RAF Ternhill / Clive Barracks to be sold for housing

[NutLoose]

Making the incumbent regiment homeless.

Clive Barracks Army base to be sold and replaced with up to 600 homes « Shropshire Star (http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2016/03/24/mod-to-release-clive-barracks-tern-hill-army-base-for-housing/)

It is hoped the sales will generate a total of £140 million, which the Government says will be invested into the defence budget.

Defence Minister Mark Lancaster said: “Every pound we make by disposing of excess land will be reinvested into a defence budget that keeps Britain safe.


Read more at http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2016/03/24/mod-to-release-clive-barracks-tern-hill-army-base-for-housing/#0LPgchZ9rGkFVUY7.99

Now does that mean that it will be plowed as extra funds into the budget or being the cynic I am, is it more likely that it we are asset stripping the military and in reality we will reduce the military budget accordingly to allow for this surplus cash.


..

[Rigga]

I wonder if they'll allow some old farts to walk around it for a few hours before the seal it up?

[MPN11]

My only Tern Hill memory was of a gorgeous daughter who lived there with her parents when I was doing an ATC Course at Shawbury in the 60s.

I may not sleep tonight! :)

[ACW599]

Isn't it just the domestic site that's going? The story locally is that the airfield is being retained as an RLG for Shawbury.

[Fareastdriver]

I have lots of memories of Tern Hill, mainly from Market Drayton. However, the biggest memory is from my Provost Mk1 course, the last one at Tern Hill before CFS(H) took over.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee224/fareastdriver/Provostcourse.jpg (http://s229.photobucket.com/user/fareastdriver/media/Provostcourse.jpg.html)

[lightbluefootprint]

Worth pointing out that the originally quoted piece about £140m generated is for ten sites, Ternhill/Clive Barracks is just one of them. Personally I think that the ten sites should really generate a bit more than that.

[Shackman]

I also thought that the present RAF Ternhill/Clive Barracks was compulsorily purchased as an expansion airfield in 1936, with the proviso it should be sold back to the original owner or descendants (for the original price) when the military finished with it. That will generate a lot of money -not!

[pr00ne]

Nutloose,

I somehow doubt that the resident regiment will be "left homeless!"

Do you write headlines for the Daily Express and Mail by any chance?

[papajuliet]

Fareastdriver - that Provost wouldn't happen to be WV489 would it ? Or do you have that one logged ?
One of my first flights in 1954, as a CCF cadet, was in WV489 but I never logged it's individual code.
The piston Provosts were brand new then - Prentices and Harvards were the main inhabitants.

[brakedwell]

I wonder what will happen to the Officers Mess.

VIP Sycamore in 1956.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c32/sedgwickjames/aviation/Sycamore_zpscd1ecb62.jpeg

[Fareastdriver]

Sorry papajuliet. WV489 is shown as struck off charge (Cat 5) on the 5th June 1957.

[Valiantone]

I believe MoD Wethersfield is going the same way if a post on one of the spotters forums is correct

V1

[lightbluefootprint]

I believe MoD Wethersfield is going the same way if a post on one of the spotters forums is correct

V1


Along with.....
The 10 sites released today are:

Thornhill Barracks (Part of Clayton Barracks, Aldershot)
Burgoyne Barracks (Part of Shorncliffe Barracks, Folkestone)
Clive Barracks (Tern Hill, Shropshire)
Fitz Wygram House – Royal Army Vet Corps (Aldershot)
Army Officer Selection Board Westbury (Wiltshire)
Defence Training Estate land near Cove (Farnborough)
Rylston Road ARC (London)
MOD Wethersfield (Essex)
Chetwynd Barracks (Chilwell, Nottinghamshire)
MOD Cheadle Hulme (Greater Manchester)

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/thousands-of-new-homes-to-be-built-as-mod-releases-more-sites

[KPax]

Clive Barracks is being sold, I don't think the airfield is part of the closure plans.

[Shackman]

KPax re Clive Barracks:

The airfield might not be, and the ACO have just announced it will house one of the (few) retained cadet gliding Sqns. However, security will become a nightmare if it is to become a housing estate as announced locally. Nearest base - Shawbury, but I'm willing to bet the ACO had assumed they would continue to use their present hangars for storage during the week!

[scarecrow450]

Two hangars are currently being demolished, guess it'll make it easier to leave it abandoned for 6 years before houses are eventually built !
This week
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb26/SCARECROW450/TERNHILL%20RLG/20160321_144415_zpsric01q7v.jpg (http://s211.photobucket.com/user/SCARECROW450/media/TERNHILL%20RLG/20160321_144415_zpsric01q7v.jpg.html)

Few weeks ago
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb26/SCARECROW450/TERNHILL%20RLG/095_zpsfuz5a6fn.jpg (http://s211.photobucket.com/user/SCARECROW450/media/TERNHILL%20RLG/095_zpsfuz5a6fn.jpg.html)

[Wander00]

Blimey, reminder of CCF Annual Camp about 1961 or 1962. We had to take part in the CO's Parade, and ISTR he or one of the wg cdrs had an artificial leg, which led to some odd marching

[scarecrow450]

Hope you didn't march in a big circle !

[Hangarshuffle]

Its sad to see the old buildings go - especially the hangars and the messes.
The stories they could tell. What's the story with Lee On Solent? Will that ever be sold/totally destroyed?

[Wander00]

Playing footy near one of the hangars someone knocked over a 2 gallon foam extinguisher - took all evening and part of the next morning to clear it up

[MPN11]

Carol .. that's her name. It came to me suddenly [the name].
Now, of course, she will be late middle-age with several kids and a weight issue.
God, she was pretty back then.

Meanwhile, back to your regular programme......

[MPN11]

brakedwell ... your photo at Post #10.

I never knew that Tern Hill had a mega-Mess like Shawbury! Wow!

I also hope that the VIP was a lightweight pax in that Sycamore! ;)

[Rigga]

The Off's Mess was somewhat reduce when the OTU closed and grunts moved in - both wings demolished due to lack of use.
What used to be 'my' Block was blown up by the IRA (1987?) and replaced with a newer block

[Shackman]

The mess at TH was considerably bigger than Shawbury - 3 floors and two wings, and was big enough to cope with the courses of 2FTS (rotary), CFS (H) and JCASS as well as all the permanent staff. The first wing was not demolished as such - it collapsed internally when the Colonel of the first regiment to move in decided to have internal walls removed to make suites for his officers, and it then had to be demolished. As the mess now looked lopsided he had the other one demolished as well!

[Cornish Jack]

The hangar shot at 16 was my workspace from '68 to '71. Busy, busy, busy but good fun!!

[Shackman]

That was the hangar that still had shrapnel scars on its northern walls from a near miss during a bombing raid in WW2.

[Rigga]

Likewise, CJ, that was the Whirlwind Line (No2 Handling Party) that I joined in late 1975. Between 8 and 12 whirlwinds ready for the Pan every (weekday) morning.

[scarecrow450]

The present Army lot, Royal Irish, were playing football just the other side of the fence one morning when they kicked the ball over on to the taxiway, when we threw it back we asked why didn't they give us a ring and ask for the ball back ? We were scared they said, these lads had done at least 2 tours in Afghanistan !

The tower is getting new comms so must be closing !!

[Cat Funt]

KPax re Clive Barracks:

The airfield might not be, and the ACO have just announced it will house one of the (few) retained cadet gliding Sqns. However, security will become a nightmare if it is to become a housing estate as announced locally. Nearest base - Shawbury, but I'm willing to bet the ACO had assumed they would continue to use their present hangars for storage during the week!

Don't bet on it. The sqns/site marked for retention were provisional and when I was in a meeting with Muddleton last week he said that the loss of at least one site was on the cards. With Wethersfield for the chop too, 10 sqns would presumably become 8 if no alternative is found. (And then 6 in 2019 when the Vigilants are retired and presumably Topcliffe is also binned because there's no need to keep it open for CFS/ BFT.)

[brakedwell]

I also hope that the VIP was a lightweight pax in that Sycamore!

Little men seem to float to the top of the VIP barrel:E

[Wander00]

Just reminded me I was back there in 1968 for JCSS. A few years later I persuaded local government that it was equivalent to one of their senior management courses.

[scarecrow450]

Believe the gliders Bellman is not up to MAA standards ? Will money be found if the VGS does stay ? Techies who took 2 gliders to Syerston last month said they doubt gliders will fly from Ternhill again.

[NutLoose]

Little men seem to float to the top of the VIP barrel

Funnily enough, so do turds. :E