These are just some of the 400+ pictures taken at Crail on 29/11/21.
For sure, this is not the place to visit without permission!
It is by no means an exhaustive photographic survey. I was limited by awful weather and nightfall. Not all buildings pictured on the day are covered here.
This place is an unbelievable relic from World War 2. It is hoped that some of it can be saved, although the present condition of most buildings would not support this hope.
The building anotated as "Photographic Building" - this information is taken from a Historic Scotland plan but in no way did it look or feel like one, no dark rooms, windows all round and out on the airfield where observation would seem to be the name of the game. It felt like a met office or operations/coms building.
Again, the Historic Scotland plan shows a building behind the Sick bay as "Disinfector House" but to me it is an Ambulance / Tender shed. Perhaps this building also housed the Mortuary, like on RAF stations. If this is the case, then the building that is anotated on that plan as "Mortuary" could actually be the Disinfector house. Not sure of Historic Scotlands sources.
The large unknown building at 08:31 seems to have a large waiting area inside in front of a row of offices or shops?
The ERS Electrical Repair Shop shows on the HS map as "spray shop". It may well have been used for that laterally.
The ERS is also known as a "Bain" hangar.
The Air Raid Shelter with post atop, at 03:09 is shown on the HS plan as "Flame Store"???
The Gymnasium / Cinema is opposite the Technical Area near the entrance to the "Domestic Site". It was not possible to gain access there. Not that I had time. I basically ran out of light. Another whole day still would not be long enough.
As I said, I have over 300 other pictures covering almost all the buildings still extant on the technical site.
The main hangars on the site have gone. Like Arbroath, the main hangars were Bellman hangars. Not Pentads, as often reported.
Please feel free to ask any questions.
Check out all my other "airfields revisited" slideshows on this channel.
Please do not use or copy any of the pictures without asking me first.
Also, check out the great work being done by the "Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust" link www.abct.org.uk/
Graham Innes
gijock@btinternet.com
25 июл 2024
