MoD Kineton

Defence Munitions (DM) Kineton occupies the site officially known as MOD Kineton, and is a Ministry of Defence property located close to the village of Kineton, Warwickshire, England.

MoD Kineton
near Kineton, Warwickshire, England
A distant view of MoD Kineton
MoD Kineton
Coordinates52.1633°N 1.4439°W / 52.1633; -1.4439
TypeAmmunition depository
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence (United Kingdom)
Open to
the public		No
Site history
Built1941 (1941)
In use1941–present
Part of the extensive rail network that exists around MoD Kineton, here a level crossing at Radway

History

Developed from 1941 onwards on land neighbouring the village of Burton Dassett, the site is approximately 10 miles (16 km) from both Banbury and Leamington Spa. Developed as a Central Ammunition Depot, it also served during the Second World War as a transit camp, with Polish and Czechoslovakian troops stationed there.

Defence Munitions Kineton is now the largest ammunition depot in western Europe. The base stores more than 60% of the entire Ministry of Defence’s munitions.[1]

Defence Munitions Kineton extends to 2200 acres. It is linked to the Network Rail mainline system by a branch line consisting of part of the former mainline of the Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway, from Fenny Compton. The building of the M40 motorway cut the line for a time, but after a new bridge was built, the line was rebuilt in its entirety with deep ballast and fully welded joints.[2]

The depot also stores spare railway carriages and locomotives on behalf of the various UK Train Operating Companies.

Based units

The site also houses the Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Munitions and Search School, and there is an extensive military family married quarters patch at Temple Herdewyke, along with its associated information centre, Kineton HIVE.[3]

Future

Safety improvements to the main gate entrance at DM Kineton are planned by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO). Planning permission for the works was granted in January 2019.[4][5]

References
  1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDuShLg1l8Q
  2. "Industrial Diesels - 278 Kineton 1995". HondaWanderer.com. 11 February 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  3. "Abingdon HIVE". Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  4. "DIO Procurement Plan (2018-2019)". GOV.UK. Ministry of Defence and Defence Infrastructure Organisation. 8 November 2018. p. 16. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  5. Kearns, Laura (16 January 2019). "Plans for safety revamp at Kineton MoD base given green light". Leamington Observer. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
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