RAF Wyton Photographic Factory
Photos - 21.
Where - Cambridgeshire.
Visited - November 2007.
Posted - 1 January 2008.
Categories -
military.
RAF Wyton was home to the Strategic Reconnaissance Force after WW2. More information about the base's history can be found on Wikipedia
The recon role of the base wound down in the 1990s and is now used for logistic purposes. This change in purpose meant that the photographic facilites were no longer needed.
The "photographic factory" now lies derelict outside of the base. It was sold in 2002 for redevelopment, but nothing seems to have happened since then.
Externals
The photographic factory at Wyton is a relatively simple one storey building. I say "one storey" - it is built on a slope so it's about 1.5 stories. It is nearly the shape of a T, but a huge boiler/plant room adorns the west wing.
Internals
The last 10 years have not been kind on the building's interior. The paint on the walls is peeling. The floors are sketchy in places. Ceilings are collapsing. Windows & toilets smashed. This amount of destruction is quite surprising considering the remote location!
Development areas
The main development room is, as per the rest of the building, pretty smashed up. There was evidence that sinks used to grace this room, but they've long-since gone. Six processing rooms were attached to the main room, each via a small blacked-out corridor (the doors have been smashed off - they now lie on the floor of the main room).
Random signage
A few signs remain, one would imply that the building was used for the last time during 1995. I'm not sure why there was a mattress store there either.
Your Comments
View newest comments first
Posted 23 January 2008, 00:50 From brendadada
Stunning wide angulation there. Is it possible to get inside?
Posted 23 January 2008, 00:50 From brendadada
Pff, silly me, so it is.
Posted 28 January 2008, 14:50 From paul evans
I am sure I spent some time working in this building when i served at RAF Wyton between 1984 and 1987. I was a Cpl supplier attached to the Air Movs Section which was "transferred" across the road and into the "Old Photo Factory"
Posted 28 January 2008, 15:20 From paul evans
Can remember this corridor - we only used part of the building but i am sure this area below the steps used to be office space.
Posted 28 January 2008, 15:50 From paul evans
It was so pleasant being able to sit outside in those lazy hazy summer days when we were not working so hard , of course!!
Posted 9 February 2008, 22:40 From Sean Edwards
Does anyone know if this building was used during the War??
I went up there in January 2008 and took a few pictures, great site!
Posted 12 February 2008, 20:30 From Paul Evans
Sad to see the place looking so run down
Posted 21 March 2008, 00:00 From James Mulcahy
Ah, the factory! Hundreds of photographers slaved over hot developer and cooled their drinks in cold fixer. We marched from the airmens mess after breakfast, in column of threes, and halted outside the 'servants' entrance for a roll call and inspection. We worked feverishly in darkrooms - the lucky ones had little red safelights the others in panchormatic green or....utter darkness....then the blessed Sally van arrived and the factory emptied for tea and marmite buns. Eyes squinting the moleys sat on the grass supped tea and smoked fags for fifteen minutes then back into processing or printing or chemy mix or polishing the corridors. GS and BP's under the gentle hand of Chiefy Snow or the glare of Flight 'Bag'o buns' Buckley. Then detatchments to the four corners of the globe with 58 squadron - Kenya, Cyprus, Lybia, Australia, Canada, Singapore. I've been everywhere, man. Air surveys, secret missions, maps, new air forces, whingeing national servicemen, institutionalised long term regulars. We were the best and saw it all.
They probably can't redevelop the site because the ground is saturated with sodium hypochlorite and blue-grey ghosts. Walk away from it. Let it tumble. It is holy ground.
Posted 1 April 2008, 16:40 From Will
Nice angle and exposure. But im interested in whether or not i need permision or anything to go and shoot there. See im doing a photography project on abandoned buildings and have been lots of places but would like to go there i wondered if i needed permision or not? Also is there still a working airfield there, because i looked on google earth and it looked used still? Any advice would extremely helpful if you email it back to me.
Posted 16 April 2008, 20:10 From J Y Kelly
I worked in this building in 1979. About half of it was given over to the RAF (UK) Mapstore, supplying maps and charts. Although there was some photo processing equipment in the building, it was no longer in used. Over on the other side of the building was the Ground Photo Section and the Police Dog Section was in the same compound. The RAF (UK) Mapstore closed in 1981
Posted 4 May 2008, 00:00 From Allen Jackson
This looks a very interesting location for a shoot. Like Will asked in his post of 1 April, I would be most grateful if you could let me have via email more information on access and exact location relative to the airfield. Thanks
Posted 24 June 2008, 10:10 From Robert Pilcher
I was stationed at RAF Wyton from Arpil 1962 to Jan 1963 and worked in the Photographic Processing Building. I worked in the film developtment room as part of a 3 person team on a CPU, Continuous Processing Unit. Processing aerial films of over 250 feet long, each negative 8.5x7inch. A most important period of this year was during the Cuban missile crisis in October when we all were put on x3 shifts in a 24 hour period. The aircraft at the time were 543 Squadron Valiants and 58 Squadron Canberras I am not sure when the building was built and opened.
Regards,
Rob Pilcher
South Australia
Leave A Comment