas turbine and jet engines. It was created by merging the design teams of Frank Whittle's Power Jets and the RAE turbine development team run by Hayne Constant. NGTE spent most of its lifetime as a testing and development centre, both for experimental developments and to support commercial engine companies.
The newly merged venture was nationalised. Pyestock, a former golf course in a secluded wooded spot between Farnborough and Fleet was chosen as the turbine development site, as the activities at the NGTE would be top secret and the surrounding woodland would dampen the noise. Construction began in 1949 with small test "cubicles" inside buildings like the Plant House. When the possibility of supersonic jets arose, the site was expanded to the north west, with the Air House and several large test cells built circa 1961.
For over 50 years Pyestock was at the forefront of gas turbine development. It was probably the largest site of its kind in the world. V bomber, Harrier and Tornado engines were tested on site. The power of the air house allowed Concorde's engines to be tested at 2,000 mph. Every gas turbine installed in Royal Navy ships was checked here; captured Soviet engines were discreetly examined

The Airhouse was our first port of call. We bedded down to get a few hours sleep but there was no chance. As soon as it was light enough I was up and about an hour or so before any of the others and must have done at least 10 laps of the place. This was definitely my favourite of the buildings we saw, Cell 4 was great, but this place was something else for me.




Airhouse

Cell 3

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[Renrutt]

Cell 4

Powerstation & other

Thanks for looking,


E2a: First outing with the 10-20mm by the way, loving that thing!​

 

[sx-riffraff]

Cheers people

Cheers Hidden for the info via chiroptera.


Oh, I forgot... Anyone want to own up to trolling the control room with the clock stood on top of the bin that i forgot to move :

Oh you mean this?

trololol actually the time had already been set, i just stood it on the bin. Great shots mate, looks like you had a lucky break in the weather that day, been twice and got soaked twice!

 

[Horus]

Looks like you where amazed by the beauty of this place goan :