Buildings 28 And 343 (Motor Transport Buildings)

A pair of motor transport sheds dating from 1935-6, designed by A. Bulloch, who was architectural advisor to the Air Ministry’s Directorate of Works and Buildings, and documented as Drawing No. 2782/34. The buildings are constructed of bath stone ashlar facing brick, with profiled tile roofs. They are situated in parallel, facing an open yard approximately 23 metres wide and 30 metres long. To the northwest is a central hipped garage block with lower, gabled units aligned on each side; on the opposite side of the yard is a single gabled unit with garages. The windows are steel framed casement windows with horizontal bars. The central unit on the northwest range has four bays, with bull-nosed piers separating roller doors, above which are six-pane over-lights and a high parapet. The lower wing to the left has three casements and a door, and the wing to the right is a six-bay open-fronted shed. The rear of the central unit has five tall casements, and the wings have narrow single windows. The single unit opposite the long range is a six-bay garage with roller doors set within bull-nosed piers, but without over-lights. The interiors have not been inspected, but the ranges remain in use. These motor transport sheds represent a standardised layout for MT sheds on RAF bases; the stone facing was intended to ensure conformity with other major units on the base. The building forms part of a group of technical buildings at this nationally important site, demonstrating a successful combination of functional and aesthetic requirements during the expansion of the RAF after 1934. Hullavington, opened on June 6th 1937 as a Flying Training Station, exemplifies the improved architectural quality characteristic of RAF air bases developed after 1934. In 1938, the site was selected as one of several Aircraft Storage Units for vital reserves. Further details on the site can be found in descriptions for Buildings 59, 60 and 61 (The Officers' Mess).