National Gas Turbine Establishment

The National Gas Turbine Establishment (NGTE Pyestock) in Farnborough, part of the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE), was the prime site in the UK for design and development of gas turbine and jet engines. For over 50 years, Pyestock was at the forefront of gas turbine development. The NGTE came into existence during the mid-1940s, its principal predecessors were Power Jets, a formerly private company headed by Frank Whittle, the inventor of the jet engine, and the RAE turbine development team; the design teams of both entities were incorporated, initially being led by Whittle and Hayne Constant. Upon its creation, it was nationalised and ran as a state-owned entity. A major function of the NGTE was to function as a testing and development centre, both for experimental developments and to support commercial engine companies. It was decided to base the turbine development site at Pyestock, a former golf course in a secluded wooded spot between Farnborough and Fleet; the location was selected as the NGTE's activities would be top secret, thus there was a need to be at a distance from the general public, the surrounding woodland would also dampen the noise. The first elements of the site began construction began in 1949, initially consisting of small test "cubicles" inside buildings like the Plant House. When the possibility of supersonic jets arose, the site was expanded to the north west; the Air House and several large test cells were built circa 1961. Pyestock was probably the largest site of its kind in the world. Over the next 50 years, the NGTE played a major role in the design and testing of the majority of the British military's jet engines in addition to naval gas turbine engines. Following the end of the Cold War, the NGTE's activity dipped considerably. During 1995, the organisation as incorporated into the wider Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA). Five years later, NGTE Pyestock was permanently closed and the site itself was decommissioned; it has since been redeveloped into housing, known as Hartland Village.