Wartime Anti-Tank Blocks
By John Powell
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Also called Cubes
Today, little remains of the Second War anti-invasion preparations, but for many years Anti-Tank Blocks (or cubes) and other obstacles stretched over the beach and along the shoreline of the Mumbles area, from Blackpill to Norton, with a few more at Southend.
Several kinds of Anti-tank obstacles were used in this area, including blocks, mines and roadblocks.
This photo from the Ronald Studden collection, shows The Mumbles Train arriving at West Cross Station and reveals the anti-tank blacks, 1951
The Mumbles Train at West Cross Station, with teenagers standing on an ant-tank block. (looking towards Norton).
In the foreground are some of the blocks at West Cross Station. (Looking towards Blackpill ).
The Mumbles Train at Blackpill Station along with the Anti-tank Blocks in position.
The Anti-tank Blocks stayed in place until 1950. Those situated at Blackpill are being removed and replaced along the shoreline, to aid the sea defences.
This timber exterior, camouflaged as an ice cream kiosk, was a concrete pill box, situated opposite Mayals Road (It can be seen in the next aerial view).
The bunker next to the Railway Bridge at Blackpill
The anti-tank blocks extended intermittently along the shore, from Blackpill to Norton.
A general aerial view of the anti-tank blocks, with Blackpill Station, to the left of centre and Blackpill garage, then behind the long terrace of houses, which were later demolished. The pill-box shown in the earlier photo, can be seen in the photo, opposite Mayals Road, on the right.
The Mumbles Train at Southend Station and the anti-tank blocks.
The anti-tank blocks remained at Southend Station during the 1950s
The anti-tank blocks at Southend Station, the only stretch of track that was fenced. Photo: from Carl Smith's collection
In the late 1940s and 50s, we West Cross children went by train to school in Swansea or to the Church or Council Schools in Mumbles. At other times, we often took delight in walking along the unfenced track or jumping along the anti-tank blocks alongside
The Cutting opposite The Grange at West Cross and the sea defences
Showing many of the blocks between Blackpill and Lilliput.
Series One -D
Norton Station and the Air-Raid Shelters at Castle Acre, 8 July 1946
Between Blackpill and West Cross there is a NO WAY sign on the sea wall
The sea wall that we see today was made in the 1890s when the track of the Mumbles Railway was transferred from the roadside to the shore. The NO WAY sign was probably inserted when WW2 came and anti-tank blocks were placed along the seawall.
Along the top of the seawall, there are gaps in the stones, at regular distances, where the anti-tank blocks were placed.
During the war, the beach was out of bounds as it was full of barbed wire and maybe some explosives (Grafton Maggs > reports that a dog was blown up in the minefield at Blackpill). This was probably when the NO WAY sign was added to the top of the wall, where the steps went down to the beach.
Recently, the steps onto the beach were covered with concrete as a part of the seawall repairs. The upper part of the steps had broken away and collapsed onto the sand a few years earlier.
More: The Second World War >
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