Journey of a Bunker to Farm ; A Tale of Ruin
In 1950-1951 ,five years after World War II, contractor Robert McAlpine constructed The Portland CEW ROTOR Bunker . The radar station became operational in 1953 and fit out was started by the GPO (General Post Office) earlier in 1951.
The difference of this stations from other ROTOR Stations around the country is that the above ground guardhouse was constructed from Portland Stone. Lift shafts were used to access the below ground level at Portland rather than a sloped shaft,which was commonly used and it was the deepest at 70 feet.
It was equipped with the latest stage one RADAR equipment, including Type 13 and Type 14 RADARS and an American AN/FPS Type 3 stop gap RADAR. In 1954 in order to start fighter interceptor trials, this was replaced by a type 10/IFF. Portland was one of three bunkers that were not chosen for upgrade with the advent of the Type 80 Garlic Green radar and the reduction of the overall system. In April 1956 the AN/FPS Mk3 was removed and three months later the type 13 & 14 radars were dismantled. With this, the station was declared in a low state of readiness.
By 1958 the station was reduced to care and maintenance, and in the same year, reduced to non-operational.The US Air Force took over the site who set about building a microwave relay station for the Troposcatter cross-channel relay link at Ringstead but they did not utilise the underground bunker.In 1969 a huge fire occurred there.
In 2001 the Ministry of Defence put the site up for sale and before the sale the officials stripped the lift and access stairs from the building and it was replaced with a caged ladder .Presently its a children’s farm occupies the above ground and the below ground areas are in an extreme state of dereliction. It will remain in us as an epitome of another decrepitude
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