HMS Hornbill
After closure
Click or tap to see a larger image
Culham Lab from the North, May 1968
Photographer believed to be J.J.Halley, author's collection
Culham Science Centre in 2020
Courtesy of Google Earth
Click or tap to see a larger image
Culham Lab from the North, May 1968
Photographer believed to be J.J.Halley, author's collection
Culham Science Centre in 2020
Courtesy of Google Earth
Culham science Centre
For a few years after closure the old air station was used as an Admiralty storage facility. Then, in 1960, the main site was taken over by the UK Atomic Energy Authority and it became known as the Culham Laboratory, now Culham Science Centre, with a new entrance drive opening directly onto the main A415. A fence was erected along the center line of the old perimeter track and, having been strengthened and upgraded, still serves as the security boundary of the science centre. The 'inside' half of the perimeter track has been largely integrated with the internal road system, but it is still possible to walk or cycle around much of the outside track, which links with what is now the end of Thame Lane close to the railway bridge, and gives vehicle access to farm buildings and an activity centre in the woods. Whilst much building development continues to take place within the Science Centre it is still possible to make out the pattern of the three runways but few, if any, original buildings are thought to survive.
We are pleased to have in our collection a 35mm colour slide dated May 1968, not many years after the Culham Laboratory was established. Comparing this with the Google Earth view from 2020, looking from almost the same the same position, it is clear just how much development and clearance of old buildings has taken place. The railway curves from the top to bottom right , and the Abingdon to Clifton Hampden road crosses the images from right to left just above centre. Arcing across the top is the Thames, and the railway can be seen crossing it in the top right corner. Thame Lane crosses over the railway just below centre on the extreme right. Tracing where the railway and the road to Abingdon cross gives us the postion of Culham station, although it is not really visible on either image. What can be seen on that from 1968 is the footprint of the old siding into the airbase. All the original station buildings are still in place, including the old broad gauge goods shed. A larger version of the 35mm slide can be seen by clicking or tapping on the thumbnail image.
As an interesting aside, during the early 1960s a plan emerged to develop a prison on 320 acres to the north of the perimeter track. The idea was to create a unit for 500 men and which would faciitate the closure and demolition of the old Oxford prison in the city centre. The scheme didn't progress very far however and was finally cancelled in 1982.
Culham No.1 Site in 2020 courtesy of Google.co.uk
Imagery ©DigitalGlobe, Getmapping plc,
Infoterra Ltd&Bluesky, The Geoinformation Group
Culham No.1 site
Culham No.1 site was formed from the land and buildings which lay between the railway line, the perimeter track and the road to Abingdon, extending as far as the last range of buildings where the road was terminated and a boundary fence ererected. Most, if not all, of the buildings were constructed as part of the wartime works. From 1968 the site was used by the Natural Resources Institute and the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food for storage, distribution, workshops, offices and research. In 1996 the site was sold to a private company and a number of individual occupants began to use the various buildings and hangars with the site remaining largely unaltered in nature.
An application was lodged on 10th June 1970 for the development of a ready mixed concrete plant on the land immediately behind and to the side of Station House. Approval was granted with a provision for the protection or replacement of trees existing on the site. Such a development would have radically changed the semi rural nature of the area with the building of silos, new industrial buildings and hard standings. This development did not go ahead and the area remained much as it was. There are now radical proposals to clear the entire site and redevelop it for housing, possibly extending as far as the Thame Lane railway bridge. There is local opposition to this as part of the site lies within the Green Belt, but at present the project would seem to be a long term aim rather than an imminent prospect.
The gallery below shows many of the hangars and buildings as they existed in 2020.
Satellite view in 2020 courtesy of Google.co.uk
Imagery ©DigitalGlobe, Getmapping plc,
Infoterra Ltd&Bluesky, The Geoinformation Group
Other remnants
A number of buildings associated with the various military camps fell outside of both the Science Centre and Culham No.1 sites. These were to the north of the perimeter track and access road, and although many have disappeared over time some traces can still be found.
The biggest is a large hangar known as Lockwood Farm hangar, or Culham No.4 site. This is the survivor of what was once a pair of identical hangars, and is still served by the original concrete service roads. Initially put to agricultural use, permission was granted in 2017 for it to be reclassified as light industrial. At the time of writing it was newly occupied by the manufacturer of modular eco-friendly buildings and a substantial security fence, hidden by the hedge, has been erected around the whole site. The twin of this hangar was destroyed by fire and subsequently cleared away, athough its concrete base is still being used for a hard standing area. The third photograph shows the remains of this unfortunate hangar with the undamaged one alongside as seen by Andrew Smith when he visited the area in June 2006.
Photograph © Andrew Smith, cc-by-sa/2.0
In 2006 Culham Adventure Park was established in the adjacent Furze Brake Wood. The park extends over 50 acres and includes some remnants of the old camp infrastructure alongside introduced military relics. They provide lasergaming and, from 2011, a range of tree-top high ropes activities. Most notable remnants are the concrete bases to three long demolished storage buildings which now serve as car parking areas. The metal rails which once bore the large sliding doors can still be seen embedded in the painted concrete floors.
In April 2010 Des Blenkinsopp visited the area and took this photograph of one of the derelict hangars. The hangar has long since been demolished as presumably it was unsafe, and we are grateful to Des for allowing us to use the image on our website.
