RAF Leucars - Renamed

[sadhatmo]

Ok so no longer RAF Leuchars for some time but looks like the name Leuchars itself, station not the village, is to be consigned to history. Read in the local paper that Waterloo Barracks is to be the new name. I can see a re run of the don't call them Bennies initiative. No doubt we'll get used to it.

[Ken Scott]

Not unusual, every RAF base that the army takes over (pretty much all of them) gets renamed ....... I guess it's a bit like a dog scent marking its new territory.....

[sadhatmo]

Yep, it is standard form sorry wasn't suggesting anything other, rather I just thought it sad to see the name Leuchars slip from the UK defence estate and future history, that's all.

[kintyred]

I guess Leuchars has finally met its Waterloo.

[romeo bravo]

RAF Cottesmore became Kendrew Barracks on handover to Army.

Best bit was the local County Council and Parish Council of Cottesmore complaining that the name 'Cottesmore' had been removed of the A1 roadsign; reason being they though Cottesmore would not be found by people trying to find it........

[OldAgeandTreachery]

RAF Kinloss is now ----- Kinloss Barracks. Don't think there are any plans to rename it/them.

[RedhillPhil]

The ex married quarters at Gaydon are now Lighthorne Heath.

[thing]

RAF Swinderby is now Witham St Hughs. :yuk:

Or Witham St Giles as we locals prefer to call it. Lincoln in joke.

Edit: Whoaaaaa! 3,000 posts! Gifts to the address on the left thank you.

[ShyTorque]

Get some time in!

Silliest thing about renaming former airfields as barracks with an unconnected name? They run ground exercises and NOTAM them using the new name of the barracks, not that of the disused airfield, and expect pilots to know what to avoid as if they read road signs or the local paper! :rolleyes:

[thing]

They run ground exercises and NOTAM them using the new name of the barracks, not that of the disused airfield, and expect pilots to know what to avoid as if they read road signs or the local paper!Skydemon is your friend. But you already knew that...

Have you seen the Joint Warrior NOTAM? Basically if you want to go north of Carlisle under 15,000' you're in it...

[Basil]

RAF Cottesmore became Kendrew Barracks on handover to Army.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaat!?
I s'pose if the RN had taken it, Grotty Cotty could have become 'kin Andrew :E

[PICKS135]

Is it not just the domestic site is to be known as Waterloo Lines. Airfield side is still Leuchars Airfield ?

[BEagle]

Squaddification of fine old RAF stations invariably seems to include renaming them after some obscure dead pongo......

At least the Royal Marines have kept the name of Chivenor alive though.

[Union Jack]

Looks like the OP renamed it all by himself....:uhoh:

Jack

[NutherA2]

I think PICKS is right, the Waterloo Lines plaque refers only to the domestic side.

The roadside signs might cause some confusion, though, instead of RAF Leuchars they now show LEUCHARS STATION; I wonder how long it will be before the occasional tourist asks the guardroom for tickets to Kings Cross.

[Fluffy Bunny]

Don't know why they just can't go with the geographical nomenclature and then add their own bit.
So RAF Dunny-on-the-Wold changes to Dunny-on-the-Wold Garrison and then hosts whatever barracks.

[Tashengurt]

Nisa took over our local Co-op. They didn't leave the Co-op signs up.

[Finningley Boy]

What is unique about Kinloss and Leuchars is the airfields both remain active as primary diversions and have, in Leuchars case anyhow, locally based aircraft and also handle other movements. This is quite unique, under the circumstances with the Army as residents in chief, with the tower and other accessories still in use. Everywhere else no matter what link to aviation was never on the same scale of preservation, i.e. Abingdon, Fulton Barracks, has had its ATC tower knocked down after years of being abandoned even though they hold the country and air show there each May.

FB:)

[Wassat Noyze]

At least the squaddification of RAF Upavon wasn't too bad when it became Trenchard Lines :)

[Fluffy Bunny]

At least they kept the tower at Bruggen. Even if it was turned into the garrison music club!

[pr00ne]

Doncaster-Sheffield-Robin Hood Boy,

Nothing unique about the situation at Leuchars and Kinloss at all. Topcliffe and Tern Hill have exactly the same arrangements, as did Waterbeach and Dishforth in their day, the RAF still providing Air Traffic at Dishforth now, though primarily to the AAC.
But both Topcliffe and Tern Hill are exactly as Leuchars and Kinloss, and have been for a very long time now.

[sadhatmo]

Is it not just the domestic site is to be known as Waterloo Lines. Airfield side is still Leuchars Airfield ?

Not sure Picks it may well be. Was up in St Andrews visiting friends last week and the local paper carried an story about its renaming. Apparently the title Waterloo Barracks was awaiting royal approval or something like that.

[Finningley Boy]

Doncaster-Sheffield-Robin Hood Boy,

Nothing unique about the situation at Leuchars and Kinloss at all. Topcliffe and Tern Hill have exactly the same arrangements, as did Waterbeach and Dishforth in their day, the RAF still providing Air Traffic at Dishforth now, though primarily to the AAC.
But both Topcliffe and Tern Hill are exactly as Leuchars and Kinloss, and have been for a very long time now.

pr00ne,

Topcliffe has been utilised for various flying roles since the Army moved in, for their own purposes, i.e. base for AAC units, a Temporary location for RAF Flying training squadrons squadrons from Linton and Church Fenton etc, Dishforth, as you say, is AAC, and Ternhill as a relief landing ground for Shawbury. My point isn't that there aren't any old airfields still on going, Colerne another one, but the reason behind closing Kinloss and Leuchars was to get rid of two active airfields, they then found they couldn't. The airfields you mention have stayed open more out of choice with the option to be utilised or made handy more over for flying training and the use of the Army Air Corps' own units. Leuchars and Kinloss were suppose to close completely, just like Cottesmore and now Church Fenton and Honington. they weren't expected to be maintained to a standard to accommodate Typhoons and Tornados still, but the lack of any other, suitable, military airfields north of Leeming put any such savings out of reach.

That's how I understand it anyway?

FB:)

[Pontius Navigator]

Oh FB, take 10 lines boy. It is Unique or it isn't. And Quite means completely so that is tautology too.

[NorthSouth]

MoD recently revealed there's no plan to replace the Watchman radar at Leuchars - unlike every other ATC unit - so it looks like Leuchars's days as a diversion airfield are numbered too.

[Finningley Boy]

Oh FB, take 10 lines boy. It is Unique or it isn't. And Quite means completely so that is tautology too.

I'm sorry sir, sob, but I don't know what taut..thingmy bob means?:{

FB:}

[langleybaston]

as also is pregnancy absolute.

[that is an analogy to go with the tautology just to keep the balls rolling]

[Finningley Boy]

North South, would this be what you're referring to?


https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/447290/20150703-FOI2015_05894_Marshall.pdf

You'll not that there is no planned upgrade or replacement for Leeming or Waddington either, just a decommisioning date while Leuchars continues to be assessed. Protection means against local wind farm development.

FB:)