The future of Woodford and its aircraft

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Member for

16 years 9 months

Posts: 196

With BAe Woodford due to close much sooner now the MRA4 cancellation has anyone heard any news about the future of any stored aircraft there?

The MRA4s I believe have been put to tender for scrap, although Im unsure of how many finished/unfinished airframes are there?

There is obviously also XM603 which was slated for destructive testing at some point?

The is also the only other finished RJX sat outside, it would be a shame if all the above aircraft became pots and pans.

Does anyone know of any further aircraft currently stored there? I know for a while there were the various remains of APTs but I had a feeling they had gone now.

MH

Original post

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 554

The RJX is used by OAA training. It is complete inside and electrically/hydraulically live.

All the ATP's were scrapped a while ago including the prototype (much discussed on here).

XM603 has had it's NDT, there are pics on the VTTS technical forum somewhere. It may outlast the MRA4's at this rate.:rolleyes:

I really hope that som elasting monument to the importance of this airfield. I heard that the Avro Heritage club will remain after closure but I'm not sure how accurate that is. There was a chap on a Ringway yahoo group asking for log lists for Woodford recently to add to the archive.

edit see question 11b here - http://www.woodfordcommunity.co.uk/documents/WCC_Response_to_Questions.pdf

Member for

18 years 2 months

Posts: 7,742

... I heard that the Avro Heritage club will remain after closure but I'm not sure how accurate that is....

I had a communication to that effect over the holiday period! :)

Member for

14 years 7 months

Posts: 13

woodford

I did read about a plan to dig up the runway and create a rowing lake, it really is that level, and that a possible sale of the Nimrod airframes was being mooted! Preservation wise there is an old Bedford bowser truck, petrol powered, used to carry "liquids" around the airfield, it is 1950s vintage and it is painted BAe blue. The golf club will remain as it is.

Member for

17 years 6 months

Posts: 985

Not sure about level as the ends are about 20ft higher than the middle - so in some respects a lake would be ideal.:)
However, the OAA site on the south side is not closing and is in fact being expanded so access is still required somehow.
From speaking to guys involved, the the plan is for the MRA4s to be broken up after stripping for spares where appropriate. The RJX is likely to remain for the near future but long term I have my doubts.

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 554

Last full week of operations apparently. Fly in while you can.

Member for

14 years 7 months

Posts: 144

What is the situation with XM603? Friend of mine texted me a picture of her earlier this year and she looked awful, so I can't imagine she looks any better now..

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 554

Today is the last day before the aerodrome licence is suspended apparently. There's been a fair few GA getting it in their logbooks today. A sad, sad day.

:(

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 10,647

A sad day, and a great shame that the Vulcan couldn't have been organised to have been the last move at Woodford, even a 146 would have looked better than a PA28!

Member for

16 years 9 months

Posts: 196

Fascinating video thank you, I've always wanted to see inside there.

What an awful waste of a building like that, will the world one day be anything but houses and tescos?

Thanks for the memories Woodford!

MH

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 10,168

You know what is the most upsetting is that this giant hangar sits there and there would be bags of room to house the vucan..

Member for

17 years 6 months

Posts: 985

If it could be moved....

As far as I was aware, all of the buildings at Woodford are being closed to await the decision on the future of the site. They may be in this state for years to come.
There was due to be surprise as far as XM603 is concerned but I haven't heard anything so far.....

The New Assembly hall is nearly 3/4 mile long and to see it empty now is very sad. When I started at Woodford, there was a 146 line on one side, the ATP line on the other and a line of Buccaneers in the middle undergoing mods. Happy days.

Thought I'd point out this thread as a reminder of what we had.

Woodford photos

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 8,464

Empty buildings pay no rates

Buildings with a Vulcan in them pay rates at the standard level.....

Bruce

Member for

19 years 7 months

Posts: 415

I think the business rate exemption has been reduced to just six months, which is why a lot of buildings are being demolished these days. If a quick sale cannot be arranged, perhaps the demolition gangs will be in at Woodford as well.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,415

re;

they call themselves heritage, yet all they want to do is build on it! Is there any hope of a heritage centre?