The aerodrome station headquarters were housed in this building on Martinet Road.
Thornaby Aerodrome Station Headquarters
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Show on map Category Archives: Wartime Relics
Show on map Thornaby Aerodrome Memorial and Boundary Marker
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This memorial to the Thornaby Aerodrome was unveiled by Wing Commander Hank Costain MBE on 8th of May 1997. Sculptor – Tony Maw, Architect- David Shuttlesworth, Stonemason – Bob Weatherill.
Just behind the memorial is an aerodrome boundary marker which was re-located from Stainsby at the eastern side of the aerodrome
Chop Gate ROC Post – Open Day
Show on map The Royal Observer Corps post at Chop Gate has recently been restored and a fantastic job has been made of it, its such a nice change to see a post in good condition rather than being stood in knee deep water with rotting artifacts floating around you.
On the surface the entrance was fitted with its Ground Zero Indicator (GZI) which is a pin-hole camera to record the position of any nuclear bomb bursts.
The ventilation shaft is in great condition with a fresh coat of paint.
The dome for the Fixed Survey Meter was also present, which has normally long since vanished.
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A great collection of the kit associated with the post was also on display, such as a set of maroon launchers used to warn the public of fallout.
 
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A hand cranked air-raid siren and generator to charge the posts batteries.
 
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Then it was time to get underground !
Underground the post is in stunning condition.
 
An early Teletalk and Warning receiver were present as well as their later BT replacements
 
The Bomb Power Indicator is suspended from the roof.
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The probe for the Fixed Survey Meter which would be sent up a tube to the dome outside to monitor radiation.
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With the old and new versions of the Fixed Survey Meter to actually monitor radiation.
 
It was also very nice to see some of the more ephemeral items such as METAR weather report forms, Triangulation calculators and post maps.
 
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And finally of course the post important piece of equipment in the whole place, the toilet.
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I can’t compliment this place enough, its great that we now have a local restored post, further information on the restoration and details of future open days can be found on the Attack Warning Red site. Huge amounts of information about the ROC can also be found on numerous sites 1 2 3
NOTE : None of the items in these photographs are stored in the post, it is completely stipped when there’s not an open day in progress.
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Smiths Dock War Memorial, Smiths Dock Park
Show on map This War Memorial was erected in 1922 by the Smiths Dock Company in memory of their employees killed in WW1, it was later reused for the victims of WW2. Names can be found here
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An identical one exists in North Shields (the other dock the company used) which is a listed building.
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Great Ayton ROC Post
Show on map Until recently this post was hidden in heavy undergrowth, but it looks like the area is being cleared and the post has already taken some heavy damage.
I suspect the site is about to be completely lost, so visit soon if you want to see it. The inside of the post is currently accessible but its wet and not in great condition
Sir Williams Turners School, War Memorial
Show on map This memorial was erected for the 46 pupils and 2 staff of Sir William Turners School (which was on Coatham Road where the library currently is) who were killed in World War 1.
The memorial has moved many times during its life, it moved to Corporation Road in 1962 when the original school was demolished, then to Sir William Turners 6th Form on Redcar Lane in 1975, back to Corporation Road in 1994 when Redcar and Cleveland College was formed and to its current location in 2008 when that college was in turn replaced.
World War 2 Anti-Tank Defences, Derwent Road. Redcar
Show on map At the juction of Derwent Road and Kirkleatham Lane are the marks left by anti-tank poles.
Perhaps more suprising is that the road surface in that area never needed replacing in over 60 years.
Hawker Demon Propeller, Thornaby Library
Show on map The Hawker Demon was flown by 608 Squadron at Thornaby between 1937 and 1939. This propeller was rescued from a field in 1957 and passed via the Air Training Corps to the local council to be mounted in the library since 1969. It has recently been restored and remounted.
Thornaby Aerodrome Runway
Show on map Thornaby Aerodrome was developed in 1930, although the area known as Foggins Field had been used for flying previously. The aerodrome closed in 1958 with the town of Thornaby being developed over the site. One small scrap of the runway remain and acts at the car park to the National Reserve & Patriotic Club
Danby Beacon Rader Station – Flooded Underground Room
 A hatch in the middle of moorland leads down to a short entrance passage, which then drop down into a larger room.
 
The main room was a backup receiving area for the Chain Home radar station during the second world war, I am omitting the exact location on purpose as its filthy and flooded to the ceiling and you’ll only end up getting as wet as I did or worse.
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