Site Records

Site Name: RAF Treleaver: GCI Rotor Station

The station was a GCI (B) semi sunken two-storey blockhouse (R6), similar to Hack Green and Hope Cove. Most of the surface buildings on the site still survive having been converted for farm use. As well as the blockhouse itself, there are 5 extant radar plinths, a Type 80 modulator building, a small building which appears to contain a well, sewage works. The standard guardhouse bungalow is in separate ownership and has been converted into a dwelling. The whole site is enclosed within the original wire and post fencing; most of the posts still survive but much of the wire has gone. The radar plinths are all similar, consisting of square buildings approximately 12' X 12' with an open roof where the radar aerial would have been mounted. All are in good external condition but have been completely stripped internally apart from a little wiring. The sewage works is an unusual building of brick construction; it is circular, 8' high and approximately 25 feet in diameter. One wall has been breached to give access to the interior, which is empty. There is a small rectangular brick extension to one site with no obvious openings other than from the roof, this was not accessible. Alongside are two rectangular troughs in the ground, perhaps filter beds. The type 80 modulator building stands alone on the former technical site to the south east of the main Ops. Block. It has been completely stripped out and used as a cattle shelter.

The north wall of the main block has been breached in two places with earth ramps into the upper and lower level to give access for farm machinery. Internally the lower level is flooded to a depth of 9" throughout and is currently not used by the farmer. All the original teak floors were stripped out when the site was first sold and all the partition walls on the north side of the main NW/SE spine corridor have been removed leaving a long rectangular area with an earth ramp to surface at the western end. The corridor itself is above the water level.

The rooms to the south side of the corridor remain intact although largely stripped. At the eastern end the stairs up are still in place and the first room west is the former air conditioning plant and switchgear room with steps down from the corridor. This room is also flooded to a depth of 9" with a liquid that resembles a thick vegetable soup. The room has been largely stripped leaving concrete plinths where equipment was mounted. The main air conditioning fan is still in place together with some ventilation trunking and filters. A ladder leads up to a sub level where there are two more concrete plinths labelled 'Chilled water pump' and 'Baudelot pump'. There are further filters lying on the floor in this area and the base of a second fan. The next room west is the radar generator room, which contains three large concrete plinths and ventilation trunking. Alongside this is the GPO room, which has been completely stripped (probably by the GPO prior to sale) The main stairwell is next; it is intact but devoid of its banisters. Despite the breaches in the north wall, the building is generally sound and as the farmer has a use for it there appears to be no immediate threat. Apparently all the remaining machinery and fittings were sold separately when the site was disposed of by the MOD but much was also removed illegally.

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