Updates
21/1/2008 Fortified Warehouse
This warehouse guards Burscough Bridge over the Leeds Liverpool Canal. The loopholes are almost invisible in summer bue to the trees along the canal bank The emrasures, now windows are on walls either side of the gable end. For more pictures and information see the Rufford/Burscough section of the interactive Interactive Map.
Grid Ref SD 4437 1210.
21/1/2008 Variant Pillbox Horscar
This Pillbox is an exclusive! Not on the Defence of Britain database it sits on the River Douglas a mile north of Horscar Grid Ref SD 4763 1256. A local variant design, brick sides with a roof made of concrete joists. For more information and pictures see the Rufford section of the Interactive map.
Thanks go to Mark Gaskell for submitting the location of this structure.
13/1/2008 Evacuation
I haven't been able to get out much over Christmas. Which has given me time to compile a brief article about the civilian evacuation that took place during the Second World War. One of children evacuated in Operation Pied Piper was my dad. His story was slightly happier than that of the young girl in this piece. I'd be interested to hear from anyone with memories/stories of this time click here to read on.
16/11/2007 Simonswood Supply Depot
This World War 2 Inland Supply Depot Grid Ref 415 018 is an expansive site, just north of Kirkby and clearly associated with the Royal Ordnance Factory nearby and the Ammunition bunkers at Dairy Farm Rainford. All three sites Ideally placed to take advantage of the Liverpool to Wigan Railway.
For more pictures see the Kirkby/Rainford section of the Interactive Map
16/11/2007 Norcon Pillbox
This pillbox sits by a bridge on Segars Lane Ainsdale Grid Ref SD 3230 1201 .Invisible in Summer due to foliage this Norcon pillbox does not appear on the Archaeological Data base. There is no evidence of a roof, indeed roofs were commonly improvised with timber and corrugated iron.
For more pictures see the Formby Moss section of the Interactive Map.
6/10/2007 Parbold Anti Tank Cubes
The latest additions to the site are the defensive road block Anti Tank Cubes starting with an example in Parbold village on the canal at SD 4891 1051, next running west at bridge 39 SD 4987 1023, a pair of defensive cubes. On to bridge 40 where 2 more cubes guard the north side of the crossing SD 5074 0997. Finally two more blocks hidden in the undergrowth at bridge 41 SD 5127 0986. For more pictures see the Parbold section of the Interactive Map.