Sleap was used as a satellite to Shawbury in the early-mid '60s; I recollect that it was some kind of approach training, and club flying was stopped during it. Was it with Piston Provosts? Jet Provosts?
When I joined UBAS at Shawbury in 1967, there were GCA Radars at Sleap and Shawbury. Marshall’s operated Vampire T11s and Piston Provosts for trainee controller practice. The pilots were civilians, mostly ex-service but some of the Piston Provost pilots had never served. One of them also flew the Vampire on a PPL, which was unique in the UK at that time.
They became so good at flying GCAs that they had to deliberately fly up and down, left and right, to give the controllers a chance to learn how to give corrections.
Sleap was so busy during the week, that I remember an article with a title along the lines of “Don’t go to sleep when you go to Sleap.”
In 1968 or 1969, the GCA at Shawbury was replaced with a PAR. I don’t remember if they did the same thing at Sleap.
JPs replaces the PPs and T11s sometime in the 70s.