Matt W

Thanks all, that's a great help!

Thanks Mike

From a 1958 RAOC Orbat, a Tractor 10ton CL Semi-Trailer is shown for towing an Acetylene plant trailer and Tractor 15/20 ton Oxygen Plant towing an Oxygen plant trailer. I'm guessing these were Thornycroft Big Ben, but could anyone confirm please?

Thanks Clive, I'll keep at it!

Sorry Clive, 

I'm sure I'd replied to this post straight away! Yes it was a great help, now know what to look for. 

Apologies once again!

Spot on, many thanks!

I've already experienced the Ordnance search failure!

I'm looking to start a collection of Regulations for Army Ordnance Services (RAOS) pamphlets. Apart from E-Bay, do any members have any hints where to purchases these from? Interested in those relating to Vehicle depots, any dates. Thanks

They were up for disposal when I got to CVD Ashchurch in 1987

Well I've certainly made my own mind up!

National Archive file reference number? 

All Churchills were made in the UK

Not upset, no sour grapes. Can we see the photos?

That's fine, there's a Valentine buried on the moor near my house, i'll dig that up instead!

You've found the missing evidence! It's all true then, I'm going to get my spade!!!! 

Still no photos of the digger.

Just outside Bridlington, RAF Carnaby. Was used as a Thor missile site as well. John Bull Rock factory and World of Rock there now!

Yes i agree there are tanks on the photo. Milton was a US Army depot so i would have thought they were American.

I have also checked the Corps history which lists all the depots in the Vehicle Organisation from the end of War until the Eighties. Milton isn't listed there which i think is conclusive.

Re. Milton. I never said there were no tanks there, I said it wasn't an AVSD. Two totally different things. Milton may well have held American tanks, but that's not the issue.

I've checked with guys on the RAOC Vehicle Specialist forum. They confirmed that Milton was never either a Vehicle Depot or an AVSD. It was never even an RAOC depot. No depot , no tanks, no test runs on the road and certainly no 360 spins.

So i can agree with Paul, no tanks!

And another who changed batteries on a submarine. Don't believe him either.

Oh dear whatever next? Love to see the photos, but you obviously know nothing about A Vehicles. You would never road test on a public road and a 360 turn at speed would be impossible. Both tracks would shed and the tank would more than likely roll. Plus name one British A vehicle of the Forties / Fifties that could go 30mph. I've done a 280 turn on a 432, but that was on ice.

I know a chap who claims he flew across the Atlantic in a Chinook and serviced all the Chieftains at BATUS, doesn't mean I believe him.

Milton was not an AVSD. There were no British tanks there. So yes, you are wrong..

What about all the other men involved? You seriously believe this could have been kept a secret?

What will you come up with next?

Great War - very valid points, didn't think to take them into account. Another point is an operation that large would be recorded, even in veiled terms, in the relevant Corps histories. I've got the RAOC and RASC books and there is nothing like this in them.

And your point about rumour is also an excellent one. I would image the news of the giant hole at Waterbeach would have been round East Anglia in no time!

So that's my take. Around a thousand men working for 4.2 months supported by British Railways. And only ONE remembers this!

52257Cbm of spoil to be disposed of somewhere in Waterbeach.

By the way, Elvington Airfield had a similar problem with water ingress when rebuilt by the USAF at the same time as Waterbeach. Granite wasn't used there either.

As for manpower -

2 x Road Construction Coy RE 410 men

Supported by-

1 Field Park Coy RE 213men

1 REME Plant Workshop 75 men

RAOC Workshop Store Section 10 men

RASC Tank Transporter Column 85 men 

RAOC AVSD (Disposal Section) 20 men (Estimate only)

Total 813 men directly involved. Then there would be RAF Waterbeach staff, Security , ETC.

Not to mention 66 special trains (I have tasked the Field Park Coy to move the aggregates from the railhead to the site)

Total time taken -

Excavation 5.43weeks

Moving tanks and placing in hole 1.42 weeks

Backfill 4.36 weeks

Aggregate foundations 1 week

Concreting 0.5 week

Drying time 4 weeks

Total 16.781 weeks or 4.2 months

Once the tanks are safely in their hole backfilling can commence.

The tanks take up 27082Cbm. I have made the runway 2mtrs of aggregate (Not granite) topped by 0.5mtrs concrete (Should have asked Paul for the correct composition). This amounts to 25172Cbm.

There will be a surplus of 52257Cbm of spoil to be disposed of somewhere.

Backfill time and compaction 4.36weeks.

To move in the aggregate and cement will take 66 trains (Assuming 50 x 15t wagons per train)

Time to spread and roll aggregate 1 week plus 83 hours to lay the concrete. Concrete will then take approx. 28 days to cure.