Site Records

St Anne's

St Anne's Radar Station started life as an RAF Rotor radar site. Subsequently it was fitted with two Marconi type 264A radars, which formed part of the Linesman/Mediator system of joint air traffic control and air defence radar. It is now a NATS air traffic control radar only, with a modern 10cm primary radar and SSR mounted on a tower on another part of the site.

An older SSR (secondary surveillance radar, which interrogates aircraft transponders so that the ATC system can tell which aircraft is which) can just be seen on the brick structure to the left of and behind the aerial above.

The two type 264A radars have now been taken out of service. They were 500 kW, 50 cm primary radars, operating on a frequency in UHF TV channel 36. Only one radar of this type remains in service. When that goes, it will mark the end of 50cm radar in UK civil air traffic control.

The radar is mounted on a semi-sunk plinth. The motor housing sits on top of the plinth, and the transmitter in a room directly underneath, along with the motor control cabinet, T / R cell, receiver etc. The floor level inside the transmitter room is about six feet below ground level.

The two radar heads are currently being dismantled, and parts of one of them - including the aerial - are to be preserved at the Hack Green museum.

These photos were all taken in November 1998, shortly before dismantling began. Please click on any of the images below for a full-size version.

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© 1998 Subterranea Britannica