Mention of the salvage dump brings to mind a fine trophy from RAF Leuchars, where we acquired the pilot's seat from a two-seat Meteor. I think it was a night fighter version but it was NOT an ejection seat or this snippet would never have been written.
The seat followed a long line of treasures from bomb trolleys at Binbrook to land crabs in Aden. By this time (1954) I had graduated to "sailers", Scottish word for a lethal device comprising a packing-case chassis mounted on pram wheels. The Meteor seat completed the ensemble to perfection and made me the envy of the Patch.
My sailer was mounted on large diameter, ball bearing wheels from a Silver Cross perambulator, no less. Rolling resistance was next to nothing, as was braking which consisted of one foot on the ground. Watching my descent of the hill near Leuchars station my father said I would have been better with the ejection version of the seat.
On our departure in September 1954 I bequeathed the device to my friend Alan, who promptly broke his leg on encountering its severe oversteer. For myself, I lost a week's summer hols because the Northern Ireland schools had a different schedule. Ah, the exigencies of Service life ...