Operation Turnip - A CART project to renovate an Operational Base in Kent

Page last updated at 7:01pm on 4/12/12

Project Overview

We have started to restore an Operational Base in Kent. Due to the nature of the work, and the fact that certain members of the public like to go and destroy these precious time capsules, the location is a closely guarded secret.

We are calling the project Operation Turnip as many of the patrols in Kent were named after vegetables.

Phil Evans, our CIO for Kent, is managing the work on the ground and CART HQ will oversea the project and fund raise.

A small team of experts are being called upon to advise on the restoration and we will use our own internal archive and researchers knowledge around the UK to fit out the OB as authentically as possible.

We hope to then open the space at certain times of the year for guided tours, press calls and to allow re-enactors to stay inside.

We suggest you bookmark this page to follow our work. www.operationturnip.com

Stage 1 - The clear up operation - March 2012

TRIP 1
Time was mainly taken up on this trip measuring up O.B. plus fittings. Also dug sediment out of the bottom of the entrance Hatch to make access easier. Very messy work.

TRIP 2
Spent first part of this trip measuring bits we had missed on last trip. Then we made some temporary fixes to the ventilation system to stop debris blocking them. The final job for this trip was to clear the silt from in-between the walls where the water tank sits. Very hard work but managed to achieve our goal. Worst bit over hopefully!!! Below you can see a slideshow of images of the OB as we clear it out.

Stage 2 - Planning & Future Proofing - November 2012

The first job on turning up was to remove the remaining water from base. This didnt actually take that long and was done manually with buckets. Next was to clear out the interior of rubble and old wood. This did take a while and was a very messy job indeed. We were going to keep the chicken wire to reuse on the beds we will build but this unfortunately was too badly damaged to use. By the time this job was done we were both covered in mud and in my case i even managed to get some in my mouth! not very nice!

It was noticed that two of the roof vents were blocked so we will need to dig down and repair these at some point. It was also noted that water level in base when we turned up has not risen at all which is very good news indeed.

JOBS FOR NEXT VISIT

We will be aiming to finish cleaning up interior and also are going to start working on ventilation system and bringing it back to good working order.

We are working on a 3D model of the O.B which is almost complete. .

We are working on how to re-build the broken ventilation covers and re-build the ground level round the top of the O.B.

We are also researching and considering the construction of the wooden trap door and camouflage to blend in with surrounding ground.

In terms of fixtures and fittings we have 2 Ammo boxes (One actually used by a local patrol) but still need to find lights, food containers, Bedding and equipment.

We also plan to build bunks, table, bench that will be removable from O.B. The problem we have encountered is designing them so they fit in and out of the small entrance shaft. Once inside it all needs to be free standing as we do not want to attach anything to walls because it could run the risk of compromising the structure.

The remaining water needs to be pumped out.

Stage 3 - Re Build - Planned

We plan to repaint the walls and fit out the OB with new bunks and furniture. We plan to use genuine materials where possible. Due to the small size of the bunker we will only furnish one side of it so there is space for people to enter, move around and observe.

The images below show genuine bunks from a nearby OB.

 An example of the basic layout of a similar OB in the area.