The humble pilbox

[Quatermass]

Pillbox at Bread and Cheese Lane, Cheshunt, Herts. Map Ref.TL 330790503.



A tall type 22 variant, built on the crest of high ground to give fire in both directions.



At some point the entrance was modified by blocking up the top half and inserting a sixth loophole, a porch with a dog leg was added to the reduced height entrance. While this would have added to the protection of the pillbox it must have made exiting in a hurry rather difficult!

Quatermass

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Odd defences

Here is a picture of one of two (both of different construction) Pill boxes along the Reading to Basingstoke line at Bramley.
The one shown here is on the "Up" line between "Chineham" and "Bramley".
The other one on the "Down" line is heavily overgrown and currently almost completely obscured.

There were a lot of "Obstacles" in and around this area.

 

[Quatermass]

Nice picture Chris, the pillbox appears to be of the DFW3/26 type.
A single chamber, with three or four loopholes. Dimensions 3m (10ft) square; wall thickness 46cm (18").

Quatermass

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Oddball ?

Nice picture Chris, the pillbox appears to be of the DFW3/26 type.
A single chamber, with three or four loopholes. Dimensions 3m (10ft) square; wall thickness 46cm (18").

Quatermass

Hi Quatermass thanks for the input on this pillbox.
I will at some point try to get a better picture of both of these pillboxes in the near future (very difficult at 75 mph from rear cab!)
They bth appear to have two storeys as a slot appears to be visible at Ballast level which looks like it has been filled with the excess Ballast from many years of trackwork !
Also they are built right on the side of a steep embankment so I presume must have deep foundations perhaps allowing for a "basement" type construction.
Just a thought ?
I would like to visit them but they are in the middle of absolutely nowhere and pretty innacessable to say the least.
Cheers
Chris

 

[Quatermass]

Double decker pillbox.

Hello Chris,

Its more than possible that your pillboxes are 'double deckers', it would seem that the Directorate of Fortifications and Works (DFW) pillbox drawings were used more as a basis for the RE and contractors designs rather than as hard and fast rules.

In fact its very difficult to find a pillbox thats 'correct' in terms of the DFW drawings, each seems to be built with consideration to terrain, materials, camouflage etc.

A double decker would make sense in relation to the embankment, the lower storey could be for storage, shelter or as a fire chamber?

Quatermass

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Woodley Airfield Berkshire.

Whilst out walking my dog I came across this old buried building on what would have been the centre of the old "Woodley Aerodrome" many years ago before being fully built on.
The whole area was full of Pillboxe's Sheds Hangars and a Control tower, this tower was about 50 yards from this small buried building.
I was told a long time ago that it was a small "Magazine" for storing flares and smoke signals for use by the Control Tower staff during the war.
There arestill a few wartime buildings left that are still in use with a few scattered Pillboxe's hidden away in the greenery.
Here are some pictures of items in the area.
Chris :tinysmile_shy_t:

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Secret station.

Out on the Train whilst travelling from Reading to Redhill, just after Gomshall station you can during the winter months view a secret Station with two platforms and some really heavy duty loading/storage buildings on them.

No one seems to know what this building was for except for rumours that is was built for the second world war and used to ship troops and ammunition into the area.
During the second world war the whole area was sealed off by fence and a few pillbox's remain evident in isolated locations around the Gomshall to Dorking town station area's.
It is an area of outstanding natural beauty even with a Rifle range and occasional Pillbox's !
Chris :tinysmile_shy_t:

 

[waffenamt]

I was only thinking tonight that ive not seen any of Chris`s pillbox pics for a while?

Nice one mate,you seem to have a load of these old buildings along the route?

best

waff

 

[jayteepee_1999]

Colt Pillbox

Here is the Pillbox within the Old Explosive Storage Area at the Former RAF Coltishall.

www.pillboxesuk.co.uk

4 Those who are interested

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Well clothed Pillbox

I see it has a nice little Hat on !

Chris :tinysmile_shy_t:

 

[waffenamt]

I see it has a nice little Hat on !

Chris :tinysmile_shy_t:

:bigsmile::bigsmile: I see it too!:tinysmile_tongue_t:

waff

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Camo gear

You know Waff we are both wrong, as it actually has "Camoflage" on !:tinysmile_hmm_t:

So many pillboxes are around but you now cannot see them, a good example of this is the roundabout at Reading east junction on the M4 where they have recently enlarged the roads and down in a corner is a humble Pillbox-hidden away for many years as it has no Graffiti rubbish on it !

Will try to get a picture next time I am down that way.

Chris :tinysmile_shy_t:

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Petit Port Jersey

Attached is a picture of a surviving German second world war Gun emplacement at a small Beach called Petit Port.
The gun has gone but the steel plate protecting the gun crew remains (most have lost their's to the scrap man) this particular Bunker is double sided with another gun emplacement looking out onto "Five mile road" on the back of the one shown here, with a large magazine situated in between the two emplacements.
Like most Bunkers on the island it has been fairly well stripped of everything including the floor tiles which the locals had for their homes.

Jersey is a Bunker hunters dream come true !

Chris :tinysmile_shy_t:

 

[ammunition_collector]

Pillboxes from fortress malta

HI THERE GUYS THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO SEE SOME BRITISH MADE PILLBOXES FROM MALTA G.C. , THESE ARE ALL 1938 - 1942 , WE HAVE OVER 400 OF THESE ON OUR SMALL ISLAND , EACH ONE UNIQUE, BEEN MEANING TO WRITE A BOOK ON THEM ,SINCE MOST ARE FALLING INTO THE SEA NOW AS THE CLIFFS GET ERODED AWAY , BUT HAVE THEM ALL PHOTOGRAPHED AND DOCUMENTED .

 

[ammunition_collector]

And some more

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Good pictures.

Hi ammunition-collector some nice photographs there, please keep them coming !

Here is another picture of a re-cycled Bunker on the island of Jersey, situated towards the North of the Island this bunker is I believe now used as a fish store for the local fishmongers.

Chris :tinysmile_shy_t:

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Guns on Jersey

Here are some Guns that the local militaria society have recovered from the deep waters along "Les Landes" where a lot of kit was thrown off the cliff after the war.

The three barrels are I believe 210 mm Guns and the mounted barrel is placed on a copy of the original mounting.

Chris :tinysmile_shy_t:

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Hidden Pillbox details

I see it has a nice little Hat on !

Chris :tinysmile_shy_t:

And here are the pictures !
The Pillbox is safe and sound behind the fence but the roadworks is rapidly encroaching on it as you can see !

 

[Quatermass]

And here are the pictures !
The Pillbox is safe and sound behind the fence but the roadworks is rapidly encroaching on it as you can see !

Looks like a modified version of the 1936 design for a Vickers MG. Unusual in that it doesn't have a blast wall covering the entrance.
Dimensions would be roughly 4.1m x 4.4m, wall thickness over 1m thick.

Quatermass

 

[Chris 42 RQ]

Wall missing.

Looks like a modified version of the 1936 design for a Vickers MG. Unusual in that it doesn't have a blast wall covering the entrance.
Dimensions would be roughly 4.1m x 4.4m, wall thickness over 1m thick.

Quatermass

I thought it a little odd as that aperture is much more prominent than usual and you can also see the wall on the right of the inside at the entrance ends very abruptly.
And now you mention the lack of protective wall by the door I see what you mean !