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Barra, Greian Head, Ghrein, Chain Home Low Radar Station
Radar Station (20th Century)
Site Name Barra, Greian Head, Ghrein, Chain Home Low Radar Station
Classification Radar Station (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Cnoc An Fhithich; Aird Greian
Canmore ID 141157
Site Number NF60SE 46
NGR NF 65790 04637
NGR Description Centred NF 65790 04637
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/141157
- Council Western Isles
- Parish Barra
- Former Region Western Isles Islands Area
- Former District Western Isles
- Former County Inverness-shire
NF60SE 46 centred 65790 04637
For accommodation camp at Tangusdale 3km to the S, see NF60SE 51
This Chain Home Low Radar Station is situated on the high point of Aird Ghrein. The base of the radar hut is still extant and the base of the tower, powerhouse and air-raid shelter can also be seen. Many concrete hut bases are also extant along with a light anti-aircraft emplacement. No radio Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) building could be found.
J Guy 2002; NMRS MS 810/12, 81-4, 92
The radar station is visible on vertical air photographs taken in 1946 (CPE/Scot/UK189, 2404-2406, flown 10 October 1946) and shows that by this date the installations were already being dismantled as four huts have already been removed.
Visible on the photographs are the transmitter/receiver block (Tx/Rx) with the single mast immediately to the NW, the engine house and what may be a standby set-house at NF 65850 04663, six roofed huts, probably of the Nissen type and two other smaller structures. Two square light anti-aircraft emplacements can be seen at c.NF 6576 0462 and c.NF 6575 0469, with a further two smaller emplacements at c.NF 6585 0456 and c.NF 6595 0462.
The single steel and concrete gantry mast seen on the 1946 air photographs was a replacement for an earlier type. The radar station became operational in 1942 and was reduced to care and maintenance in 1945 (information from I Brown, Radar Archive).
Information from RCAHMS (DE), August 2005
