David Booth

21 Dec 2024

In a misguided attempt to try to get back into posting I have decided to use the hashtag #SirenSaturday to look at some of the remains of Air Raid warning Siren dotted about in the wild and in the captivity of museums.

With talk of new Regional Councils I wanted to look at how the old ones were retrofited into the existing civil defence control structure. The "Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973" saw the creation of 9 two-tier Regional Councils (with District councils underneath) and 3 one-tier Island Councils.

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Following a review of the Civil defence control structure the system was, from 1983, reduced to 2 zones: Northern & Southern. The controls were Anstruther (New build at Cultybraggan from ~1990) & Kirknewton respectively. The split was now: Northern: 5 Regions + 3 island Southern: 4 Regions

Scottish Central Control was abolished as a separate control at the same time, instead one zone hosted a reduced SCC and the other hosted a Deputy SCC function. With the thawing of the Cold War the Scottish Office put Civil Defence on Care and Maintenance. By 1993 had started selling the bunkers.

Scotland was Split into 3 "Zones": Eastern, Western and Northern. The controls were at Barnton Quarry, Torrance House and Anstruther respectively. The split was: Eastern: 2 Regions Western: 3 Regions Northern: 4 Regions + 3 island All zones reported to "Scottish Central Control" at Kirknewton.

I slept on it, still angry. If you knowingly support and promote a site that has no regard to safety or local licensing, lies to visitors, disregards locals, views volunteers as disposable and is owned by a sexual predator. Then you become part of the problem.

David Booth@caleydave.bsky.social

Starting the weekend well by raising my blood pressure and pacing around whilst watching a site, which decided they didn't need my continued help after 10 years of involvement, get historical facts completely wrong.

@hacksworthsidings.bsky.social

That last point is difficult so I wanted to clarify. I sat for a while trying to find the right words and I still don't think I have. It went to court, the system failed the victim as in so many of these cases. He was Found guilty and walked free due to multiple cases being tied together.

David Booth reposted

Hacksworth Sidings (Jay)

Stealing this from Facebook The narrowest gauge industrial railway in the world was fucking OO gauge A Hornby Dublo 4MT transported radioactive material for the Atomic Energy Authority because the chamber was too toxic for humans to enter

Andy Arthur💃🏰⚓🦌 Threadinburgh 🧵

David Booth reposted

@threadinburgh.scot

50 pence says it's a version of this but by Copilot.

Sky News@news.sky.com

Government launches new push to prepare UK for emergencies and hostile acts

news.sky.comGovernment launches new push to prepare UK for emergencies and hostile actsThe government will on Thursday launch a new push to prepare the UK to be more resilient for any kind of emergency, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has revealed.

@conelrad6401240.bsky.social

Only took a massive PHP vulnerability for me to finally update my private mediawiki site. (Yes I use a wiki to "organise" my Cold War research, ramblings and half finished drafts). Research as an escape from the IT day job falls down when you need to rebuild a database and debug an extension.

David Booth reposted

Bill Geerhart

1/2. 8 - Food storage normal conditions; morgue, fallout conditions. Abo Elementary School (and fallout shelter), Artesia, NM. Dedicated June 12, 1962.

It's not even Halloween and yet I have managed to snap my first Christmas #EdinburghPoliceBox photo of 2026.

David Booth reposted

Ewan Gibbs

@ewangibbs.bsky.social

Edinburgh book launch! I'm coming home to launch An Injury to All: The Unmaking of the British Working Class on Leith Walk on publication day, Tuesday 27 October. All welcome. Sign up here 🔽 argonautbooks.co.uk/event/2j2uXL...

Following on from the previous #SirenSaturday we have another building with no obvious remains of a Siren. "Portobello Indoor Baths, Melville Street, Portobello" This was given Carrier planning number 254/107 in the early 1960's.

Due to a shortage of System E remote control equipment this Mains Siren was operated locally. Pending the conversion of Sirens to the Carrier Control System the planning docs suggest that it was to be fitted with a Carrier Receiver as a stop gap so someone could set it off on receiving the alert.

David Booth reposted

Simon Spanton

@simonguy.bsky.social

Pedro

Skipping over the shortening of name to "Barnton" Bunker (geographicaly and historicaly wrong) This Picture isn't off Barnton Quarry, it is actually of Kelvedon Hatch, another Sector Operation Centre built to the same R4 Building design. It was a set of official and secret photographs produced.

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The sad part, as I realise you can't see what I can, is I am now blocked.

"I was there, Gandalf" "I was there 3000 years ago" Photo credits for the one circling the internet should to to "Grant More", with the original credit being with the Air Ministry. As an observation, Barnton Bunker appears to prefer to skip attributing credit or observing copyright.

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If you squint closely at the map on the wall of the Sector Controllers Cabin (left side) you will make out the outline of the south east coast and the Thames estuary. There were 4 R4 buildings built: Caledonian - Barnton Quarry Northern - Shipton Eastern - Bawburgh Metropolitan - Kelvedon Hatch

Well that is sad 😢 Picture This Scotland is not to blame the account is only reposting a picture from a source which should be authoritative but has got it wrong, it is not Picture This Scotland's Mistake. If the reaction to a correction is to block then why bother in the first place ?

Niche #GIS question, is anyone aware of public or open dataset for the 1975-1996 #Scottish Regional and/or District Council boundaries? (.shp file or similar) Introduced by Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 & Repealed by Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994. 9 Regional + 3 Island

#SirenSaturday I had resisted posting buildings where I found no obvious remains of a Siren. Breaking that rule today with a factory hooter. "T. & H. Smith Ltd, Blandfield Chemical Works, Wheatfield Road, Edinburgh" This was given Carrier planning number 254/47 in the early 1960's.

It was not uncommon for certain big industrial customers to have Sirens connected to air raid warning system which, in some cases, would be used by said company. During the Transition to War a Law was to be passed restricting the use of hooters, Sirens and the like to avoid confusion with warnings.

For an example of an industrial user in Edinburgh with evidence of a Siren remaining we have the old Alexandra Dock pumphouse in Leith.

David Booth@caleydave.bsky.social

Taken on a much sunnier day than today we have a Siren in the Edinburgh Area which wasn't mounted on a Police Box. Carrier Planning No 254/70, Alexandra Dry Dock Pump Station, Leith Docks. #SirenSaturday

@atomicanalyst.bsky.social

I rather hope its a temporary glitch on The British Newspaper Archive that I find all folders in my Imported Bookmarks empty!

David Booth reposted

Stephen Schwartz

Today in 1979, a United States Vela nuclear-test-monitoring satellite detected the distinctive double-flash signature of a nuclear explosion over the South Atlantic Ocean. Although a White House scientific panel later dismissed the possibility, many speculated it was a clandestine Israeli test.

theedinburghreporter.co.ukBunker dance night organiser in bizarre emu attack disputeThe organisers of a dance music event in a disused military bunker appear to have been caught up in a bizarre emu attack dispute with the council. Subterranean Sound were forced to postpone a sold-out dance event in the Second World War-era Barnton Bunker, in west Edinburgh after issues arose with the event’s licensing. The organisers claimed that police had outlined a number of concerns with their applications for events and alcohol licences, including concerns about an attack by an emu – two of which are kept on site – at a previous event.

15 Sept

Could be used as a case study on how to bury a story about operating without a Public Entertainment Licence or Alcohol Licence. If the other safety concern had been run the headline would be "In Bizarre fire exit dispute"!

The Edinburgh Reporter@edinreporter.bsky.social

Bunker dance night organiser in bizarre emu attack dispute The organisers of a dance music event in a disused military bunker appear to have been caught up in a bizarre emu attack dispute with the council....

David Booth reposted

Andy Arthur💃🏰⚓🦌 Threadinburgh 🧵

@threadinburgh.scot

13 Sept

📣 Important PSA! 📽️ I'll be screening and talking about the wonderful 1951 short film "The Singing Street" on next 2 weekends. 📅 19th & 20th, 10AM, Abbeyhill School with Colony of Artists 📆 26th, 12 Noon, Norton Park Centre with Doors Open Day 🎫 Free, unticketed, arrive early to avoid disappointment

12 Sept

Controversial statement; Vandalise your books! My Late Grandad was a Relief Clerk for British Railways around Edinburgh in the 1950's. I had taken on some of his books and in an appendix of this one he had marked every passenger station he worked with a tick and each Goods station with a G.

bylinetimes.comKey UK Nuclear Deterrent Link Destroyed Over YorkshireThe Ministry of Defence has refused to clarify whether the catastrophic mid-air failure of the Trident relay system was a weather accident or sabotage

12 Sept

The next owner of this book may not know what the marks mean but to me this makes the book irreplaceable.

David Booth reposted

Duncan Campbell

@duncanc.bsky.social

8 Sept

Serious news - not reported until now. In the week the UK and NATO accused Russia of armed drone attacks in Leipzig, Britain's nuclear deterrent backup link was destroyed over the Yorkshire. Our story is here. bylinetimes.com/2026/09/08/k...

David Booth reposted

Ian McClellan

@ianmac.bsky.social

7 Sept

Acted as MARWO on a few exercises whilst also passing raid reports to the Radar Managers at Control & Reporting Posts. Thankfully never had to do it for real, I’d love to know how we’d do it now. I’m not exactly filled with confidence that emergency alarms would sound in time before raids hit.

David Booth@caleydave.bsky.social

Warning Officers at select Radar Stations would have a view of the local air picture and would pass it to the warning team at the ROC group to Sound an Alarm. RAF Wartling > 1 Maidstone ROC > BBC Wrotham. RAF Boulmer > 23 Durham ROC > BBC Stagshaw. RAF Buchan > 29 Aberdeen ROC > BBC Meldrum.

eventbrite.co.ukDundee Cold War BunkerGuided tours through Dundees own cold war nuclear bunker and learn the history and about the people who worked there

5 Sept

I believe there are a few tickets left! Relevant to #SirenSaturday , The Bunker housed the Sector Controller for Scotland, who should national communications fail, be responsible for issuing warnings and 28 Groups who's warning team would be in direct contact with the Police for issuing warnings.

David Booth@caleydave.bsky.social

The team, @28group.bsky.social, behind the #ColdWar Bunker at Craigiebarns in #Dundee are running tours on 9-11th October 2026 Great chance to see the combined #ROC 28 Group and #UKWMO Sector Headquarters which would have been used to track Fallout and Nuclear Bomb detonations over Scotland.

5 Sept

They have a working Setup showing how Warning messages were distributed from: The National Injection point to the Carrier Control Points, The CCPs to the warning/carrier receivers & The CCPs to Siren via the remote control panel. #SirenSaturday

David Booth@caleydave.bsky.social

Just a sneaky peak at what you are missing out on by not visiting @28group.bsky.social when they run tours. #SirenSaturday

5 Sept

Such is the attention to detail, and not always demonstrated on tours, Messages from the CCP to the Carrier Receiver also activates the one in the operations room. And, staying in the operations room, the telephone on the Warning Teams desk can speak to the demonstration CCP.

David Booth reposted

eventbrite.co.ukDundee Cold War BunkerGuided tours through Dundees own cold war nuclear bunker and learn the history and about the people who worked there

2 Sept

eventbrite.co.ukDundee Cold War BunkerGuided tours through Dundees own cold war nuclear bunker and learn the history and about the people who worked there

2 Sept

David Booth reposted

Undiscovered Scotland

@undisscot.bsky.social

2 Sept

Spitfire "Red Lichtie" on display at the superb Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre on the north side of Montrose in Angus, celebrating the unexpected home of Britain's first operational military airfield. More pics and info: www.undiscoveredscot... #Scotland #Spitfire #Montrose #Angus

David Booth reposted

Edinburgh O'Clock

@edinburghclock.bsky.social

31 Aug

Edinburgh O'Clock - 3 minutes to every hour. - we run fast so you don't miss your train. A new hourly image to brighten your day taken in #Scotland very often #Edinburgh and shared with love by Tom Duffin @tomduffinphotos.bsky.social. Please repost with your own caption.

31 Aug

Is "The Red Bridge", carrying the path along the old railway over Ferry Road, unofficially now the Birthday Bridge?

David Booth reposted

Brutalismbot

@brutalismbot.com

They keep trying to tear it down r/brutalism

Another Repainted #EdinburghPoliceBox this time at St Patrick Square. This might not be a recent repaint, it's been almost exactly a year since I lasted visited, I am pleased it retains the painted castle 🏰. Now branded "Sonas Expression Bar".

@mikeyashworth.bsky.social

Here are the pictures for August 2025. It was known as "ARABICA DABRA" back then and was painted primarily black.

David Booth reposted

Mike

1870 Airey/RCH junction diagram for "Edinboro (Edinburgh) Granton Leith & Haymarket showing the city's railways prior to many changes such as the South Suburban line. But @threadinburgh.scot @joebrownlondon.bsky.social I can't recollect ever seeing evidence of a station at Cairntows?