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Peter Hibbs Profile picture
@sussexPillbox
Oct 18, 2021 • 7 tweets • 7 min read • Read on X
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In 1940 Bishopstone Station had a pillbox built on its roof, cleverly camouflaged into the Art Deco architecture. In December 2020 I was granted access; read my blog for more detail! pillbox.org.uk/blog/251798/ #swwSussex @MrTimDunn 1/6 ImageImageImageImage
Opened in 1938, the station building stands above a railway cutting. It's not immediately obvious that the pillbox actually has four embrasures. I build a 3D model a few years ago to help interpret the layout and siting. 2/6 ImageImageImageImage
The pillbox is only accessible via the roof, so scaffolding is required. Amazing to finally get close after longfully gazing up from ground level for years! 3/6 ImageImageImageImage
Entry from the roof is through a small door at the eastern end. I was surprised to find that the 'two' pillboxes are actually a single structure connected by a tunnel! 4/6 ImageImageImageImage
Archive documents show that the pillbox was designed for the Vickers gun; one was mounted here in 1940. I had a feeling there were no gun platforms in the pillbox, so I had brought some buckets and a plank to improvise one! 5/6 ImageImageImageImage
How was I able to get access? We were filming for 'Architecture the Railways Built' with @MrTimDunn - thanks to all for a fantastic day! Imagine visiting a bucket-list pillbox and having to keep quiet for 11 months until the programme was broadcast... 6/6 ImageImageImageImage
For anyone intrigued by the mention of Pevensey Castle's camouflaged pillboxes in tonight's episode, here's a thread about them:

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More from @sussexPillbox

Peter Hibbs Profile picture
Oct 23, 2021
When I tweeted yesterday, I never dreamed that today would turn out to be such an epic voyage of discovery! My brain is still frazzled, so I'll add to this thread over the coming days as I untangle today's findings. #swwSussex 1/ ImageImageImageImage
This pillbox is one of many still extant as part of the defence of Rye and Winchelsea. It stands on private land; we had permission to visit. The tables are designed for the Vickers machine gun and are similar to those at Rye Harbour: 2/ ImageImageImageImage
Armed with documents, we searched for supporting defence works; we found an earthwork cut into the river bank off to one flank. Most of the pillbox's embrasures were blocked up; this earthwork would've been in the line of fire otherwise. 3/ ImageImage
Read 17 tweets
Peter Hibbs Profile picture
Nov 17, 2019
THREAD: clearing a heavily-overgrown pillbox somewhere in #swwSussex. An amazing day organised by @suspol_heritage with @UnseenSussex. A professional tree surgeon undertook the tree removal and minor landscaping. 1/7
One tree stump was removed to prevent further growth that would affect the pillbox. The Bobcat also scraped back the ground surface to help open up the embrasures again. 2/7
We had cleaned the interior some weeks ago, but there was still plenty of mud, especially in the socket to hold the Bren tripod leg. Clearing these out allowed the Bren gun to be set up. 3/7
Read 8 tweets
Peter Hibbs Profile picture
Aug 17, 2019
THREAD: Big thanks to our team of volunteers who did an amazing job cleaning the exterior of a pillbox today! It stands on private property and had not previously been recorded. #swwSussex 1/7
Prior archive research gave us some good leads. A 1940 document told us this was pillbox GL6 on the WX-WZ Stop Line, with 6 Home Guards & 6 rifles. We also had a blank copy of orders, a copy of which would've been in this pillbox in 1940. "THIS POST WILL BE HELD TO THE LAST" 2/7
What the ancient texts did not tell us, however, was that the sacred pillbox had a guardian in feline form. Fortunately, Tiddles only cursed us by growling aggressively for half an hour as we discovered a secret stash of dead pigeons inside. 3/7
Read 8 tweets
Peter Hibbs Profile picture
Nov 10, 2018
THREAD: 1. Fantastic day @ryeharbour_NR cleaning out one of the pillboxes. Despite heavy rain, our amazing team of volunteers from Sussex Military History Society and the nature reserve shovelled several tons of shingle and sand 6 inches deep from the interior. #ww2Sussex
2. Each bucket of spoil was carefully sifted for finds. We found a large spanner (probably not military) and what may prove to be a handle from an ammo box.
3. A sunny afternoon brought out the Vickers gun and many interested passers-by, including children who got photos for their history projects! It was good to be able to explain the fire tasks and long range capability of the gun, even if setting it up is not very dignified...
Read 5 tweets
Peter Hibbs Profile picture
Oct 5, 2018
1. THREAD: an amazing day @ryeharbour_NR doing archaeological reconstruction with a Vickers gun in one of the pillboxes! #ww2Sussexe
2. The 6 concrete tables were designed for the Vickers gun. Shallow sockets in the concrete were probably to prevent the tripod sliding due to recoil. However, we found only 3 sets of sockets fitted the legs correctly - essential for making the tripod level!
3. Having established the tripod leg settings, the gun was set up in each embrasure and the arcs of fire measured.
Read 6 tweets
Peter Hibbs Profile picture
Sep 17, 2018
THREAD: Spent 3 days @shorehamfort excavating a keyhole-shaped structure outlined in brick. We thought this might have been an emplacement for a WW2 anti-aircraft light machine gun (AA LMG). Stage 1 was to brush off and expose the remains breaking the surface. #ww2Sussex 1/8
Compacted shingle was trowelled off to reveal cinders beneath. Below this was a concrete floor, yet the rear of the structure suggested a sunken entrance. We also had what seemed to be a holdfast with a ring of 1-inch bolts - far too substantial for our AA LMG theory. 2/8
Late on day 2, we decided to put a sondage through the floor to see if the structure went below ground, as nothing was making sense. Breaking through the concrete we realised what we initially thought was the floor was actually a postwar capping to reinstate the track! 3/8
Read 9 tweets

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