This site has been visted by aircraft and rail enthusiasts over the years with permission (after much H&S negotiations). But then back in my early days when I'd never heard of UE I'd tried to get a visit of a Class 73 (I'll come to this) WAY back in 2007 but was declined. But luckily I actually had the college photographer take some pics for me which was nice. However, I was still determined to get pics of my own, and hey ho there was an open day. Went on a tour of the incident ground, and I was really lucky to have the tour guide let me off for a few pics. Success! I'd seen the aircraft there then, but it was a case of "oh yeah, cool aren't they?" It was only when I'd seen Long Marston's aircraft graveyard that prompted my memory and put this up as a potential site to visit. So again I tried a permission bash under the guise of an aircraft preservationist but was declined again. No pics offered either.
Fast forward to 2012...
So here we are: Landie, Zotez and my other half Dragonflame, January 2012 and ready to de-flower it of its urbex virginity. We were lucky having picked a day that meant no training was occurring (this is a live site), but I'd always established that this would either a walk in the park or an absolute fortress. Well it was neither, but it wasn't very easy at all either. Basically it was clear that several people had tried to access this before from the fence, so access wasn't a problem by any means. However, we had no idea about security...
We were constantly on the watch throughout, being the first to attempt this with no help whatsoever. So in we go, and we're snapping away with our cameras at the Hunter and the Wessex. So far so good. I finish with them, and suddenly I look over across the airfield and see a silver jeep driving relatively fast. Security! Run! So we escaped back out onto the road, and a few minutes later the jeep passes where we were. The trees on the edge provide no cover whatsoever so the only safe place is to be outside at this point. After much procrastination and waiting for a good time to return we don't so instead we stick to the road and look for another way in around the other side, looking for the Jet Provost which was nowhere to be seen. At this point I think it's too far away to get to so we move onto getting the Viscount. Wait... there's a farm blocking our path and they're in; let's rethink. Security drive past again. So far we've established that they do half-hourly rounds which if you consider the size of the site and areas patrolled, means he's constantly on patrol. That said it seems like they're bored out of their minds and don't bother stopping if they see anything suspicious but on the other hand pretty serious about frequent patrols. This isn't helped by the possibilty of CCTV (luckily this is non-existent where we are).
We find a good area from the fence that leaves us directly facing the Viscount. But given that there are few if any effective places to hide the idea was to wait for him to pass and make our move. We waited, but it was so cold and tensions were mounting between us so it was a case of let's just leg it in there and do it. So Landie and I go in whilst Zotez and Dragonflame wait. Because security hadn't passed yet I was seriously on edge (I did NOT want to get caught here) so many of my pics were pretty blurry but hey. We got in, got our pics, now let's move. Shit I can't shut the door! Screw it I've gotta run I can't waste time here! We ran back out, dived under the fence and you guessed it: security drove past. They challenged us at our game today but fortunately we emerged successful once again.
Pics
Royal Navy Hawker Hunter 831 WT804 Click link for service history
Westland Wessex HAS.3 XP150 Light on history but googling found this: Westland Wessex HAS.1, c/n WA083, del Royal Navy as XP150, 05/10/1962; conv HAS.3, unk; to Moreton-in-Marsh Fire Training College.
Some derelict fuselage (Cessna?)
Vickers Viscount 814 G-BAPF Click link for service history
On a final note, whilst I'm really happy I saw these aircraft today, I also found it quite sad to see. I know it's very much a case with anything at this site but I'd expected to see these to be mint but sadly not; they've all been heavily if not completely stripped and are now little more than just empty shells with no prospect of a future. This was particularly the case for the Vickers which externally has survived extremely well but internally has fallen foul of decay and stripping. Very much a similar case to the Jet Aviation Preservation Group but with less of a chance despite considerably less vandalism.
On a more positive note, it looks like some of the original RAF features still survive albeit hidden away!
See you at the boneyard! Much love,
Fast forward to 2012...
So here we are: Landie, Zotez and my other half Dragonflame, January 2012 and ready to de-flower it of its urbex virginity. We were lucky having picked a day that meant no training was occurring (this is a live site), but I'd always established that this would either a walk in the park or an absolute fortress. Well it was neither, but it wasn't very easy at all either. Basically it was clear that several people had tried to access this before from the fence, so access wasn't a problem by any means. However, we had no idea about security...
We were constantly on the watch throughout, being the first to attempt this with no help whatsoever. So in we go, and we're snapping away with our cameras at the Hunter and the Wessex. So far so good. I finish with them, and suddenly I look over across the airfield and see a silver jeep driving relatively fast. Security! Run! So we escaped back out onto the road, and a few minutes later the jeep passes where we were. The trees on the edge provide no cover whatsoever so the only safe place is to be outside at this point. After much procrastination and waiting for a good time to return we don't so instead we stick to the road and look for another way in around the other side, looking for the Jet Provost which was nowhere to be seen. At this point I think it's too far away to get to so we move onto getting the Viscount. Wait... there's a farm blocking our path and they're in; let's rethink. Security drive past again. So far we've established that they do half-hourly rounds which if you consider the size of the site and areas patrolled, means he's constantly on patrol. That said it seems like they're bored out of their minds and don't bother stopping if they see anything suspicious but on the other hand pretty serious about frequent patrols. This isn't helped by the possibilty of CCTV (luckily this is non-existent where we are).
We find a good area from the fence that leaves us directly facing the Viscount. But given that there are few if any effective places to hide the idea was to wait for him to pass and make our move. We waited, but it was so cold and tensions were mounting between us so it was a case of let's just leg it in there and do it. So Landie and I go in whilst Zotez and Dragonflame wait. Because security hadn't passed yet I was seriously on edge (I did NOT want to get caught here) so many of my pics were pretty blurry but hey. We got in, got our pics, now let's move. Shit I can't shut the door! Screw it I've gotta run I can't waste time here! We ran back out, dived under the fence and you guessed it: security drove past. They challenged us at our game today but fortunately we emerged successful once again.
Pics
Royal Navy Hawker Hunter 831 WT804 Click link for service history
Westland Wessex HAS.3 XP150 Light on history but googling found this: Westland Wessex HAS.1, c/n WA083, del Royal Navy as XP150, 05/10/1962; conv HAS.3, unk; to Moreton-in-Marsh Fire Training College.
Some derelict fuselage (Cessna?)
Vickers Viscount 814 G-BAPF Click link for service history
On a final note, whilst I'm really happy I saw these aircraft today, I also found it quite sad to see. I know it's very much a case with anything at this site but I'd expected to see these to be mint but sadly not; they've all been heavily if not completely stripped and are now little more than just empty shells with no prospect of a future. This was particularly the case for the Vickers which externally has survived extremely well but internally has fallen foul of decay and stripping. Very much a similar case to the Jet Aviation Preservation Group but with less of a chance despite considerably less vandalism.
On a more positive note, it looks like some of the original RAF features still survive albeit hidden away!
See you at the boneyard! Much love,
