Essex Flood Siren Test

Cold War Era Air Raid Siren used for flood warnings, this is the yearly test.
Sorry about the terrible all over the place footage, having to cover my ears, and record at the same time is difficult!

[@BuzzLightyear66]

So many comments on this video are from the 2000's. The way people spoke in those days compared to now... wonderful

[@DanWisbey]

No, mostly all UK Sirens were removed in the 90's. Some where kept on to be used as Flood Warnings, such as the one on the News and the video above. Some Sirens were forgotten, and are just rusting away on top of a Pole or Building!

[@robertgift]

Nice. Thanks for getting closer on final wind-down, and also interesting to see ROTOR (compressor to you) slow to a stop. Thank you,

[@_sandie_123]

it could be the one of the compressors catching on the ice defrosters which are mounted either end of the siren,but there is definatly a scrape there

[@PrivateuserUK]

I love the sound its so chilling though and yes I heard it too ..

[@modelearth]

FLOOD sirens providing an early warning system for coastal residents will be scrapped, it has been confirmed. Essex County Council branded the system, which cost more than £16,000 a year to run, out of date. There are 36 flood sirens across the county, including in West Mersea, Brightlingsea, Wivenhoe and Jaywick.

[@_sandie_123]

if you look at the end of dans video when the siren is windind down you can see at the front of it an electric junction box which feeds the defroster,also the fronts of them are raised out a bit compared to some of the other sirens

[@crazyleyland5106]

I think ear defenders would be a good bit of kit for siren buffs- so that you can both protect your ears, and hold the camera or phone at the same time.

[@semplew]

They have one of these in Grays, Essex and it shit the life out of me when I first heard it as I wasn't expecting it at all.

[@XXXDomtacion]

I thought your avatar was hair on my phone and I tried to blow it off haha :D.

[@KirkBolam]

They now in my town in Lincolnshire, seem to go everytime it rains.. Not complaining, I loveeeee the sound!

[@sacfs]

we had one of these carton nelson sirens for our alert system when our fire pagers failed us back in australia. it would probably go off about 9 times a week and i loved it every time, our wail didnt last quiet as long as this one though,

[@robertgift]

Leave it to a Limey to call a ROTOR a "compressor". Yes, I'd try to set it off at midnight New Year's Eve. If covered, would they still have a problem with ice necessitating a defroster? Thank you, Robert

[@Righty736]

Agreed. I used to live in a flood prone area in the US and if it rained hard enough, one minute the ground would be next and the next we would have 2 feet of water.

[@thunderstormzlightning]

awesome five stars!!!!! thank you for shareing this is going straight to my top favorites list.

[@DanWisbey]

What it is, if you look very closely on the close up, there is what looks like a possible birds nest in the stator on the right hand side to the camera position. You can actually see something hanging out the stator slots!

[@crazyleyland5106]

I have thought that sirens ought to have grilles over the air intakes and stators, or else they should be kept in a little cage. Reduces harm to birds, and also means that nothing can foul the vents.

[@charzi]

thanks for this :D reminds me of being on hols in wells-next-the-sea norfolk, they always used to test them on the day we were going home. even though I knew what was going on, used to scare me. Must be horrible, to hear them and know there's a flood coming

[@janeway4eva]

it is a scary sound when you hear it i worked in a hospital near an oil terminal and we used to have to take part in the drills we were that close to the site heaven knows what we would have done in an actual emergency

[@_sandie_123]

they did used to freeze up and when set off in test they couldnt spin so it would just blow the main fuse,i get my information from my grandfather who used to be in the army police force who was responsible for "arming" then the "sounding" of these sirens,which of course was done by ringing a special telephone number i kid you not

[@200twistatwista]

We in TX Also use flood siren hear about the Gainsville Tx floods in cook county they have been using them quit a few times this past week.

[@KirkBolam]

Reminds me off today, driving through my town - They went off, all these poeple started running, then got to another town, sirens doing the same, people doing the same... My heart just meleted, like whoah! Viva Las Floods.

[@justino.k.5647]

nice sounding siren It sounds like a klaxon cs8 in all clear

[@hmsirensandfirealarms]

It basically is a CS8 but with no shutters but CS8's have more differences

[@Ricky-km7hy]

This just went off at 3 am 😡

[@nascarrules8837]

Imagine that sound when theres a nuclear war

[@crazyleyland5106]

What I was afraid of hearing in the 80s.

[@pendolinokriscfc]

just heard one of these sirens on Sky News during floods in Yorkshire. didnt realise they were used for flooding. they must bring back terrible memories for the old people that survived air raids as kids. horrible.

[@crazyleyland5106]

Or make people think World War 3 had broken out.

[@crazyleyland5106]

In certain Yorkshire valleys they have them for flood warnings. But it isn't standard throughout Britain.

[@ROSN19]

y would u want a siren for floods? its not like they come in where one has to take immidiate cover like a tornado.

[@ChrisRichmond]

Listen carefully from 4:00 sounds like a wee bit of chafing going on in that rotor housing...

[@04smallmj]

This should be avaliable as a ringtone!

[@DanWisbey]

Lol, lets just say the ground and air around me was shaking with sound! It was a horrible, but at the same time awesome experience!

[@Supermillwardbrothers]

where abouts was this filmed?

[@robertgift]

Very good sound, Dan. Next time just get a close-up still photo. For noise protection, I wear tissue in my ears. On final wind-down, do we hear a rotor scraping on it's stator? Thank you, Robert Gift Denver, Colorado, USA

[@jezcolborne9596]

The wail of this siren is the same as the tsunami sirens in Wellington NZ and germany for fires but the german sirens only have one tone apart from horman and SIRcom electronic sirens as some sirens use a complete octave as there dual tone unlike the british sirens that have10/12 ports instead

[@Blitz350]

Yeah it did and so does the wind up. Overall it sounds a lot like a 2T22 or a 3T22

[@DRNEGOLICIS]

normaly around 7,000 RPM and thats why the warning labels say DANGER AMPUTATION at least the castle casting brand ones do

[@_sandie_123]

that is mint,now i would be tempted to find out where the control panel is to operate that at 3am just to be nice!! :-)

[@DanWisbey]

The only snag is...at least America still uses Sirens! Very few places in England still use them. But like you say...you hear this noise...run like hell!

[@Francis1930]

Rocketrodder! I am one of the "fortunates!" around when these sirens sounded to warn of impending German air attack. I was 9 years old when War was declared, I heard this noise day in and day out throughout the blitz August 1940 - May 1941. You americans do not know what its like to hear that sound and to know that planes are coming over to drop bombs on your city to cause death, destruction and chaos. I hope to God you never hear that siren used in anger.

[@Heyde1979]

That siren sounds great that would get your attention

[@crazyleyland5106]

A descendant of the sirens that we had in Britain in the War. But with a smaller motor in the middle, and perhaps a sharper sound.

[@THEFINALHAZARD]

Whoa, this CAN'T be a carters...bloody scary windup. What is this?

[@F5Storm1]

Where can I find one of these sirens for sale?

[@AVERAGEREVOLUTIONARY]

oh my god that is the best comment i have ever read!

[@russelD9]

@SuperWarriormonk in the war the siren when in attack was think 5 seconds on and 6 seconds off

[@seawind0721]

Wow, that's an image-provoking siren. ON the wind-down, it sounds very much like a Federal 2/3T22. I wonder if it uses the same sort of chopper ports.

[@Electricfox]

"This is the emergancy broadcasting system, this is not a test, all citizens are urged to seek shelter immedately.." If I heard the sirens in our town go off I'd freak out significantly and try and find a cellar somewhere :P

[@littlefishkid]

use that on april fools day and say its not a test best prank ever

[@jontibloor]

Are my eardrums playing tricks on me? Or is that the unmistakeable sound of a Courtland 26c RATOUT? If someone could confirm this for me I would very much appreciate it. Boris

[@crazyleyland5106]

Most likely a Castle Castings siren.

[@PlanesTrainsAutos]

Imagine a bird sitting on the top of that thing when it first turned on.

[@hmsirensandfirealarms]

Well lucky it didn't sound but I was at a siren as loud as this well possibly louder and a bird was sitting on it

[@shiphorns]

Beautiful! Sounds a lot like my 2T22 (which is of course the American copy of this siren).

[@mewillst]

do you know when the 2008 tests will be?

[@xthemwordx]

ear plugs are a man's best friend (the french have ones that have a nrr of 80db, add that to some nrr 30db, and you could put up a fight with that thing. i would not want to live in the house right next to it.

[@Kernow_Electromotive]

Do they still test these weeky/monthly ? I live in cornwall and there are a few about but they never test them or... use them..

[@claudiamunoz7293]

Not anymore, most of essex flood sirens have been removed

[@LiamS94]

@LaineClarkJr essex in england. its a county.

[@Heyde1979]

nice sounding siren

[@fireenginebuff]

That is AWESOME!!! wish there were some like that here in my area.

[@MechaRage]

Thats a very impressive siren!

[@starstorm55522]

I reckon they should have those things in Bristol, never mind Essex....

[@alarmmuseum]

I am aware this is an old comment, but there is a large system of sirens around the Severnside area for any Chemical hazards or fires etc at Avonmouth! There is also a single siren at Bristol Airport if I can remember correctly

[@mariaD9]

sounds like the bearing are moving thay should fiks that

[@transporttechnologykent5829]

Was this filmed in Thurrock? I heard this today and it might of been the same one, I heard it in Dartford

[@hmsirensandfirealarms]

No this is not the one in Dartford but there are 2 just like this one at Dartford that are at an oil refinery so you probably heard them 😃

[@claudiamunoz7293]

This was actually filmed in gladden fields in essex

[@dinxton2]

Where is the exact position of this siren?

[@claudiamunoz7293]

Gladden Fields

[@ThunderboltOverkill]

51°38'23.54"N 0°36'3.19"E

[@ClayRanger143]

Carter WW II Siren

[@childishtombino1275]

Castle Castings actually.

[@sirenmaster1735]

You’re wrong,it’s a Carter Siren not a Castle siren

[@jezcolborne9596]

That is defiantly a castle castings siren not a carter siren but they sound the same though

[@jezcolborne6329]

@@sirenmaster1735 no not a carter siren

[@hmsirensandfirealarms]

@@sirenmaster1735 Castle Casting 2HP is the siren make

[@Nickburnett]

cool... i get this every tues morning in hampton at 9 with the thames water chorline gas leak test... good alarm clock for my uni class at 10

[@fairyheli2]

probobly the loud sound shaking the camera and pretty much everything else

[@Kernow31426955]

i have a head ache! man these things are loud my speakers are cracking now

[@USMC_BABE38]

Anyone know the model number of this siren? I have a friend who lives in flood areas I'm pretty sure they have these to

[@DanWisbey]

I believe these have all been removed now sadly! :/

[@USMC_BABE38]

Dan Wisbey I enjoyed the video just wanted to say hi

[@professorjamesmoriarty5191]

That's a castle castings siren, the most common one we had.

[@hmsirensandfirealarms]

Castle Casting 2HP I think it is

[@hmsirensandfirealarms]

Where does your friend live

[@THEFINALHAZARD]

geez, that windup scared the crap outta me. O_O

[@mewillst]

the UK tests? or US

[@poopgirlsuates875ytfedelco3]

UH. THIS IS CARTER SIREN!

[@hmsirensandfirealarms]

I think its a Castle Castings cause usually all Essex sirens are Castle Castings

[@Kernow31426955]

reflecting back on a cold history, not ment to be judging any germans nowdays. sowwie

[@crazywarriorman]

Yep. Most ASC sirens say that.

[@mp3_Martin]

Didn't think they'd still use those... That siren is like the ones during WWII

[@crazyleyland5106]

Good design, no point in changing it. The Klaxon company still makes these today.

[@NickSilcox3]

@dockwellian45 yea hopefully, don't tell her

[@Bbridge97]

they should be used as tornado sirens too. the uk is supposed to get 36 tornadoes a year! remember that one in Birmingham a few years back, they should have had them there

[@memetchithetamagotchi6349]

Bbridge97 Lol i am from portsmouth, I don't have tornadoes

[@hmsirensandfirealarms]

@@memetchithetamagotchi6349 these sirens are also in Portsmouth and they are used for the HMNB Port

[@alarmmuseum]

The tornadoes we have aren’t big enough to require sirens!

[@roaklin]

Where do you think the game got the idea to use the siren OldMan?

[@OfficeMackerel]

And I quote, "Sorry about the terrible all over the place footage, having to cover my ears, and record at the same time is difficult! " Read the description.

[@_sandie_123]

hes shaking because hes trying to cover his ears lol you cant blame him as its loud through our speakers so god knows what he and the neighbourhood went through :-)

[@FlyBikes089]

Oh, I see. That so strange because I never seen this before. So, that interesting lol Thanks for info, Cheetawolf!

[@Francis1930]

That is a Castle Castings Siren used in the UK for warning of Nuclear Attack 1945 - 1995. It's what every single English person is used to. American sirens are very high pitched and damn well annoying. At least with an English siren, when that goes off you know something really bad is going to happen!

[@CJDJgamer]

Sadly, all have been scrapped as far as I understand (as the Tories did with the nations national network of sirens the last time they were in power) Bad timing IMO seeing as these islands have entered a new climatic regime of continual winter storms and endless monsoon rain all through the summer months. with new floods on the news every day!

[@FlyBikes089]

What is that? What for?

[@1b2b-videot]

It's a Castle Castings siren and it's used for flood warnings

[@RobbO9965]

Fuck that when your on nights and trying to get some shut eye during the day...lol

[@Mattie1979]

When YOU'RE on nights

[@RobbO9965]

@@Mattie1979 Get a life you pedantic twat!

[@Nihil2005]

This is what you're going to hear in 2012.

[@jakehayes1998]

There is one in sudbury

[@russianky]

Say what? I can't hear you.

[@notinuse60]

Awesome! 😀

[@hmsirensandfirealarms]

Ikr

[@NickSilcox3]

did u have a tripod in your house? its useful nice video

[@FlyBikes089]

Ah, thanks for info! That's cool

[@DanWisbey]

The Siren in this video is a 80's Castle Castings Siren. Same specifications as the Carters (Gents).

[@airraidmad]

Cool vid that was a Klaxon GP right?looks like it:P

[@crazyleyland5106]

Quite likely a Castle Castings.

[@HaukeDerwisch]

yes yes, here we go

[@paulbottomley42]

Flood siren test? ... Yep. It works.

[@russelD9]

@seawind0721 i saw one at a junck yard i think it has 10/12 prots but this was ages ago but i think yes it is the same as the 3/2T22 =)

[@mariaD9]

the air raid siren dose 10'000 rpm

[@HotelCharlie90]

I can't believe you listened to it for that long. Lol. However I did skip to 4 minutes and heard it too. :)

[@Kernow31426955]

Most people don't think you would, its just now that its over we should be able to have a laugh about some things. without poking fingers. It hurts when people say the Cornish never took part and were cowards, a disgrce to England. And it hurts that they all us a disgrace to England because I'm somone who beleives I'm not English and just Cornish. Your not the only place that gets put in the firing line of critism like that, but when its said its not ment to be offensive. If you get me?

[@FlyBikes089]

Ah, that's nice one! Cold War? Like World War 1 or World War 2 or another something else?

[@crazyleyland5106]

A former Cold War siren. A descendant of the World War 2 sirens, but with a smaller motor and a slightly sharper sound. I'm not sure if there were any warning sirens used in the First World War to warn of bombing Zeppelins, but they wouldn't have been of this design.

[@julienmenard9805]

Bilell content d'avoir ça marche

[@ZoneyDuel]

@Nihil2005 I gonna bad feeling about this...

[@HanakoFairhall]

Ouch, you're a brave chap you is o-o

[@fruitloopofficial3100]

It sounds kinda creepy tbh..

[@tomwilson9109]

i thinks its broken

[@childishtombino1275]

How?

[@hmsirensandfirealarms]

How is it broken

[@RainJetSprinklers]

Nice

[@zachfean1]

nice