Blencathra (Saddleback) provides a perfect and stunning backdrop for this picture of the Royal Observer Corps posts at Threlkeld. Originally designated 'Keswick', the post was relocated here in August 1951, and re-titled 'Threlkeld'. The underground UKWMO post in the foreground was operational from May 1961 until September 1991.
In 1951, the Royal Observer Corps worked to 'ROTORPLAN', a scheme to counter the threat posed by the huge increase in Soviet air-power. In April of that year, Approval was given for 411 ROC posts to be resited from their WWII locations - including this, the Threlkeld (formerly Keswick) post. Whilst many posts had to put up with an 'Orlit' shelter (a prefabricated affair, either on the ground or on stilts), this post was - for some reason - built somewhat more sturdily from local slate, with quoins and other attention to detail.
| THE UKWMO POST | THE PLOTTING ROOM | THE 1950s POST | |||
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