[DoverDan]

The base of the recently demolished tower.

[kyn]

29th April 1941, the Radar Station being shelled.

[kyn]

Thanks for the update Islesy!

[Islesy]

With various lines attached to the northern most Tower, and workman on site the local rumour mill has been in overdrive recently.

Took a walk over today and had a good chat to the foreman - turns out they're a maintenance crew. First task involves pressure washing down the structure and then they'll repaint it with a water based eco-friendly paint. All of this whilst dangling from a bosun's chair (hence the ropes attached to the tower).

[ellenkate]

Masts at Swingate:

There is now a (dated) wartime photo of the masts on website:
http://doversociety.homestead.com/WWII.html

Ellenkate

[crgshpd]

Hi everybody, keep hearing a rumour that points to the fact they took down the wrong tower...does that mean were about to see another tower come down..hope they get listed asap

[unfairytale]

I also think it was WW2 vintage. Here's an old Air Ministry photo.

[Paul]

In Delboy's Pic (4th down http://www.kenthistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=5964.0)

It clearly shows that it is the same construction as the other WW2 one,and the Cold War one is of a comletely different construction.

[kyn]

Does anyone else think that the tower removed was WWII origin and not Cold War origin?

[Paul]

• It was a Cold War communications tower

I thought it was pre WW2 in origin?

And of course the MOD are correct Lattice Masts are only found on ships,On land they are Towers

[kyn]

A reply from an MoD Estate Surveyor:

• There were three towers (not masts), but only one was removed. It was not listed.
• It was a substantial 95m steel lattice tower and its condition was deteriorating.
  The MoD was concerned that it could be a health and safety hazard, hence the need for it to be demolished to ground level.
• It was a Cold War communications tower and had not been used by the MOD for some years. More recently it has been used for commercial purposes. The telecommunications equipment was removed prior to demolition.

I am not aware that it is the intention of the MoD for either or both of the remaining towers to be removed in the foreseeable future.

[ellenkate]

I have just received an e-mail from Derek Leach of The Dover Society that the Society has approached Clive Alexander, Heritage Manager at Dover Dist Council Offices, Whitfield, about saving the other two masts at Swingate,  and Derek has heard from Clive as follows:

Derek
With regard to the Swingate masts, I have applied to EH to have the two remaining masts listed! Shame about the one they removed.
Best wishes
Clive

                            Ellenkate

[HERB COLLECTOR]

"We were concerned it could be a health and safety hazard, hence the need for it to be demolished to ground level, a small single-storey building, steel cables and an equipment shelter are also being removed."
MOD spokesman, Kent on sunday,April 4 2010.
http://yourdover.co.uk/kent-news/towering-presence-comes-tumbling-down-newsinkent34414.aspx?r

[Lee]

Hi Unfairytale

I would think the issue would be if someone fell off pylon - that would be a lot more expensive than a padlock for MOD
The middle pylon has belong to BBC for as long as I remember since early 70's at least so not just handed over and I presume they have continued to maintain it as they still use it, where as other pylons aren't use so I presume no maintenance to save costs has resulted in further detoriation.

It won't be cheap to keep these structures maintained, as well as additional security to keep people off them, so the climbing of them will have hasten there demise, by highlighting costs and liability for any accidents as you still have a duty of care to trespassers.

bsrgds
Lee

[unfairytale]

Surely it's cheaper to put a lock on the gate than to take down a pylon. I don't think the Pirate flag has anything to do with it. There's pictures all over the net of people on the tower and of its metal ladders and walkways. I don't expect the MOD would have handed it over to BT if it were a danger. The MOD do this all the time: get us to pay for the upgrade and then sell it. That's exactly what they did with the married quarters at Burgoyne Heights.
 It probably all comes down to money. Why pay to maintain a tower that is not needed when you can take it down and sell it for scrap.