RAF Westcott

[sisemen]

I was idly mooching around giggle earth and happened upon ex RAF Westcott. It allegedly shut down in 1945 after that spot of nasty business with our European partners.

However, the whole place is surrounded by maintained security fences and there is evidence of what looks like well maintained munitions storage areas in the south east corner (51 50 40.15N 0 59 02.41W). Street view also studiously avoids the places where one might get a clue.

In the whole of my time in the RAF I have never come across this place nor even heard of it. What gives???

[goudie]

According to Wiki

In the 1960s and 1970s, it was the home of the Rocket Propulsion Establishment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_Propulsion_Establishment). One notable feature of this era was that RAF Westcott did not appear on Ordnance Survey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordnance_Survey) maps of the area.
The site is now a Venture Park, for light industry.[1] (http://www.westcottventurepark.com/)

[spectre150]

Google is your friend:

HISTORY

Westcott Venture Park is a former WWII airfield used to train the crews that went on to fly the legendary Lancaster bomber.

RAF Westcott opened in September 1942 with crews using Wellington bombers for training.

Many of these crews saw active service in Lancaster bombers in the fierce aerial campaign waged by Bomber Command over occupied Europe.

The RAF moved out in August 1945 shortly after welcoming nearly 53,000 liberated POW’s who were flown into Westcott in Operation Exodus.

In April 1946 the base reopened as the Guided Projectile Establishment, involved in the research and development of rockets. High-tech business continues at Westcott to this day in the field of satellite research and development.

I found a more detailed history through Google some time ago (I live near there and was curious too) but it did not come up through Bing when I searched just now.

Blue skies.

[spectre150]

... and isn't the Westcott Corridor named after it (assuming it still exists) - I can't remember if there was a navaid or beacon there.

[BEagle]

Westcott NDB is indeed a most useful navaid.

Wasn't Westcott the UK chemtrail research site........:E

[green granite]

Sigh...instant nostalgia. :{

[Mandator]

There is a big solar energy farm being built on the runway. From an article in Farmers Weekly, it is suggested that this will be one of the biggest (and last) solar energy farms to come on line before the Government slashes the subsidies for solar renewable energy.

[chevvron]

In the 50s, it was a stop on the Farnborough - Bedford ferry route, and gliding continued there until the mid '60s.
I once traced the route of the old Brill Tramway which ran from Quainton Road station to Brill until the mid 30s, and part of the trackbed of this looks to have been used for the entrance road to RAF Westcott.

[BEagle]

chevvron, I suspect you're correct.

This is the route of the old tramway:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/old6.jpg

This is the current map:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/new.jpg

The satellite photo seems to confirm that the section of the trackbed extending south-west from Westcott village is now a road to the site:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/pic.jpg

[The B Word]

They were digging up the main concrete runway when I drove past last week...:{

[spectre150]

Thanks Beags for the graphics. When you turn off the A41 and drive through the village of Westcott (yellow road on the OS Map) you can see the entrance to the airfield/industrial sight off to the right along a straight section of road - this is clearly the old tramway. It also explains the brick railway abutments on the A41 about 1 km towards Bicester - obviously the remains of a long-removed railway bridge on what your old map tells us was a GCR line. The old map also shows a tramway station called Waddesdon Station a short distance beyond the road junction towards Aylesbury although the village of Waddesdon is some distance to the west.

I know, I know, I probably need to get out more.

[jumpseater]

The overbridge was still there in the early 90's. The GCR was the Great Central Railway, and this was the 'London Extension' the last major main line built during the growth phase of the UK's rail network. It was seen/proposed as an alternative mainline route to those still extant fron Kings Cross (GNR), St Pancreas(MR) and Euston(LNWR). However the success of the other lines meant that it didn't achieve the critical mass required and was one of the lines cut of the Beeching era. The alignment of the route was as a high speed line and has been reconsidered for use for recent new north/south high speed lines.

The Brill tramway was like many rural branchlines long on charm and ambition, yet short of realistic economic potential. It was absorbed into the Metropolitan line (as per the underground), and closed mid 1930's.

Piccies here of the area inc A41
Underground History - Quainton Road to Verney Juction (http://underground-history.co.uk/brill.php)

Aerial view of Wescott
http://blog.spiteri.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/My-Solo_local_VFR_069.jpg

I too perhaps need to find the door to the big world outside ...:uhoh:

[BEagle]

spectre150 and jumpseater, thanks for the information and links. Our history of not that long ago mustn't be allowed to be forgotten!

Particularly for those of us who just remember the pre-Beeching era.

An interesting website I've found is Old Ordnance Survey Maps (http://www.ponies.me.uk/maps/osmap.html) . I'm not sure why there's an equine aspect to it, but basically it allows you to zoom into a map of the UK, then use a fader to see what the map used to show. Or a satellite view overlay. Not 100% coverage, but most of the UK is there. Very interesting as a research tool.

From that website, here's a slightly later version of the OS map showing the line in its entirity:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/Westcott.jpg

Interestingly, it is marked as a 'light railway' rather than a tramway - although the branch from Wotton Underwood to Kingswood Lane is shown as a disused tramway:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/wco2.jpg

[chevvron]

Waddesdon Station was indeed some distance from the village of that name hence it was called Waddesdon Road. If you follow the road from the A41 towards Quianton, you will notice that the south side of this road has an unusually wide verge, this being more trackbed for the tramway.
Don't know the difference between a 'tramway' and 'light railway' but I do know to be classed as a 'light railway' the trains must have a maximum (average) speed of 25 mph, hence many preserved lines nowadays use this bit of legislation to make their operation easier, and hence (for instance) the Watercress Line can still let pacifics have their head occasionally!!

[jumpseater]

'Light railway' and 'Tramways/road' operated under different sets of regulations from each other and 'mainlines'. Today the Light rail transit systems regulations are a development of the earlier (Victorian/Edwardian) legislation.

Historically then.
Light railway is a railway system that is 'fenced' literally, built to a lesser engineering requirement than a 'mainline', and locomotives and rolling stock didn't need special fittings to run on them.

Tramway/road is a railway system that isn't fenced, often runs on the public highway, built to similar/lesser standards than light railways. Tramway locomotives and stock had to be designed so that people and animals etc would be protected from injury by the moving components of the locomotive, wheels, valve gear etc. They would also have strict laws regarding operation such as speeds etc and how they operated on the road, bloke in front with a flag etc etc. eg 'modern' 50's/60's variants here c.08/1970 - Norwich Thorpe TMD. | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/blue-diesels/3794762468/in/photostream/)
NB rear loco is 'tramway' version.

The Brill branch IIRC statred as a tramway, then was 'upgraded' to light railway status to allow more powerful locomotives to operate in anticipation of increased traffic levels and the area expanding into 'Metroland' for commuting John Betjeman styley. For you 'Oxon' types, have a look for 'The Wantage Tramway', another one of Englands bucolic yet iconic light railways.

[spectre150]

Jumpseater, thanks for posting the link to the interesting article on the tramway. Not that long ago i would not have given such an article a second glance but now as I sit in the air conditioned comfort of a place in the sun some distance from this corner of Bucks, a nostalgic interest in such matters has overcome me! I have only been away 5 weeks but already I had forgotten that Waddesdon was east of the station not west as I said in my earlier post. My excuse for not getting out more is that it is too damn hot.

Beags thanks for the link to the old OS maps - such things have always interested me and I can now explore the area on foot with a different perspective next time I am back in blighty.

[chevvron]

Nice thread creep; I could go on for ages about my explorations of the old trackbed,(Wootton Station is interesting as the GWR passed over on an embankment part of which still exists) but back to the original.
In the early 60s when I was a member of the ROC, one of the other members was actually a boffin at Westcott. He told us one or two 'juicy' tales which probably had 'D' notices slapped on them such as 'the one that got away' - a 'sounding' rocket being tested for thrust and it managed to break free of its tethering and get airborne, (they didn't actually fire rockets from Westcott - at least not intentionally anyway!) and how they were testing an RZ2 which was the rocket motor powering the 'Blue Streak' ICBM and it blew up, the explosion not surprisingly causing much confusion and consternation in the local area.

[aw ditor]

ISTR there was an NDB at Brill, though not sure why?

[jumpseater]

ISTR there was an NDB at Brill, though not sure why?

'WCO' its still there, being part of Heathrow arrivals into Bovingdon stack Luton and Stansted arrivals too.
http://www.ead.eurocontrol.int/eadbasic/pamslight-4203367F75691615833ED21A18072519/7FE5QZZF3FXUS/EN/Charts/AD/AIRAC/EG_AD_2_EGGW_7-5_en_2010-07-29.pdf


The area was also one of those under consideration for the 'third' London airport with Cublington being lead candidate for a while
aylesbury - Google Maps (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=aylesbury&hl=en&ll=51.900833,-0.754495&spn=0.018589,0.037336&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=18.283798,38.232422&t=h&z=15)

[chevvron]

I vaguely recall the Brill NDB; I think it was associated with Chalgrove (Martin Bakers test airfield)

[Piltdown Man]

I can remember a few years back during gliding competitions that at virtually every briefing, we were told "Don't land at Wescott!" Apart from the security issues (was the hush-hush stuff really tested outside without covers?) there was the real safety issue of hazards in the grassed areas and trees along the former runways. But I know of two people who ignored the instruction. One lost his glider for a week while "special" checks were carried out (more as a form of punishment than anything else) by MOD Police and the other was Christopher Reeve, the actor. His reception was virtually that given to royalty, complete with apologies for not being able to show him more due lack of notice.

As regards arrival procedures from the North to LHR, there was the 'Wescott Snatch" which was a short cut. A certain BA lady F/O caused a slight commotion in the sector controlling this area by asking "Any chance of a quickie at Wescott?"

PM

[BEagle]

The old Otmoor range, just to the west of Brill, was once used for Oboe blind-bombing practice. Perhaps a Brill beacon was in some way connected with this? The range was still in use in the mid-'50s.

[JEM60]

I remeber many times as a schoolboy, living 3 miles the Amersham side of Wendover, hearing very loud and obviously very powerful rocket motors being tested at Wescott. Lovely noise.! I also heard a tale that a USAF T.33 had 'deadsticked' into there on one occasion.

[JOE-FBS]

"'WCO' its still there, being part of Heathrow arrivals into Bovingdon stack Luton and Stansted arrivals too."

Also very useful for we lesser types from Halton (and I imagine other local GA airfields) to do our IMC training as well. I always have in my kneeboard the unofficial and for training only, approach from WCO to Halton.

[sisemen]

Many thanks for all the posts on this thread. You learn a little every day :ok:

[aw ditor]

Beags,

Otmoor was still in use, certainly by the Canberra OCU at Bassingbourn as late as 1957/early 1958 for visual bombing. According to the FOB one should not open the bomb doors "approaching or over the Cowley Works" (at Oxford) after a light carrier with four 25 pounders attached went through the factory roof one day!

AD.

[good finish]

Superman flew gliders in England??????

[XX514]

OK, here's a thing. I hereby register a claim to have conducted the last ever take-off of a fixed-wing aircraft from Westcott having flown a PA28 (G-BRXC) out of there on 22 Aug 1996. The aircraft had been landed on the remains of the north easterly runway by an Oxford student following an 'engine failure' - oddly enough, by the time the engineer and I got there the engine performed perfectly (perhaps the ice had melted in the summer sun - who knows?). Anybody care to claim a later take-off?

I shudder to think how many hours I've spent with students practising holds and NDB approaches on the WCO beacon - you'd think I'd have got it right by now!!

Otmoor was also used by Oxford for helicopter low-level and confined area training - but only when the rifle range was inactive. It was then acquired as an RSPB reserve and we had to go elsewhere, Cornbury Park as I recall.

Edited to add - The terminus of the Brill Tramway is now the site of a rather fine micro brewery. Vale Pale Ale mmmmmmmmmm!

[rarelyathome]

WCO NDB. Have a look at the half mil and it becomes obvious why it attracts GA like flies to a honey pot so keep a very good lookout!

[tmmorris]

Ah yes. Many a happy half-hour practising limited panel holds at WCO...

But unless people's memory is dodgy, that can't be the NDB at Brill? The WCO one is firmly on the airfield.

Sad it's being dug up at last.

Tim

[verticalhold]

XX514;

I well remember an Oxford heli student flying down the rifle range at 50' when it was active, the phone and the student glowed red at that one.

I flew over WCO the other day, the main hasn't been dug up, they have put solar panels down a huge length of it.

VH

[None of the above]

I remember many times as a schoolboy, living 3 miles the Amersham side of Wendover, hearing very loud and obviously very powerful rocket motors being tested at Wescott. Lovely noise.!Yes, I remember that noise as well. I lived at the NW edge of Wendover as a child and would often hear the tests quite clearly. The father of one of the lads in my class at primary school (Halton, opposite the main guardroom) was employed at RPE Westcott and I believe he worked on the development of Blue Streak.

The book you chaps need is 'The Brill Tramway' by Bill Simpson. ISBN 978-0860932185 and available from the usual outlet.

The house on the opposite side of the road to the site entrance was the station master's house and has the letters B&C inscribed on the front. (Duke of Buckingham & Chandos). I believe that the old ticket office is still in use as a garden shed.

Station Master's House. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Old_Station_House,_Westcott_-_geograph.org.uk_-_20198.jpg)

The 'B&C' plaque is just visible on the central gable. I believe that the gable on the left of the picture is new and that part of the house sits on the track bed. The old ticket office is just out of sight on the left.

[The B Word]

I flew over WCO the other day, the main hasn't been dug up, they have put solar panels down a huge length of it.

VH

I definately saw a huge length of runway with JCBs on it digging up massive lumps of concrete. Its one of 3 runways and I would guess it is 06/24 from the 24 threshold end towards the 1st intersection of one of the other runways.

:(

Here is a link to a picture. http://www.westcottventurepark.com/westcott-img/gallery/03%20Runway%20removal.jpg

[chevvron]

JEM60: one of my other ROC colleagues (FP) lived in one of the houses on the west side of the Missenden - Wendover road near the junction with the road to Chesham (Rocky Lane?) and he said he could hear the rockets being tested too. Further thread creep: at the back of these houses was a large field which he said was occasionally used by AAC Beavers

[Reverserbucket]

More thread creep...

Piltdown Man
and the other was Christopher Reeve, the actor.

Can anyone recall the actor Ian Ogilvy (Return of the Saint) making a precautionary landing on a disused airfield in the Aylesbury area during the '80's possibly whilst training at Denham? Don't remember it being Westcott but could well be wrong.

[None of the above]

...west side of the Missenden - Wendover road near the junction with the road to Chesham (Rocky Lane?)... Rocky Lane it is and about three quarters of a mile from this very spot.
The field to the rear which you mention, and the lane itself, will be bisected by the HS2 line if HMG gets its way.

[T-21]

Christopher Reeve was a member of Booker Gliding Centre and owned his own glider a Discus. He was also a member of the Tiger Club.

[bobos]

Hi,

you say that RAF Westcott closed in 1946 but my dad says he was there in the early 50's as an RAF Cpl in the tower. He did National Service then and told me that there used to be some of the german V bombers there for testing because he still has the magnification lens from one of them. He also said that the staff there nicked most of the war exhibits and lots of stuff seemed to strangely disappear.
Is there any assocation of westcott veterans ??

[zetec2]

Late 50's as a Brat, Wednesday afternoon gliding out of Bicester on only my second X-country in Anita Schmidts Grunau Baby, planned to thermal up to Halton, all went pear shaped & landed out at Westcott , on landing surrounded by RAF plods, who couldn't comprehend that an Apprentice had flown in a glider, was told that "only Officers fly aeroplanes" I tried to get them to help pull Grunau off the runway & secure etc it before being arrested with threats of being locked up etc, fortunately was rescued by Dick Stratton (working there on the SR53 Spectre motor) he had seen me land & came over initially for a chat, he intervened & put the plods in there place & got me to safety & able to make phone calls back to Bicester for a retrieve, I now live in Bicester across from the airfield & pass Westcott on a regular basis & believe the old wood rocket test tower although still standing is due for demolition soon, ah happy days, Paul H.

[pilot watcher]

A certain ex PM and his wife Cherie live in Wooton Underwood House which is very close to Westcott. The house used to belong to Sir John Guildgood.
The Great Train robbers hung out at a farm just outside Brill 30 years ago this week!
A lot of money has been spent on development at Wescott over the last couple of years, some sort of distribution centre.
The £50 billion HS2 new railway track will run very close to Westcott.

Just a few bits of useless info!

[Endeavour]

Great train robbery was August 1963!

[JOE-FBS]

Good rocket work still being done there:

"When the US space agency's latest probe to Jupiter tries to enter into orbit around the planet on Tuesday, it will be relying on a British rocket engine."

Juno mission: British rocket engine ready for Jupiter task - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-36695270)

[Alan Peel]

I was an apprentice at RPE westcott 1967 to 1971

[chevvron]

Hi,

you say that RAF Westcott closed in 1946 but my dad says he was there in the early 50's as an RAF Cpl in the tower. He did National Service then and told me that there used to be some of the german V bombers there for testing because he still has the magnification lens from one of them. He also said that the staff there nicked most of the war exhibits and lots of stuff seemed to strangely disappear.
Is there any assocation of westcott veterans ??
RAF Westcott did close then but then the airfield became RPE Westcott and aircraft (usually a Dominie - the 'original' type not the later HS125 derivative - or Marathon but sometimes the Hastings might be used) from RAE Farnborough and later RAE Bedford (initially Twinwoods Farm but later Thurleigh) would land there occasionally if a 'boffin' needed transport to/from one of those airfields.

[Asturias56]

In the last month there was a Chinook out of Westcott late evening, headed back to Odiham