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guided weapons propellants. Buildings J7...J9 at the northern edge of the site formed a static testing site, where these motors could be test-fired. J7 was an environmental conditioning building where charges could be heated to 70 °C or cooled to -40 °C before testing. These buildings were of typical flat-roofed red brick construction, shielded by large earth traverses. Testing work was also carried out here on the
348:, from the western end of the tunnel, conveniently located only three miles (5 km) away from the proposed site at Caerwent. Even during the great drought of 1934 the lowest daily return was 9.1 million imperial gallons (41,000 m³). The GWR used about 1.5 million imperial gallons (6,800 m³) per day themselves, so there was always a guaranteed daily surplus of 7.5 million imperial gallons (34,000 m³).
98:
65:
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Work began to create the propellants factory in 1939. A total of £4.7 million was spent on buildings and roads, and £2.5 million on plant and equipment. The site's total area was 1,580 acres (6.4 km) of land with a total of 1,163 acres (4.71 km) enclosed within the factory fence. The scale
414:
work began in wartime buildings, the horizontal presses in Press Houses 3 and a longer press in 1, and with other work in a disused blending house and the Tetryl
Acetone Recovery building. From 1957 dedicated buildings, J1...J6, were constructed on the eastern side of the site for the production of
534:
Following the change in the political climate in Europe and subsequent scaling down of operations, the US Army announced it was to close down their storage operations at the establishment in June 1992. Over 60,000 tonnes of munitions were moved out over a period of less than ten months. The last
367:
came on stream. In August 1941 the
Nitrocellulose and Nitroglycerine plants were operational and were soon working 24 hours a day on a three-shift pattern. At the same time, Unit 2 of the factory was almost completed, so RNPF Caerwent was now virtually operational.
389:
Since 1993, the former factory site has been used for a variety of military and civil purposes, including military field exercises, car rallying, storage and breakdown of railway vehicles, nature preservation, and leisure activities such as
601:, were scrapped at RNPF Caerwent. Between 2008 and 2014, the railway tracks were removed but the trackbeds left in situ. A number of unsafe buildings and redundant acid storage facilities have also been removed since 2014.
604:
In summer 2022, work began to remove the final stretches of track that remained within the site and on the connecting branch line. The disassembled rails will be transported to the
547:
on the site, but also a comprehensive road system, for logistics exercises and driver training. Improvements to the site were completed at a cost of £150,000 in
November 2015.
765:
306:
should be located on rough grassland with a gravel on sand subsoil with good natural drainage and a slope of about 1 in 30 to provide maximum safety in the highly dangerous
344:. One of the major difficulties encountered underground was the 'Great Spring', which necessitated the pumping of over 9 million gallons (41,000 m³) of water per day, at
543:
Caerwent is now a major training area covering over 1,500 acres (6.1 km), capable of sustaining up to 1,000 troops. There are not only over 400 buildings and
90:
1080:
57:
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566:, near Sudbrook by way of a private branch line, sometimes known as the MoD Caerwent siding. There were a number of transfer sidings within the factory.
128:
442:. The decision to close RNPF Caerwent was announced on 25 March 1965. Production continued during the following two-year rundown phase. The last
908:
317:
Like all explosive factories of this type, a capacious supply of water was required for use in the manufacturing processes. To manufacture 150
519:
of conventional munitions, a substantial fraction of the US Army's
European stocks. In 1990 Caerwent shipped 12,000 tons of ammunition to the
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the higher part should not have an elevation of not less than 100 ft (30 m) above the lowest part to limit the internal gradients.
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munitions. It has been used as a training area since its closure as an armament works in 1966, and between 1967 and 1993 was
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497:, rockets, mines, flares and small arms ammo arrived early in 1968 with shipments arriving by rail as far as practicable.
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and converting some of the former RNPF structures to conform to the required specification. The material stored included
300:
should not be located in an industrial area, but sufficiently close to a populated area to provide an adequate workforce;
827:
434:
working party recommended that propellants for the three branches of the armed services should be concentrated at the
554:
and 1st
Battalion, The Rifles are scheduled to move to the new Caerwent Barracks when building is completed in 2028.
500:
Circa 1982-83, Caerwent was under the administration of
Reserve Storage Activity Caerwent, 47th Area Support Group,
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Reserve
Storage Activity", and became known as USADA Caerwent (United States Arms Depot Activity – Caerwent).
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and
Nitroglycerine manufacturing. Five months later, the Pressure Oxidation Plant for the manufacture of
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system, miles of roads and a wide range of buildings, from small earth-banked bomb stores to large four
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batch was removed by train on 19 July 1993. The formal closure ceremony took place on 20 August 1993.
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of site consumed the village of Dinham which was located at the northern edge of the RNPF Caerwent.
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By the end of 1940, the Main Office block was complete, and in
December of that year the Unit 1
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were filmed on site in
October 2010. More recently, Caerwent was used in the television series
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sites with internal railway sidings, was used as a secure storage area for holding surplus
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Dangerous Energy: The archaeology of gunpowder and military explosives manufacture
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motor was produced on 14 June 1966, before tooling was transferred to Bishopston.
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European 'theatre reserve stocks' under the command of the United States Army's "
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Walker (1888), Chapter 10: "The Means Taken to Deal with the Great Spring".
853:. Track Layout Diagrams of the GWR and BR WR (2nd ed.). pp. 1–2.
325:
per week the factory would need 3 million imperial gallons (14,000 m³) of
787:
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245:
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27:
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697:"'The Factory' A history of the Royal Navy Propellant Factory, Caerwent"
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in 1939, it was originally dedicated to the manufacture and storage of
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828:"Brecon Army barracks is saved in new Ministry of Defence announcement"
612:. The former trackbed is to be converted into a footpath and cycleway.
391:
375:
322:
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379:
1011:
The Severn Tunnel: Its Construction & Difficulties: 1872 – 1887
981:
A pictorial record of the Royal Naval Cordite Factory, Holton Heath
293:
drew up prequirements for a new factory. The main priorities were:
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383:
237:
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909:"Disused military railway near Caldicot to become cycle route"
336:(GWR) had undertaken the engineering feat of constructing the
318:
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activities from France in 1967. Caerwent became part of the
806:"MOD investment in Caerwent training area, Monmouthshire"
297:
the establishment should not be vulnerable to air attack;
454:
RAF Caerwent was transferred to US administration after
281:
from 2027. As at 2023, the site is under construction.
655:"Army's Brecon Beacons base saved in Wales troops move"
562:
The site was connected to the Great Western railway at
359:
Factory went into production with acid mixing for the
240:. The large military site is situated north of the
889:. Digital Orienteering Map Archive for Richard Cronin
766:"Nato Arms Depot, Caerwent (Transport of Ammunition)"
473:The US Army spent over £4 million constructing 300
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589:that might be returned to use. A small number of
1013:. Republished 2004. Stroud: Nonsuch Publishing.
303:should be close to a railway and to main roads;
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64:
927:"Caerwent is scene for Captain America movie"
511:At its height, Caerwent was among the larger
402:Between 1955 and 1966, Caerwent produced the
8:
332:In the latter part of the 19th century, the
788:"USAREUR Units & Kasernes, 1945 - 1989"
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110:Caerwent Training Area (the United Kingdom)
17:
737:
735:
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481:ammunition, artillery shells (up to 8"),
979:Bowditch, M.R. and Hayward, L., (1996).
523:and played a critical part in Operation
851:Section 36: Ross, Monmouth and Chepstow
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680:
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577:, RNPF Caerwent like a number of other
515:in Western Europe, storing over 80,000
285:Royal Navy Propellant Factory, Caerwent
257:Royal Navy Propellant Factory, Caerwent
1031:Subterranea site visit with photograph
887:"Military League Central (12/03/2014)"
620:Scenes from the Hollywood blockbuster
244:about 5 mi (8.0 km) west of
228:is a British military installation at
7:
1081:Scheduled monuments in Monmouthshire
273:is to be built on the site to house
460:United States Department of Defense
623:Captain America: The First Avenger
248:and 12 miles (19 km) east of
14:
1071:Royal Ordnance Factories in Wales
310:manufacturing and handling areas;
45:West Gate, Caerwent Training Area
96:
89:
63:
56:
39:
1036:Multimap map and aerial imagery
983:. Wareham: Finial Publishing.
744:"Desperately seeking Sea Slug"
608:, a Welsh heritage railway at
552:1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards
275:1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards
113:Show map of the United Kingdom
1:
998:. Swindon: English Heritage.
491:multiple launch rocket system
406:solid rocket booster for the
77:Location within Monmouthshire
1076:Industrial railways in Wales
1009:Walker, Thomas A., (2004).
657:. BBC News. 25 November 2021
994:Cocroft, Wayne D., (2000).
742:Jon Berry (November 2011).
458:almost completely expelled
289:In the summer of 1936, the
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867:. The AC Locomotive Group
808:. Gov.uk. 4 November 2015
506:United States Army Europe
493:. The first shipments of
80:Show map of Monmouthshire
50:
38:
25:
1066:History of Monmouthshire
768:. Hansard. 13 March 1968
371:The factory had its own
468:47th Area Support Group
1041:Aerial photograph 1999
695:Parry, Medwyn (1997).
593:, particularly in the
436:Royal Ordnance Factory
430:Early in the 1960s, a
327:drinking quality water
226:Caerwent Training Area
104:Caerwent Training Area
71:Caerwent Training Area
21:Caerwent Training Area
1046:Orienteering map 2007
865:"Class 87 Data Table"
792:www.usarmygermany.com
599:British Rail Class 87
595:British Rail Class 86
334:Great Western Railway
955:"Pick up, put downs"
591:electric locomotives
502:21st Support Command
277:and 1st Battalion,
255:Established as the
177:Ministry of Defence
140: /
849:R A Cooke (1985).
489:, flares, and the
464:United States Army
144:51.6167°N 2.7648°W
932:South Wales Argus
915:. 11 August 2022.
913:thenational.wales
703:on 28 March 2012.
564:Caldicot Junction
513:ammunition depots
456:Charles de Gaulle
271:Caerwent Barracks
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699:. Archived from
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616:Filming location
168:Site information
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935:. 28 July 2011
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974:Bibliography
959:. Retrieved
957:. IMDb. 2019
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937:. Retrieved
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891:. Retrieved
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770:. Retrieved
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701:the original
659:. Retrieved
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575:British Rail
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529:Desert Storm
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342:River Severn
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265:RAF Caerwent
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219:1939–Present
193:Site history
187:British Army
15:
961:26 November
893:10 December
871:26 November
834:10 December
812:26 November
772:26 November
661:26 November
583:locomotives
521:Middle East
386:buildings.
365:Nitric acid
261:Royal Naval
216:In use
147: /
123:Coordinates
1055:Categories
636:References
610:Carmarthen
569:After the
479:small arms
340:under the
291:Royal Navy
279:The Rifles
210:War Office
132:51°37′00″N
641:Citations
475:magazines
329:per day.
135:2°45′53″W
629:Top Gear
487:grenades
425:Sealyham
412:Cold War
398:Cold War
346:Sudbrook
246:Chepstow
242:A48 road
230:Caerwent
183:Operator
28:Caerwent
939:28 July
750:(122).
748:Context
558:Railway
545:bunkers
444:Gosling
410:. This
404:Gosling
392:Airsoft
376:railway
323:cordite
250:Newport
1017:
1002:
987:
517:tonnes
495:shells
421:Redtop
417:Magpie
382:built
380:storey
384:brick
252:.
238:Wales
198:Built
173:Owner
1015:ISBN
1000:ISBN
985:ISBN
963:2021
941:2011
895:2021
873:2021
836:2021
814:2021
774:2021
752:Cadw
663:2021
597:and
585:and
550:The
527:and
423:and
319:tons
201:1939
160:Type
579:MOD
573:of
508:.
438:at
394:.
321:of
1057::
929:.
911:.
790:.
746:.
730:^
718:^
671:^
632:.
531:.
504:,
485:,
419:,
267:.
236:,
232:,
30:,
1006:.
991:.
965:.
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897:.
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794:.
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665:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
