Buffer Depots

ted wrote:

But what is that complex to the left , It is now the site of the UNIPART LOGISTICS Operation. Some of the original buildings survive and are Romney Huts.

The large complex was the wartime US Army General Depot G-24 Honeybourne, retitled US Army Medical Depot M-424 from 27th June 1945.

All the best,
PB

Thanks PB.
JENNA et al,
attached is the Luton cold store

TED

Attached files [IMG]/community/81320=5492-Luton Buffer depot001.jpg[/img]

Thanks for the answer Ted, I suspected as much. As for stuff being sold off, I was told that Cadburys "smash" was in fact stocks from the buffer stores that was sold off in the early seventies. This may expalin why AFAIK its no longer around, and why those annoying adverts have stopped!

Good information guys, Just for clarification the list posted was just MAFF buffer sites (they compiled the list), there is also a separate list of grain stores and other property... I will have a hunt and see if I still have the document.

Thanks for the photos Ted, lol I recognised the Ely (Chettisham) grain store straight away (its now called Chettisham Business Park)... Cant say I have come across that photo of the Luton buffer depot before. The buffer depot was demolished some time ago (mid 80's I would guess) and the site reused. It now houses the Luton Coldstore, and can be found on Skimpot Road, the site was serviced by the old railway (decommissioned in 1964) with the siding entering the site from the Luton side and running alongside the building to the north and south.
flashearth

1964 OS
[IMG]http://www.raidxtreme.eu/webpics/Luton Buffer Depot1964.jpg[/img]

1971 OS
[IMG]http://www.raidxtreme.eu/webpics/Luton Buffer Depot1971.jpg[/img]

Jenna I have found most of the sites on your list, I am sure I saw that list in a MAFF pdf doc whioch is on line I will try and do some more on this later tonight ,. So that is Skimpot lane area will have a look at that too later

TED

archive.treasury.gov.uk/pub/html/docs/nar/c4.pdf

Jenna have a look in here !!!
TED

Back in the early nineties my parents started to get free tins of meat from the government, they looked to me like compo tins. Were they stocks from buffer stores? They also occassionally got intervention butter as well.

canberra;81433 wrote:

Back in the early nineties my parents started to get free tins of meat from the government, they looked to me like compo tins. Were they stocks from buffer stores? They also occassionally got intervention butter as well.

Hi Canberra my mum got them too, the butter was definately intervention the meat possibly the final clear out of the few remaining depots.
TED

The Asset Register is interesting. Hemswell is shown as an intervention grain store converted to refrigerated store. I understand this was done to take some of the thousands, if not millions, or carcases slaughtered in the foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001, which were stored before they could be taken for incineration.

Strubby is shown as a Buffer Store, and years ago I remember a small sign at the former Main Gate stating Buffer Store No 3, I think - I need to check some deeply buried notes to be sure. What is interesting is when did Strubby become a buffer store? The station only closed to flying in September 1972, so it couls hardly have been a store for civil defence and other commodities that were the rage in the 1950s. Alternatively, did the Home Office use the hangars as a buffer store whilst the RAF was still operating from the station? Anyone got any ideas?

Turning to Manby, the Asset Register says that Manby was a grain store without grain walling. I'm not sure what year the asset register was compiled, but in 2004 the Manby hangars certainly had grain walling, because I saw it myself.