Report - Saunders Roe SARO Factories Isle Of Wight 30/12/07

[mike671]

Well thought i had better check this one out before it gets turned into something like luxury riverside apartments. Pretty soon i would say as new signs saying "private property" seem to be goin up alot now.
Saunders Roe or SARO used to make aircraft to begin with in the early nineteenhundreds then when thier aviation days were over which was in around 40Years the began to make hovercraft parts. The site is now quite chavved and there is pikies living there too! Is a very large site indeed wouldnt mind going back as im sure i missed alot of buildings!
Entrance in

Big makeshift looking warehouse

Full of old chems

Good condition building looks like peoples been doing cars up in here ?!

Inside building was weights set and car speakers etc

Massive water storage tank

Some of the main buildings

Big boiler

old Extinguisher

Explains itself really

All empty and treashed

Skate ramp with friendly skaters using them

Fixings

Lots of design drawings and Lab test reports

AntiRust wrapping in an old store

Air raid shelter in the middle of the trees at the site for workers in the war

Entrance to shelter

Went through a building to come accross this right to a pikies back door!!

Front of thier "complex" note the we live here in white paint lol

Guess this was to scare us away

Guess they got animals too!

 

[Truffle Pig]

Re: Saunders Roe SARO Factories Isle Of Wight Report 30/12/07

Yes CNC you are right, the boats, planes etc, were built in the old Columbine shed towards the mouth of the medina.

Heres a very old pic;

This thread is on about the old SARO yard, see my thread for location etc, as I cant be arsed to look :)

 

[radiocrate]

Re: Saunders Roe SARO Factories Isle Of Wight Report 30/12/07

During WW2 Saunders Roe at Cowes built Radio Crates. A steel box with outside supports that was parachuted into occupied France. Internally there were sprung pads and in the centre was fitted a radio. These were also made by Southern Aircraft at Gatwick who I worked for and helped assemble these crates, are there any documents from the factory available for viewing?