Burtonwood Airbase

[Peter]

I just read on the internet that the remaining buildings at Burtonwood airbase are going to be demolished.

[Jon H]

Originally Posted by Peter

I just read on the internet that the remaining buildings at Burtonwood airbase are going to be demolished.

Makes sense as passing there on the way home the other day noticed the businesses that were based there have pulled out. Will try again at the weekend to see if the security guard will FINALLY let me have a look round before they go

iirc the hangars were for sale at one point for I think £80,000 each!!!

Jon

[Peter]

Apparently they are going to turn it into a Titan prison site? One of the hangars has a mural of a B25 in it.

[Jon H]

Originally Posted by Peter

Apparently they are going to turn it into a Titan prison site? One of the hangars has a mural of a B25 in it.

Amongst others - http://www.rafburtonwood.org/DSC00964.jpg

[RAF Millom]

Originally Posted by Peter

Apparently they are going to turn it into a Titan prison site? One of the hangars has a mural of a B25 in it.

This was planned to be removed and preserved in the heritage centre

[Jon H]

And so work has begun

Jon

[merkle]

Originally Posted by Jon H

And so work has begun

Jon

its a very sad sight to see, I know we cant save em all, but I wonder how many office blocks and housing estates will be built on this one ,as with the others??

makes you wonder how many Actual Operational Air bases we have left, must be a 10th of the amount in ww2, or even less,

everything seems to be dwindling away, apart from the ever growing housing estates, and offices, ,Where's the Industry gone ??, railways, air bases, Ports, ship yards, Farms etc etc, all Just a fraction of what they used to be,

who ever said "Progress " is good

[D1566]

Originally Posted by merkle

its a very sad sight to see, I know we cant save em all, but I wonder how many office blocks and housing estates will be built on this one ,as with the others??

Possibly not too many, as the ground is quite unstable in the area due to mining subsidence. The section of the M62 that follows one of the runways had to be rebuilt on at least one occasion.

[REF]

There is a good thread on AiX with some Burtonwood photos on here;
http://airfieldinformationexchange.f...d-t782-75.html

[pimpernel]

Richard.

Your link refers to the last page of that thread so I have taken the liberty to post the first posting here.

There is a lot of info here.

Brian.

[REF]

Originally Posted by pimpernel

Richard.

Your link refers to the last page of that thread so I have taken the liberty to post the first posting here.

There is a lot of info here.

Brian.

Thanks Brian!!

[Quinny]

Past it on Saturday,and I can confirm that the work has commenced.

Ken.

[Paul Cushion]

I got some pics of inside and around the hangars on Saturday daytime when the demolition workers had their day off. I tried to get in and around them last year but some jobsworth wouldn't let me on the site, so I simply walked on this time via the 'E' site end. There was one surviving hangar on 'A' site and one on 'E' site. Lots of pics taken though! My mate even got on the roof at 'E' site but I must admit that I bricked myself when I got to the top because I suddenly became convinced that I would fall through (dunno why, there were pure steel beams underneath) and slid back down again sharpish! I wish that I hadn't now cos' it would have been a cracking extra set of pictures.

I will put some up here when I get back to London, sometime tomorrow.

Paul

[XL391]

Seen this yesterday, gutted to see it to be honest. Yesterday, there was half a hangar still up and today, the lot was down bar the walls of the one nearest to Burtonwood service station junction.

[Paul Cushion]

Hi!!! As promised, probably the last pics taken of RAF Burtonwood A and E site on 1/11/08. I tried to get on last year but some jobsworth security guard wouldn't let me, so on a trip up North I drove over with a mate and managed to get pics of the last two hangars:

'A' Site























Towards 'E' site:



















More of 'E' site in my next post cos' I'm limited to 20 here apparently!

Paul

[Paul Cushion]

and just a bit of fun.....! The famous 'headless airman'!!!!



Paul

[XL391]

Great pics Paul, thanks for posting them.

[Peter]

Do you know what is the saddest about this? So many collections would really benefit from such covered accomodation....

[old shape]

I went past on Sunday 24th May.
All gone, flattened and rubble removed. One or two smaller (House size) brick buildings still remain.

[PRB]

Originally Posted by old shape

I went past on Sunday 24th May.
All gone, flattened and rubble removed. One or two smaller (House size) brick buildings still remain.

I live very close and it's a real shame.

I used to go for walks but never took the chance to go on the site cos of the security.

I approached the then 'English Partnership' and they had an open day for invited guests shortly before the demolition and opened it all up

I got invited and took a load of photos, one of which I recently printed up on A3 and framed and gave to the RAF Burtonwood Heritage Centre. It's on the car park of Gullivers World Theme Park in Warrington.

Well worth a visit. They are planning to expand (shame the council didn't give them the hangar they were promised ) and have promises of aircraft from the RAF and private collectors

Anyway, it's not the same now they've all gone but here are some photos I took on the day

The first is the one I printed up













I have a few others so if I get chance I'll sort them out and post them

PRB

[Jon H]

The one piece of memorabilia I have so far collected from Burtonwood is this instrument panel. It is a B-50 pilots aisle panel that came out of a procedure trainer/simulator that was there.

Amazing to think that 50 years ago USAF pilots with 53rd Weather Recon Squadron were being trained a few miles from my house using this very item!

Jon

[Anon]

Hey Jon H,

I recognise that, didn't you get it at the Cockpitfest at Newark recently!

Anon.

[PRB]

Waoh

That's what amazes me too

I moved up from Kent 13 years ago and most of the site was largely gone but Header House (the biggest warehouse in Eurpoe) was still standing. That was also the home of the heritage centre before they pulled that down.

It frustrates me though that a site so hugely significant is now no more. Not even a plaque on a wall or a statue to commemorate it

I'm all for brownfield site redevelopmengt butg surely that sshould be with a view to retaining the historical aspect

The same was the case with West MAlling airbase.

Mu Mum used to work for KCC (Kent County Council) and they owned the site and she was in charge.

Went to loads of Warbirds displays there. Saw Visage (remember them?) record a video there and taxid an old Beech 18 into one of the main hangars. Saw the 'Sally B' B17 from We'll Meet again (ITV prog) among loads of other great stuff.

They had the full intact runway, blast areas, slips, hangars the lot. Now also all gone to make way for a housing estate. Makes my blood boil

I'm getting more and more info on the old Burtonwood site and would like to document as much as I can (maybe write a book ?) and photograph any last remianing bits (slipways etc) that I can find and follow up on some of he old rumours (i.e. whole plane buried somewhere near Risley

Amazing place and a sad, sad loss to the town

PRB

[Jon H]

Originally Posted by Anon

Hey Jon H,

I recognise that, didn't you get it at the Cockpitfest at Newark recently!

Anon.

Indeed I did!

Would be nice to think one day I could find a few more bits and maybe even some pictures as all helps put it into context.

Jon

[PRB]

Found this among loads of other stuff on the web

http://eightlake.smugmug.com/History

PRB