Page 1 of 1

Ailsa View Park / RAF[ROC] Milnthird

PostPosted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 10:42 pm
by Gleniffer_Dave
Hi All

Firstly, apologies if this is in the wrong forum.

Having only noticed a couple of passing referencies to Ailsa View I thought I'd share my pics with you.

http://picasaweb.google.com/david.jenkins1969/AilsaView

The interesting thing about turret No. 4 is that it has an 1 level extra underground compaired to the other 3, unfortunatly you can't see it atm as it floods badly during the winter.

I would love to find out more about this site myself [ I stay on the site] as there are a few stories about Ailsa View that I wish someone could clear up. I hope someone on here might know more.

Dave.

PostPosted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 11:14 pm
by Socceroo
Really interesting post Glennifer Dave. I was aware of the ROC post but have not seen in it much detail.

So thanks for the photographs.

Like you i would be interested in finding out more about it.

PostPosted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:29 am
by DickyHart
id love to go for a look about there

PostPosted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 12:47 pm
by Apollo
To avoid confusion, it should be noted that the site pictured has NO connection with ROC or Royal Observer Corps, or RAF.

And I'm afraid it's not actually Millthird either, which was the adjacent World War II HAA battery.

A comprehensive set of pics, great addition.

The site is that of a postwar or Cold War gun battery (named Pattiston or Lochboiside Hills) which was built near to, but not on top of, a World War II HAA battery.

The GL radar ramps etc. have no connection with the postwar installation, as they date to the 1940s, and the equipment and methods concerned were rapidly superseded by advancing technology.

The published info on visits to the site is given here:

http://lmid1.rcahms.gov.uk/pls/portal/n ... ink=106350

And you can see the site here:

http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... e=a&lvl=17

PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 6:01 pm
by Gleniffer_Dave
Hi. Thanks for clearing that up for me.
As I said, I stay on the caravan site & was just using the information told to me by older residents & civilians that actually worked here when it was in operation.

Are the pictures mentioned in the article you posted the link to, available to view online as I'd be very interested in seeing them? I have not managed to find any pictures of the site from when it was in operation.

As you can see by my pictures the owner at the time didn't manage to demolish the structures & in fact broke 2 excavator mounted rock breakers in his attempts.

I would also very much like to know the location mentioned of the milnethird site if it is not this one.

PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 8:19 pm
by Fraz13
Fascinating thread.....

I too used to live there, We only stayed maybe 6 months to a year when I was 3 or 4.... Am 31 now so quite a long time ago.

I remember a few things like learning to go my bike and cycling the Sgt Law roads with my mum, Also a red car that had white Coka-Cola or Starsky and Hutch stripes down the side..... I couldnt tell you what van we stayed in either...

I dont remember these bunkers, Would be an interesting wander tho :D

PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 10:55 pm
by Gleniffer_Dave
Fraz13 wrote:Fascinating thread.....

I too used to live there, We only stayed maybe 6 months to a year when I was 3 or 4.... Am 31 now so quite a long time ago.

I remember a few things like learning to go my bike and cycling the Sgt Law roads with my mum, Also a red car that had white Coka-Cola or Starsky and Hutch stripes down the side..... I couldnt tell you what van we stayed in either...

I dont remember these bunkers, Would be an interesting wander tho :D


I think you'd notice quite a few changes then......& probably not for the better some of them. There's only about 6 vans left, the rest is chalets & empty plots now.

PostPosted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:44 pm
by Apollo
Gleniffer_Dave wrote:Are the pictures mentioned in the article you posted the link to, available to view online as I'd be very interested in seeing them? I have not managed to find any pictures of the site from when it was in operation.

As you can see by my pictures the owner at the time didn't manage to demolish the structures & in fact broke 2 excavator mounted rock breakers in his attempts.

I would also very much like to know the location mentioned of the milnethird site if it is not this one.

Glad my hunting around can help :)

I'm afraid the pics referred to aren't on line (but you can't have everything) although RCAHMS have referenced them, so they should be available, they always advertise a request for online users to visit their public search room where you can see the archive material, and even purchase copies of archive material. But, I've resisted the invitation so far.

There's actually an 'Images on-line' button (with a little camera icon) cunningly hidden on the page and not too apparent. If there are any images from the archive available on-line, this will take you to them, but not in this case.

Here's the corresponding Millthird page:

http://lmid1.rcahms.gov.uk/pls/portal/n ... link=98904

Since there's no point in showing the aerial view again (the two recorded locations are only yards apart, these two pages pinpoint those locations, so you can judge how close they were for yourself:

http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index. ... yMillthird
http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index. ... yPattiston

PostPosted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 5:18 pm
by Gleniffer_Dave
Apollo wrote:Glad my hunting around can help :)

I'm afraid the pics referred to aren't on line (but you can't have everything) although RCAHMS have referenced them, so they should be available, they always advertise a request for online users to visit their public search room where you can see the archive material, and even purchase copies of archive material. But, I've resisted the invitation so far.

There's actually an 'Images on-line' button (with a little camera icon) cunningly hidden on the page and not too apparent. If there are any images from the archive available on-line, this will take you to them, but not in this case.

Here's the corresponding Millthird page:

http://lmid1.rcahms.gov.uk/pls/portal/n ... link=98904

Since there's no point in showing the aerial view again (the two recorded locations are only yards apart, these two pages pinpoint those locations, so you can judge how close they were for yourself:



Thanks for those links Apollo. Very interesting.

I think the confusion lay due to the fact that both sites are/were within the confinds of the caravan park [don't let the new owner catch you calling it that though :)].

I had a look for the images on that site, but they aren't online but looks like they're available to buy.......unfortunatly well outside my price range for 2 pictures.

Do you know where I might be able to find maps showing the layout of the site from the dates it was milnethird & pattison ?

PostPosted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 6:59 pm
by Apollo
Yup, the pics are a bit steep if you're just exercising 'personal interest' without someone to pass the tab onto.

Oddly enough, a couple of us are hunting around for similar info with regard to mapping and layout that shows similar site layouts of the period, but we've come up empty so far, although someone looking in here may know better of course.

We've seen some later OS mapping of other sites, but they've just shown generalised plain boxes to mark the spot, rather than layout detail.

I'm only guessing now, but I suspect one would probably need to contact the likes of the Royal Artillery Museum, or one of the sites set up in dedication to regiments and artillery of World War II.

We're always hunting though, and updating the info with anything new.

PostPosted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 9:50 pm
by HollowHorn
Might be worth setting up an HG day out to the outback, Dave?

PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 1:05 am
by Gleniffer_Dave
HollowHorn wrote:Might be worth setting up an HG day out to the outback, Dave?


Anyone that wants to come up for a look round would be welcome. Might be better to wait till we get better weather though[water level in the turrets will be lower]

I may even be able to get the site manager to open up one of the turrets so you can get a look inside. I will look into arranging something if there is enough interest.

Anyone can PM me if they want to come up & I will show them around, as the management do not like non residents wandering about the site & some residents are likely to call the police if they see anyone that doesn't stay here wandering about.

PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 1:11 am
by Pgcc93
Thanks for the offer Glennier_Dave I think HH will be organising a trip in the not too distant.

Expect a PM from him shortly 8)

PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 10:39 pm
by Gleniffer_Dave
No problem. Will be happy to show anyone around that's interested.