Lets get this straight, Pyestock is probably my absolute favourite place to go, so much so I've been at least 4 times, maybe more - I lost count. I don't always even take photos, I just like being there.
The NGTE Pyestock really is an engineering masterpiece, built in a time before the powerful computer technology we have today when they had to test things for real, make real life observations and adjustments and calculated things by hand on paper or on very primative and basic calculators. These days this sort of testing is mostly simulated inside powerful computers, but back then they did this stuff for real!
The people that designed and built pyestock and the people that worked here were engineers in the truest sense of the word, it is totally unique in britain, and one of only a few such places that exist in the world. A testing facility built on a truely mamouth scale that consumed more power than a medium sized town when in full operation - so much so the altitude testing where they had to run the place at full power had to be done during off-peak hours so as not to de-stabalize the electricity network!
It will be a sad day when this place finally gets demolished, it would be great to think it could be preserved but back in the real world it serves no purpose anymore. If you've never been here then GO right now as you'll never get the chance to see anywhere quite like it ever.
I didn't take many photos on our recent visit as I already have hundreds from the bits we visited that day. These were all taken hand held, more snapshots than thought out photos, but I'll stick some up anyway it would be rude not to!
Thanks to all that I visited with - Special mention to Space Invader as it was in his honour we were there - it was his birthday a few days previous. Cheers to Wevsky, Stealth and SilverRainbow for the entertaining car journey, Leedsexplorer and your mate (sorry can't remember name!) who we met for the first time, good to meet ya and of course Obscurity, UrbanGinger and Knox for their usual excellent company. 10 of us, we must be mad! :cool2:
Onto the explore.
Building number 1 of the day was test cell 3 West. This was used for testing in extreme conditions for performing icing tests on engines and aircraft parts, and for that reason the air could be coold and dried by the plant equipment located next to the test cell . To cool and dry that much air was in its self a piece of engineering genius. I didn't take any decent pictures of Cell 3 West that day, so have a couple from my archives.
It's in slightly worse shape now. :-(
Building number two of the day was the Airhouse, built to serve just two purposes - to blow air at high speeds and pressures to the test cells or to suck air at high speeds and pressures from the test cells depending on what testing was being done. There are 8 GEC turbines in the airhouse to facilitiate this linked to the test cells by the network of huge blue pipes you can see snaking round the site, the air flow directed and controlled by massive motorised valves at points along the pipes.
Building number 3 of the day was the amazing Test Cell 4. This was constructed purely for the testing of the Olympus engines that were to be used in Concorde and could test engines simulating the extreme conditions they would face flying at supersonic speeds and high altitudes. Again I didn't take any pictures that day, so have a couple from my archives.
Building Number 4 was Test Cell 3, this test cell is built underground, never quite worked out why I guess there was a reason. Notice the massive metal lid which went on the top of the test cell once the engine had been placed in there using the overhead gantry crane.
And that sadly was all we had time for, a small slice of Pye. The problem with Pyestock is it's so massive it takes a whle to get round everything, and of course you have to be aware of the on-site security when moving around - not that they were a problem once we had made it into the middle of the site. My tip if you go here is go early and stay long.
Will we be back for more pye? You bet your life we will!
The NGTE Pyestock really is an engineering masterpiece, built in a time before the powerful computer technology we have today when they had to test things for real, make real life observations and adjustments and calculated things by hand on paper or on very primative and basic calculators. These days this sort of testing is mostly simulated inside powerful computers, but back then they did this stuff for real!
The people that designed and built pyestock and the people that worked here were engineers in the truest sense of the word, it is totally unique in britain, and one of only a few such places that exist in the world. A testing facility built on a truely mamouth scale that consumed more power than a medium sized town when in full operation - so much so the altitude testing where they had to run the place at full power had to be done during off-peak hours so as not to de-stabalize the electricity network!
It will be a sad day when this place finally gets demolished, it would be great to think it could be preserved but back in the real world it serves no purpose anymore. If you've never been here then GO right now as you'll never get the chance to see anywhere quite like it ever.
I didn't take many photos on our recent visit as I already have hundreds from the bits we visited that day. These were all taken hand held, more snapshots than thought out photos, but I'll stick some up anyway it would be rude not to!
Thanks to all that I visited with - Special mention to Space Invader as it was in his honour we were there - it was his birthday a few days previous. Cheers to Wevsky, Stealth and SilverRainbow for the entertaining car journey, Leedsexplorer and your mate (sorry can't remember name!) who we met for the first time, good to meet ya and of course Obscurity, UrbanGinger and Knox for their usual excellent company. 10 of us, we must be mad! :cool2:
Onto the explore.
Building number 1 of the day was test cell 3 West. This was used for testing in extreme conditions for performing icing tests on engines and aircraft parts, and for that reason the air could be coold and dried by the plant equipment located next to the test cell . To cool and dry that much air was in its self a piece of engineering genius. I didn't take any decent pictures of Cell 3 West that day, so have a couple from my archives.
It's in slightly worse shape now. :-(
Building number two of the day was the Airhouse, built to serve just two purposes - to blow air at high speeds and pressures to the test cells or to suck air at high speeds and pressures from the test cells depending on what testing was being done. There are 8 GEC turbines in the airhouse to facilitiate this linked to the test cells by the network of huge blue pipes you can see snaking round the site, the air flow directed and controlled by massive motorised valves at points along the pipes.
Building number 3 of the day was the amazing Test Cell 4. This was constructed purely for the testing of the Olympus engines that were to be used in Concorde and could test engines simulating the extreme conditions they would face flying at supersonic speeds and high altitudes. Again I didn't take any pictures that day, so have a couple from my archives.
Building Number 4 was Test Cell 3, this test cell is built underground, never quite worked out why I guess there was a reason. Notice the massive metal lid which went on the top of the test cell once the engine had been placed in there using the overhead gantry crane.
And that sadly was all we had time for, a small slice of Pye. The problem with Pyestock is it's so massive it takes a whle to get round everything, and of course you have to be aware of the on-site security when moving around - not that they were a problem once we had made it into the middle of the site. My tip if you go here is go early and stay long.
Will we be back for more pye? You bet your life we will!
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