Air Ministry Works Department - Works Repair Depots

Peter wrote:

Richard wrote:

The site for Evesham was at NGR 023430. wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm

The Old-Maps website clearly shows the site on its 1955 OS Plan (I'm afraid that I currently don't know to capture that page and produce it here - answers please!)

Should that be SP 02815 42975?

SP 023 430 looks like a new housing estate in 1946-1952 (Google Earth 1945 layer). The one I have used is a yard by the railway line that was empty in 1938 (OS Map) and an agricultural merchants in 1955 (OS Map). It is now a housing estate with no trace of the old buildings. The evidence is not too clear though.

EDIT: Just found this which shows something by the old station:

britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EAW006895

This was Depot No. 93, under Works Area No. 9 at Cheltenham. It was classed as a minor depot.

I think that you are right, Peter. I lived in Evesham for 20 years and found only one person who knew anything about the site and he did point me to your SP 02815 42975. Indeed this location has always been on my database, however, I was swayed by my introduction to the Old-maps website just a few days ago and thought that the new (to me) clarity indicated that SP 023 430 had to be it. Furthermore, the postal address for the location was........Bengeworth Station.

mbriscoe wrote:

I notice they had two telephone numbers at Evesham (one with several lines). Weren't there two railway station, could there have been something at each station.

Pure speculation but could there have just been a hut / office at the smaller station / site, so things could be delivered there for collection?



From BT directories on Ancestry .

Martin, one of the numbers listed, 300, was the number for the Air Ministry Works Depot (note that it is a 3 figure number).

The other number, 6284, may probably have been associated with the works department at the nearby RAF General Hospital, whose own number, I noted, was a 4 figure no. 6268

Martin Briscoe wrote:

I think one has a way of notifying them of sites or corrections

Yes, the Defence Heritage Site allows the viewer to add a site and marker. I got distracted from Works Depots and saw that I could add some bomb store features..........!

Peter wrote:

Some more possible sightings?

Oakley TL 01538 54070
Weyhill SU 30602 46645
Ivybridge SX 63663 56133
Holton le Moor TF 09270 97078
Hampton-in-Arden SP 20282 82098
Cricklade SU 09672 93280

I'm not sure if these are all correct but hopefully at least one is! I have used Old-Maps extensively on these and in most cases looked for the more clumsy additions on the early
post-war 1:10,000 series. Aerial photos have been used on most to confirm suspect sites including some 1946 ones along with those that happen to cover the sites from NCAP, CUCAP and BFA. Google Earth has a reasonable coverage with 1946 photos but Getmapping.com has a slightly larger 1946 coverage area albeit at much lower resolution online.

Oakley No. 81 Works Depot, major depot, under No. 8 Works Area Cambridge
Weyhill No. 144 Works Depot, minor depot, under No.14 Works Area Merriott
Ivybridge No. 181 Works Depot, major depot, under No. 18 Works Area Launceston
Holton le Moor No. 52 Works Depot, major depot, under No.5 Works Area Retford
Cricklade No. 123 Works Depot, minor depot, under No. 12 Works Area Bristol

I'm having difficulty in placing Ivybridge. Your NGR points to an area quite near to the centre of town (?). However, the only location I have for it is actually Ivybridge, Devon. The station - Ivybridge GWR.

Peter wrote:

This is the Ivybridge suspected site:



The photo is a screen grab from:

map.devon.gov.uk/dccviewer/?bm=OSGreyscale&layers=Historic Environment;0;1&activeTab=Historic Environment&extent=210064;27188;338387;150088

NOTE: You will have to copy and paste the web link as using HTTPS:// or WWW. in front causes it to come up as page not found - no idea why


I used the basemap layer "Aerial RAF 1946-49". The website can be slow and I found it best to zoom in on the basic map layer and then change to 1946. It does seem sensitive to the level of zoom and sometimes refuses to load the aerial photos but it is worth the wait.

First class, Peter, well found. Of further interest to me (and without wanting to wander too far off topic) is the camp on the top right of the photo. This was occupied by US Army troops prior to D-Day and I believe that there was a landing strip for L-4s of the 58th Armoured Battalion in a field,further to the right, so to speak.. NGR SX 653561.