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www.ilkestonlife.com ILKESTON LIFE February 2022 15
Special feature
Horsley Woodhouse’s 1 1 2 2

Contribution to the

Second World War

by Derick Perry

Evacuation of Rolls-Royce Staff from Derby
At the outbreak of World War 2, the office staff at the Rolls-
Royce, Nightingale Road offices in Derby, were evacuated 3 3
to Belper for their safety. 4 4
Fig.1 - Nightingale Road
The swimming baths at Belper were requisitioned for use as
the Detail Drawing Office, as the light from the glass roof
was ideal. This is where the plans for the Meteor engine
were drawn up.
Figs.2 and 3 - Belper Swimming Baths
Horsley Woodhouse Salvage Works near Belper. North’s
Bus Garage in Horsley Woodhouse is where it all started.
The building had been used as a Chevening factory before
becoming a bus garage. 5 5
Fig.4 - North’s Bus Garage
Crashed Merlin engines from all over the country were sent
to Horsley Woodhouse. In time, the village became a sea of
engines, using up every piece of available land. This salvage
activity was very secretive during the Second World War
and even today. Very few people know it happened in this
small Derbyshire village.
Some of the early engines to arrive at Horsley Woodhouse,
were from the worst crashes and often still had bits of
propeller or hub on them, like these at The Rolls-Royce
Heritage Trust Exhibition in Derby. 7 7 8 8
Figs.5,6,7,8 - They are all a bit bent!
A sectioned Merlin Aircraft Engine shows the many thou-
sands of parts that had to be salvaged.
Fig.9
Many items that were salvaged, were sent to the Belper tank
factory to be used in the Merlin tank engine (the Meteor), 6 6
which was used to power the Cromwell Tanks. Great care
was taken to ensure that the Packard Merlin engine parts
were kept separate from UK Merlin components.
Fig.10 - Cromwell Tank at Clan Foundry, Belper
To be continued.

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