IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Tovey Crescent, PLYMOUTH, PL5 3US

The land on which these houses are built used to be the site of Manadon Royal Naval College which was vacated by the Navy and demolished a few years ago.

To the right are sports fields, including a football centre. On the other a large grassed area that seems destined for housing or associated development.

The footpath leads from the lower slopes of Manadon to the new housing estate built on the one time site of the old Royal Naval Engineering College.

Once standing proud above the portals of HMS Thunderer, the Royal Naval Engineering College,the turret stands beside the road, clad in plywood. Although initially planned as early as 1937 the foundation stone of the completed establishment was not laid until 1956. The building, of Portland stone, though of monoblock appearance lent a certain presence to the landscape of the area. With the decline of the Royal Navy in terms of manpower needs it went the way of all such institutions and training of naval engineering officers was transferred to Southampton University. I hope there are plans to mount the turret on a more appealing base - perhaps of Portland stone, though I fear it is destined for another scrapyard.

Reflecting past associations with the Royal Navy the streets are named after famous warships. The first ship to bear the name was built at Deptford in 1758 and was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. Latterly Warspite became one of the Royal Navy's most famous ships of the Twentieth Century serving with distinction in both world wars.

This college closed in 1995 and engineer officer training is now undertaken at HMS Sultan, Gosport. As far as I know this lovely test engine was scrapped. It was an inverted vertical compound (enclosed) engine built in c1917 by Browett, Lindley & Co. Ltd., Patricroft as No. 2361. The cylinders were 9" and 13.5" bore by 8.5" stroke and it was rated at 88 indicated horsepower. It was direct coupled to a water brake dynamometer and has condensing plant. It was installed here second-hand in 1963 and used regularly until about 1970. It was still workable and was run up for our visit. This building was full of lovely kit and I foolishly stuck to photographing the engine. There were also turbines and a boiler along with internal combustion engine test cells. I seem to recall there was a Y100 steam turbine on display also.

This college closed in 1995 and engineer officer training is now undertaken at HMS Sultan, Gosport. As far as I know this lovely test engine was scrapped. It was an inverted vertical compound (enclosed) engine built in c1917 by Browett, Lindley & Co. Ltd., Patricroft as No. 2361. The cylinders were 9" and 13.5" bore by 8.5" stroke and it was rated at 88 indicated horsepower. It was direct coupled to a water brake dynamometer and has condensing plant (seen in the background). It was installed here second-hand in 1963 and used regularly until about 1970. It was still workable and was run up for our visit. Steam can be seen wisping from the lagging on top of the cylinders. This building was full of lovely kit and I foolishly stuck to photographing the engine. There were also turbines and a boiler along with internal combustion engine test cells. I seem to recall there was a Y100 steam turbine on display also.

This college closed in 1995 and engineer officer training is now undertaken at HMS Sultan, Gosport. As far as I know this lovely test engine was scrapped. It was an inverted vertical compound (enclosed) engine built in c1917 by Browett, Lindley & Co. Ltd., Patricroft as No. 2361. The cylinders were 9" and 13.5" bore by 8.5" stroke and it was rated at 88 indicated horsepower. It was direct coupled to a water brake dynamometer and has condensing plant. It was installed here second-hand in 1963 and used regularly until about 1970. It was still workable and was run up for our visit. This building was full of lovely kit and I foolishly stuck to photographing the engine. There were also turbines and a boiler along with internal combustion engine test cells. I seem to recall there was a Y100 steam turbine on display also.

This college closed in 1995 and engineer officer training is now undertaken at HMS Sultan, Gosport. As far as I know the lovely test engine was scrapped. It was an inverted vertical compound (enclosed) engine built in c1917 by Browett, Lindley & Co. Ltd., Patricroft as No. 2361. The cylinders were 9" and 13.5" bore by 8.5" stroke and it was rated at 88 indicated horsepower. It was direct coupled to a water brake dynamometer and has condensing plant. It was installed here second-hand in 1963 and used regularly until about 1970. It was still workable and was run up for our visit. This view shows the engine's surface condenser and the Weir simplex wet air pump. Being a Royal Navy establishment it is not surprising everything is painted grey (sailors know the RN as the 'Grey Funnel Line'). This building was full of lovely kit and I foolishly stuck to photographing the engine. There were also turbines and a boiler along with internal combustion engine test cells. I seem to recall there was a Y100 steam turbine on display also.

Once the approach to the Royal Naval Engineering College at Manadon it is now the approach to yet another sprawling housing estate. In accordance with modern thinking it comprises a mix of apartment blocks, mews, semi and detached houses crammed into as small a space as planning regulations allow.