Jodrell Bank Observatory: 71MHz Searchlight Aerial

Searchlight aerial. Second World War trailer-mounted searchlight base converted in 1946 to searchlight aerial by John Atherton Clegg.

MATERIALS: steel, steel scaffolding poles, concrete.

DESCIPTION: the steel trailer-mounted, wartime searchlight base is aligned approximately east-west. The wheels have been removed and the trailer chassis has been fixed down by scaffolding poles set into a concrete plinth approximately 3m x 3m (9ft 9in x 9ft 9in). On the chassis is a circular, revolving mount (unlikely to revolve now due to poor condition). Flanking the plinth there are two long, narrow, concrete channels approximately 600mm (2ft) wide and a similar depth, now overgrown and filled with water and trees. They both extend for approximately 17m (21ft 3 in) with one running in an easterly direction and one in a westerly direction. On the south side there is an arc of partially obscured hard-standing which may indicate a range of rotation of the aerials.

The two large I girders and associated bolted L-shaped girders resting on timbers across the top of the mount do not form part of the original structure.

Mapping: the location of the searchlight aerial is approximate as it is not mapped on modern digital mapping (Master Map) and the outline is unclear due to vegetation.