RAF Barnham nuclear storage photo session.

Saturday 11th January at 9:30 am for a 4 hr photographic free roam

After the popularity of the last session, plus many asking to be able to come back in the winter, we have organised a chance for you to have a look around the RAF Barnham nuclear storage site.

The session will start at the visitors carpark, but there will be no tour this time, it is purely just photo taking time. if anybody did want to watch the very informative video in the visitors centre I am sure this can be arranged, but please do let me know on booking so this can be done.

The site is a few miles S/W of Thetford between Elvedon and Barnham.

A Little bit of history of the site.

Barnham Nuclear Storage Site (NSS) was active during the early part of the Cold War and was one of only two such facilities built in the UK to store the BLUE DANUBE free-fall nuclear bomb.   The nuclear storage site was built during the mid-1950s to maintain the BLUE DANUBE away from the V-Bomber bases as well as holding the ‘second strike’ stock should nuclear war break out.  The other site was at RAF Faldingworth in Lincolnshire, which is also partially detailed on this site.

On official records, Barnham Nuclear Weapon Storage Site was known as a “Special Storage Site” and to those that worked there, it was “Top Site”, in relation to the domestic site on the Thetford-Bury St Edmunds Road.

Barnham served the ‘southern’ V-Force bomber airfields, occupied by No 94 Maintenance Unit (MU), with Faldingworth’s 92 MU covering the ‘northern’ bases.   Barnham went on to store the RED BEARD nuclear weapon which succeeded BLUE DANUBE.

You can read more on the site here

On the day.

On the day of your visit enter via the Site main entrance and follow the road up to the visitor parking. You will be met by the tutors in the car park. Please park sensibly, as space is limited, please arrive before 9:30am for your visit to the site, the tour starts promptly at 9:30am 

The address for the site is Gorse Industrial Estate, 84, Barnham, Thetford IP24 2PH

Part of the ticket sales goes to ensuring the site can remain open for others to get tours around it and also.

Essential kit

DSLR Camera

Spare Batteries and memory cards

Wide angle lens

Sturdy tripod

Lens cleaning kit

Camera bag

Warm clothes as it is site exposed to the elements

Food and hot drink

Sturdy footwear

Optional kit

Cable or radio release for shutter

Bookings

Booking is confirmed once an email has been received via our checkout system.

raf barnham storage buildings with trees growing around it

Please also note

The RAF Barnham nuclear storage site tour will require a relatively good fitness level as we will be walking on unmade paths with some trip hazards.

There are toilets on site, but no shop for refreshments.

You are entering the site at your own risk, the tour operator, site owner or Through the lens workshops are not accountable to any loss or damage to property or injury to yourself or others.

This is not a workshop, there will be no tuition. It is a walkabout where we will be taking photos as well.

Camera insurance is not included in the price

Don’t forget to charge your batteries. Make sure that you have sufficient space on your memory cards for a day’s shooting.

We look forward to meeting you on the day of the RAF Barnham nuclear storage site tour.

Kind Regards,

Through The Lens Workshops