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Tilbury Radio tower
The "Tilbury radio tower" most likely refers to the World War II RDF Radar Tower at East Tilbury, Essex, a rare surviving example of a radar installation disguised as a water tower to detect enemy vessels in the Thames Estuary. Built around 1940, this tower served a "minewatch" role until late 1943 before falling into disrepair. The structure was restored by the [Harwich Society], which operates it as a historical site open to the public for tours.
Purpose and Function
- [Radar] Detection: The primary purpose was to use [Radio Direction Finding (RDF] to detect enemy vessels and submarines entering the River Thames.
- Disguise: It was disguised as a water tower to prevent it from being a target for enemy attacks.
- Minewatch: The tower monitored a minefield in the estuary, and some experiments were conducted in 1941 to use its radio direction finder to help direct guns at Beacon Hill Battery.
History and Restoration
- Construction: Built around 1940.
- Operational Period: In use from April 1941 until December 1943.
- Decommissioning and Disrepair: The tower was decommissioned by late 1943 and fell into disrepair, suffering from subsidence.
- Restoration: The Harwich Society restored the tower by reassembling the discovered metal components, which form the array on the top floor, and stabilizing the structure.
- Public Access: The tower was opened to the public for the first time in 2012 and is now a historical landmark.
Location and Legacy
- Location: Situated in East Tilbury, Essex.
- Rarity: It is one of only two such surviving examples in England.
- Related Structures: Parts of its original aerial equipment are stored at the nearby [Coal House Fort]
