As World War II erupted, the MoD surveyed and purchased land for the construction of a national Royal Ordnance Factory.

Prior to 1940 the site was used as agricultural land, located on the Great Central Railway between the major East Midlands cities of Nottingham and Leicester.

[3] Both gunpowder and shells were brought in via the branch line rail connection, into two different sets of sidings.

The components were only brought together in the filling halls, some 20 wooden buildings in the centre of the complex, each with their own blast wall.

These were then distributed via the railway for onwards shipment, or via road top local British Army and Home Guard units.