Part 2 – Wales
Day 4
We awoke early, the light mixing with the noise of passing traffic was not a good combination to sleep to. We had arranged to meet Jesus at the first service station after his junction from Nottingham onto the motorway. The plan was to meet him then set off to Cardiff where we were to meet some of the Welsh crew.
We arrived somewhat late, but never mind there was still a great day of exploring ahead of us. Shortly after our arrival at Cardiff West Service station the Welsh lot turned up in an awesome evo, which I spent pretty much the rest of the day drooling over :P.
Our first stop was the Cardiff Anti aircraft operation rooms (AAOR), which in WW2 were part of the ROTOR air defence system of 1949. 25 + AAOR rooms were built between 1950-54. The Russians played with their first atom bomb and the brits knew something had to be done immediately. The Cherry Report paved the way, and the developement of the 160 + RAF sites was to be reduced and the electronics to be upgraded extensively into nuclear bunkers.
In 1955 the arrival of high speed jet's and the nuclear tipped missiles made the concept of point-defence redundant and the whole scheme, which was an integral part of the aformentioned ROTOR project, was scrapped along with the integral AAOR setup.
BT obtained the site in the 1970's and set about changing the bunker into a wartime operation centre for Wales, however this idea was abandoned in the very late 1970's early 1980. Its really gone downhill from Subbrit's visit in 2000 Wenallt AAOR – Subterranea Britannica
(History from Captain Slow)
After leaving the AAOR we made our way to CWM Coke Works which is soooo much bigger then it looks in photos, words cannot describe how fucking huge this place is!
After rumors of security with dogs we were on our guard but after a couple of hours there and not seeing or hearing anything we started to relax more.
We moved around the outbuildings before heading to the main works, the height of this structure was just immense; I’ve really got a taste for industrial porn at the moment.
Myself an Maniac were disappointed to see that the ladders of both of the main chimneys had been removed as we were both in the mood for a climb, so instead we contented ourselves by making the way to the top of the coal silo, which gave absolutely stunning views over the rest of the site! I think Maniac has a video of us going back down the external steps of the silo, which were in stunning condition considering they had been left to the elements.
After a great days exploring we made our way to a great little beach out in the middle of nowhere to camp for the night with the Welsh lads, the journey to the beach included many momentous occasions including laughing at Maniac and Jesus procrastinating to an insane level in the local tescos over what alcoholic beverages to buy, Jesus not keeping up in the car, and getting lost, before eventually arriving at our destination.
Camping out that night was a great experience, including soo many classic moments: Maniac proclaiming loudly that he wasn’t drunk before falling into a big hole in the beach, blinding each other with LED Torches and Maglites, sand spiders, a campfire that seriously did not want to light, and plenty of others.
The first day of the Welsh Adventure had been a great one, now what did the next day have in store for us?
Day 4
We awoke early, the light mixing with the noise of passing traffic was not a good combination to sleep to. We had arranged to meet Jesus at the first service station after his junction from Nottingham onto the motorway. The plan was to meet him then set off to Cardiff where we were to meet some of the Welsh crew.
We arrived somewhat late, but never mind there was still a great day of exploring ahead of us. Shortly after our arrival at Cardiff West Service station the Welsh lot turned up in an awesome evo, which I spent pretty much the rest of the day drooling over :P.
Our first stop was the Cardiff Anti aircraft operation rooms (AAOR), which in WW2 were part of the ROTOR air defence system of 1949. 25 + AAOR rooms were built between 1950-54. The Russians played with their first atom bomb and the brits knew something had to be done immediately. The Cherry Report paved the way, and the developement of the 160 + RAF sites was to be reduced and the electronics to be upgraded extensively into nuclear bunkers.
In 1955 the arrival of high speed jet's and the nuclear tipped missiles made the concept of point-defence redundant and the whole scheme, which was an integral part of the aformentioned ROTOR project, was scrapped along with the integral AAOR setup.
BT obtained the site in the 1970's and set about changing the bunker into a wartime operation centre for Wales, however this idea was abandoned in the very late 1970's early 1980. Its really gone downhill from Subbrit's visit in 2000 Wenallt AAOR – Subterranea Britannica
(History from Captain Slow)
After leaving the AAOR we made our way to CWM Coke Works which is soooo much bigger then it looks in photos, words cannot describe how fucking huge this place is!
After rumors of security with dogs we were on our guard but after a couple of hours there and not seeing or hearing anything we started to relax more.
We moved around the outbuildings before heading to the main works, the height of this structure was just immense; I’ve really got a taste for industrial porn at the moment.
Myself an Maniac were disappointed to see that the ladders of both of the main chimneys had been removed as we were both in the mood for a climb, so instead we contented ourselves by making the way to the top of the coal silo, which gave absolutely stunning views over the rest of the site! I think Maniac has a video of us going back down the external steps of the silo, which were in stunning condition considering they had been left to the elements.
After a great days exploring we made our way to a great little beach out in the middle of nowhere to camp for the night with the Welsh lads, the journey to the beach included many momentous occasions including laughing at Maniac and Jesus procrastinating to an insane level in the local tescos over what alcoholic beverages to buy, Jesus not keeping up in the car, and getting lost, before eventually arriving at our destination.
Camping out that night was a great experience, including soo many classic moments: Maniac proclaiming loudly that he wasn’t drunk before falling into a big hole in the beach, blinding each other with LED Torches and Maglites, sand spiders, a campfire that seriously did not want to light, and plenty of others.
The first day of the Welsh Adventure had been a great one, now what did the next day have in store for us?
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