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Defence Structures
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Jonny Duffet has built a FW3 / type 23 pillbox from plasticard, and after taking a
mould of it, has cast a few extras in resin for friends. Here's one after painting,
weathering and planting at Shenston Road. A separate cast of steps will slot in from the underside.
Protruding steel rungs were originally fitted for external access, but would have been
removed when the pillbox became redundant.
Another pillbox has been planted in a strategic position above Shenston Road tunnel. For
more information on this type of structure, have a look at the Pillbox Study Group website.
At Morfa Bank Sidings a Type 22 pillbox which had been extended with a raised Light
Anti-Aircraft (LAA) mounting on the roof.
The idea is that after the war the top part was demolished but they gave up when they
reached the rather thicker lower walls! The structure is to scale and made from 80-thou plastic.
Here’s the underside of the structure, which is designed to fit into a pre-built slot in
the scenery so entry to the top level was by the steps shown and another flight provided access to the actual
pillbox beneath. The Y-shaped wall was fitted internally to avoid shoot-throughs via the embrasures.
The almost finished structure has been slotted into place with the steps leading up from the
access path and another path dropping to more steps to reach the box. The box sits on the edge of a seawall
and covers the approach to the dock maintenance canal and the rail bridge in the background. The LAA mount
on the roof was to prevent low-flying aircraft attacking the lock, which if breached could empty the dock.
The box has been completed with the parallel marks where the original shuttering was
removed visible and the crudely removed top walls showing off their steel reinforcing bars. The LAA weapon
would have been affixed to the smashed concrete post in the centre of the roof.
The completed box with suitable graffiti, lichen growth
(rather prominent on the photo but less so in the flesh!) and bent, rusty reinforcement.
