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Queens Road post-1969 showing recently built L-Block (far right) as it became known

Upper Lodge c1970 with demolition of wooden ex-hospital / school buildings in progress

AUTOLYCUS – Diesel Exhaust Detector Equipment designed by ARL for the RAF Coastal Command aircraft.

Concept proven fitted to Shackeltons and carried forward as part of the original ASW equipment on the Nimrod. ARL played an advisory role in the development of the equipment from 1945 onwards, providing consultancy on the design, installation and its operational use.

This specially produced slide-rule is thought to have been used in connection with the Admiralty Research Laboratory's Infra-Red work, for 'Black Body' radiation.

As yet no clue as to where and how it was used. {Ideas on a postcard, please!}

ARL Crest - painted cast metal, approx: 10" high x 5" wide x 0.5" thick

Found on eBay. Seller was a shop in Portsmouth Dockyard. Modelled on the (original) official crest of the Admiralty Research Laboratory. There was a tradition at the Admiralty Engineering Laboratory, at West Drayton, of presenting (senior?) staff with such a cast-metal, AEL crest, upon their retirement. Although not a commonly known tradition at ARL, clearly this practise was adopted for some retirements, the question is whose!

1967 Visitors to ARL

February
As part of the (recent) reorganisation at ministerial level in the Ministry of Defence, some departmental posts disappeared and some new inter-service posts were created. One of these was that of the Minister of State for Defence (Equipment) whose responsibilities included a number of research and development establishments, and among these were several serving the special needs of the Royal Navy. On Monday 13th February, the new Minister, Mr Roy Mason, visited the Admiralty Research Laboratory in order to acquaint himself at first hand with the latest developments.

He was shown, among other items, progress in the use of sound in detecting submarines, basic investigations of flow noise, new ideas for ship propulsion and control, a TV presentation of movements of shoals of fish achieved by scanning with a high frequency sound beam, a portable meter for measuring radioactive hazards and a method of cleaning contaminated air drawn in quantities into ship's engine rooms.

In the above photo, the Superintendent ARL, Mr W.L. Burrows BSc DIC, is showing the Minister some of the features of the Rotating Beam Channel (at Upper Lodge) used to investigate the characteristics of new underwater weapons by towing them in a 100ft dia circular path. Mr F.S. Burt, Head of the Hydrodynamics Group (G-Group) is standing behind the Superintendent. Mr A.W. Ross the Director of Naval Physical Research (DNPR) is on the left of Mr Burt.

October
On the afternoon of Tuesday 10th October, ARL was visited by The Right Honourable Denis W. Healey MBE MP, Secretary of State for Defence. Mr Healey was accompanied by the Chief Scientist (Royal Navy) Mr B.W. Lythall CB MA. Mr Lythall, who had worked at ARL in the 1950s, was the scientific member of the Admiralty Board, formerly known as the Board of the Admiralty.

The visitors were received by the Superintendent, who escorted them to see some of the work of the Establishment. In the space of the limited time available they visited the Submarine Detection Group (L-Group), both at Queens Road and Upper Lodge, and the Hydrodynamics Group (G-Group) where the Rotating Beam Channel always proved of interest to visitors.

In the above photo taken in the RBC building are (from left) Mr W.L. Borrows Superintendent ARL, Mr F.S. Burt Head of the Hydrodynamics Group (G-Group), Mr Healey, Mr Lythall CS(RN), Mr Alec Mitchell (G-Group) and Mr Hastie-Smith Asst Private Secretary. Alec Mitchell was a principal figure in ARL's Pumpjet Propulsion research, and had the distinction of becoming the last Director of Admiralty Research Laboratory, upon the retirement of Dr E.(Ted) Lee in 1974; Ted Lee had also served at ARL earlier in his career.

ARL Radiated Noise - Ranging & Reduction Group (D) 1967