Grade II Listed :40mm Bofors AA Gun tower

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by CL1, May 7, 2012.

  1. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    Great news Clive, well done.
    Would certainly be nice to see another example listed.
     
  2. ARPCDHG

    ARPCDHG Member

    Gentlemen,
    I suggest you get a copy of my friend Dr Mike Osborne's book on the WW2 Defences of Greater London:

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/20th-Century-Defences-Britain-Buckinghamshire/dp/0954037820/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336726350&sr=1-1

    A brilliant book, jammed pack full of surviving WW2 defences and info, including the Wealdstone Bofors AA Tower. Interestingly, it is listed as Ruislip Manor (Hillingdon) and says it was built to defend an RAF storage depot. Would this be RAF Ruislip or some other site?
     
  3. red ling

    red ling Member

    Hi Mike.
    The picture is from a booklet I have "Combined Operations 1940-1942"
     
  4. red ling

    red ling Member

    Hello ARPCDHG
    I used to live in the area and was always amused by the fact that RAFand USAF West Ruislip were in Ickenham and RAF Northolt in Ruislip. If you travel into London on the A40 from Hillingdon Circus to The Polish War Memorial RAF Northolt is on your left, then take a left turn at the Polish War Memorial towards Ruislip and the entrance to RAF Northolt is on your left crossing the flight path on the way.
    If you continue along the A40 towards London the next junction is for Northolt a few miles down the road.
     
  5. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    ARPCDHG

    many thanks

    yes it is Ruislip Manor a short hop to Northolt and it forms the corner of Ruislip Manor football ground now taken over by Wealdstone FC.

    I contacted the local council listed buildings department and they do not have it listed.
    They are going to send a member of the department down there to investigate.

    regards
    Clive
     
  6. red ling

    red ling Member

    Hi Clive
    Have you thought of contacting the RAF direct?
    There used to be a Battle of Britain club in Ruislip.
    Another place is at RAF Uxbridge, If you leave Uxbridge along the Uxbridge Rd and pass the main entrance to the camp at the next set of traffic lights at the Greenway there is a small entrance to the camp that leads to a RAF Assossiation building (an old white hut) that is sometimes open. Maybe some one there can help.
     
  7. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Hello Red Ling
    thank you for your thoughts

    Will give RAF Northolt a call .


    regards
    Clive
     
  8. red ling

    red ling Member

    Just remembered. There is always the RAF Museum at Hendon
     
  9. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Local council contacted and photos sent
    They were aware that there was a tower in the area but not sure where or really what they were looking for.
    Local council will now visit site and then contact me from there.

    regards
    Clive
     
  10. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    Thanks for the update Clive.
     
  11. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Good News

    Reply from the Hillingdon Borough Council Heritage Department


    Hi Clive, we are going to recommend that it is considered for inclusion on the Local List in October. The matter is still with English Heritage for consideration for Statutory Listing and they are consulting on it at the moment. I gather that the RAF Historical Branch have taken an interest in it as well. Having spoken to a contact at the RAF it seems that the gun tower might have links with an underground munitions factory located somewhere under the Ruislip LUL Depot!
     
  12. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    Nice one Clive!
     
  13. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Update from the local council

    " included in the draft additions to the Council's Local List, which we are out to consultation on at the moment"




    a slow process but moving forward

    The council has passed to English Heritage but still no reply from English Heritage .
     
  14. CommanderChuff

    CommanderChuff Senior Member

    Hi,
    My clients mentioned that on the railway line at Ruislip Gardens that crosses West End Road there was a gun that used to run along the rails during an air raid and I don't know if it is true but it was mentioned that they flooded RAF Northolt to make it look like a lake from the air.


    Hallo red ling,

    I picked up on the AA train in your post and wondered whether there was anything further which you or the source could add?

    David
     
  15. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Clive,

    Well done, it looks like you have a successful project with the conservation of an Historical Wartime Building.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  16. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Dear All I have just received notification that English Heritage have examined the Bofors Gun Tower and Ancillary Building and have granted them a Grade II listing. Please see attached document.


    The Bofors tower at Ruislip, like those at RAF West Malling and RAF Kenley, was probably placed to protect the RAF station at Northolt from low-level air attack. RAF Northolt was one of the key airfields during the Battle of Britain and is especially associated with the Polish squadrons which flew from there. The tower derives additional interest from this association. The tower survives well and is little altered apart from the bricking up of some openings and the space between the two platforms. Additionally it retains an ancillary building which is very rare on such sites. It may have been a field shelter for the gun crew or a magazine: these were built to differing specifications, often in adapted Anderson shelters, and few have survived. CONCLUSION As a rare surviving example of a World War II LAA gun platform, the Bofors tower at Ruislip Manor Sports Club is of clear special architectural and historical interest and is recommended for listing at Grade II. REASONS FOR DESIGNATION The World War II Bofors tower and ancillary building at Ruislip Manor Sports Club, built c1940, are recommended for listing at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Architectural form and intactness: a well preserved example of a reinforced concrete Light Anti-aircraft (LAA) gun tower, where its original operation is clearly legible through its fabric and unusual for the survival of an ancillary building; * Rarity: one of only a handful of known examples of this type of site nationally; * Historical interest: as a reminder of the air assault on London during World War II and for its likely association with RAF Northolt, a key fighter station during the Battle of Britain.








    regards
    Clive
     

    Attached Files:

  17. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    Great news Clive, thanks for the update.
    Nice to see the full Notification Report too.
     
  18. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Yes Mike good news

    Also the ancillary building is a rare find.


    regards
    Clive
     
  19. Bernard85

    Bernard85 WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    good day arpcdhg,8,may,2012.06:14pm.re:40mm bofors aa gun tower(p,4)I have been reading your old post
    with interesting.i am just posting to you about your avatar.i have never seen it before,the home guard,a very pleasing site.i was not aware of this badge.have a good day,bernard85
     
  20. ARPCDHG

    ARPCDHG Member

    Glad you like it Bernard. Take care, Austin :0)
     

Share This Page