THIS SCEPTRED ISLE



On the eastbound carriageway three miles west of M4 junction 13 is a large exit labelled Works Access Only. It leads to a road, not marked on any map, that disappears over a hill. The millennium map on the internet shows a large array of rectangular structures. Is it anything I should worry about? Jeff Knaggs, Stevenage, Herts Here or hereabouts can be found the atomic bomb factory of Burghfield Common... just south of the M4 at Reading. It isn't on any map I've seen. Perhaps the two are related? If so, worrying is certainly in order. Mark Iliff, Reading The answer, quite obviously, is yes. Alex Long, London Locals maintain that this slip road leads to RAF Welford, which was used as a base by the US during the cold war. This would explain the rectangular shapes on the millennium map - they are missile silos. My mother, who lives near Newbury, has always maintained that the cruise missiles, allegedly at nearby Greenham Common, were in fact based at Welford. This would make sense, if only in terms of transport logistics. Cruise missiles were designed to be mobile and capable of being launched from any part of the country. To reach the M4 from Greenham (in the 80s) necessitated driving through Newbury, whereas Welford has its own private slip road. Perhaps all the women who so persistently protested against the cruise missiles were actually camping in the wrong place after all. Jackie Nickson, Farncombe, Surrey Many Access Only roads are in fact motorway police stations and garages. A couple of years ago, I was given a lift to Luton Airport by a Met police detective. He swung off the motorway on to one of these roads promising that it would take many miles off the journey - which it did. Some way up this road, there were rectangular structures, an array of parked police vehicles and officers relaxing with tea and fags. Anyone wishing to try these shortcuts, however, should be advised that you need someone in the car who can show a warrant card. Graham White, Milton Bridge, Midlothian The M4 route was decided largely by the US government as part of the missile distribution system. The instigation of the Newbury bypass and other work on the A34 was for the same purpose. It is ironic that the work was done so long after its real purpose had ceased to exist in order to save face and conceal military involvement. Perhaps the US freedom of information act will reveal something soon. Our own papers will presumably be secret for at least 30 years. John Batts, Banbury, Oxon Munitions used to be moved in and out of this US army depot annually, so that their use-by date did not expire. In the 70s I worked for a large firm of hauliers involved in transporting of the munitions which, my drivers told me, were mainly bombs which did not have fuses and were consequently harmless. All the drivers were given rudimentary safety instructions and a fire extinguisher, but when one of my drivers asked what to do in the case of a fire he was told to run. We used to take the munitions to other US bases in the UK and also to south Wales to be put on ships to return the munitions to America. Peter Jenkins, Dorking, Surrey RAF Welford and its private sliproad off the M4 were no secret to peace campaigners of the 80s, as Jackie Nickson implies. It was well-known as Europe's largest munitions store, although the military were not unnaturally reticent to discuss exactly what was kept there. There were a number of temporary peace camps outside its gates and at least one letter was delivered to the single British officer on the site. Unlike Greenham, there is very little space for a camp outside Welford, whose publicly-accessible gate is on an unclassified road with little or no passing traffic. However, the US personnel were clearly alarmed at finding themselves targeted and I witnessed one unsuccessful attempt by a driver to mount the verge and flatten a campaigner's tent. Dave Headey, Faringdon, Oxon Peter Jenkins, Dorking, Surrey Whatever is up the exit is definitely military. All other 'Works Exit' signs I have come across are in blue (like other motorway signs). This one is in white and red, like other military signs. Andrew Jarvis, Burford, England This slip road leads to RAF Welford - for the main gate follow signs from J14 (just don't expect to be let in! It is still in operation supplying the explosive requirements of the US and NATO. John, Welford UK RAF Welford is a Joint RAF-USAF munitions storage facility.It is soon to be USAF only. Most munitions dropped by Aircraft deployed at RAF Fairford during the Gulf war and the Kosovo war came from Welford via the M4. No nukes, no missiles, but lots and lots of bombs. Paul, Fairford UK Sorry Guys, no conspiricy here. Paul is right, it's a bomb storage site. It was originally a wartime field and I believe the 101st airbourne flew from there. I'm also told Glen Miller played one of his last concerts there before he disappeared.I've worked at the site and been around most of it and there's just lots & lots of bombs. J.P., Cirencester UK There is also a secret underground runway for alien spacecraft to land at!! In all seriousness, I worked at RAF Welford for 9 years and I have heard all sorts of conjecture about the place. The above poster who caught the red and white implications (yes, military areas in the UK are signposted red on white) is correct. It is just a very large conventional munitions storage area. I loved working there. Keith Price, Buena Vista, United States If you look on Google Earth with the satellite map you can see the structures very clearly. Dave, Calne, Wiltshire, UK



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