More information : The factory is centred at SP 404 815, consisting of a complex of
buildings and small airstrip and test area to the west. Since the
second world war the site has been controlled by a number of
companies; immediately post-war it was owned by Armstrong Siddeley
Motors which became part of Bristol Siddeley Engines in 1958 and
which was subsequently taken over by Rolls Royce to form part of
their Turbine Division.
Rocket motor development began in 1946 with the `Snarler' project.
This used a liquid oxygen and methanol/water solution. In 1951 work
began on the `Screamer' rocket motor using hydrogen peroxide and
kerosine as fuel. This project was cancelled in 1955.
However in 1955 work began on the Black Knight programme, a re-entry
test vehicle. Saunders Roe were the main contractors, with the
propulsion system sub-contracted to Armstrong Siddeley. This led to
the successful development of the Gamma Mk.201 and Mk.301 engines for
Black Knight. This was further enlarged to produce the Gamma Mk.4,
and although this project was not proceeded with, it formed the basis
for the Gamma Mk.8, used in the Black Arrow satellite launcher.
Other projects undertaken included the development of the `Stentor'
engine for the Avro Blue Steel stand-off bomb and the PR 37 used in
the Jindivik target drone produced by the Australian government.
Over this extensive programme, a high level of expertise was
developed through the continuity of engine development, in particular
the use of High Test Peroxide (HTP) and kerosine as fuels (1a).
To support this programme of rocket engine development, test
facilities were constructed at the factory from the late 1940s
onwards. An enquiry made to the factory revealed that the last of
the test facilities had been demolished in the late 1980s, although
other structures not so distinctively adapted to rocket motor
development do survive and are in current use (1b).
This monument was recorded from documentary sources during the
project to record threatened Royal Ordnance factories and rocket test
facilities. (1)
Armstrong Siddeley began their development work on liquid fuelled rocket motors straight after the Second World War at the Parkfield Factory in Coventry and at Ansty. Later all work moved to Ansty.
The first facility to test the rocket motors was a sandbagged enclosure and in 1947 a test house was built (see source 3). The exact location for this test house is not known but it may have been close to the later secure area for the rocket motor development work. No later than 1955 a more substantial test cell was built (Building 60) on the west side (see source 2) at SP4083 8113).
Around 1956 new facilities to test vertical rocket motors were built (Building 62) and the secure area was enlarged northwards. Further test facilities (Building 64) were later built as part of the Black Arrow Programme. There was an outstation of Ansty at Westcott in Buckinghamshire (SP710 170) which had a rocket motor test cell (see source 4). The Ansty site closed around 1971.
Apart from the second test cell (Building 60) the whole site has been demolished. The test site survives as a large mound within a perimeter concrete walling and there is also an outer concrete wall, enclosing the corridor. A few hardstandings, a pit also and the security fencing also survive. (2-5)
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