It seems that in the near future, the present occupiers of Abingdon Station (Dalton Barracks) prefer to demolish the disused Air Traffic Control tower & associated 3 bay Garage next to it on Abingdon Airfield if they can get the money to do so.
For those of you who know Abingdons layout, its in the NW corner of the airfield..
The Tower was in reasonably regularish use as a security look out point on exercises or the resident RAF 612 VGS Motorglider School would use it as Air Traffic whilst there moblie unit was in for servicing etc.
When the RAF vacated, the consoles in the glass house "up top" were all taken away but the Air Conditioning, internal Lighting and Heating was re-installed to work.
Unfortunetly, vandalism struck so two thirds of the windows were smashed including a few of the big windows in the glass house "up top", so around 1999/2000 the decision was made to board it all up as the link below testifies (the tower in question is the two colour photos halfway down the page):
http://www.controltowers.co.uk/A/Abingdon.htm
We as an active volunteer organisation who run the annual ABINGDON FAYRE charity events (mini Airshow / Country Fayre) are actively putting together a collage of pictures from its past to go on display at local / not so local Fetes & Shows for public viewing in the form of a
PR Stand.
I intend to purchase an aircraft cockpit in the near future to add to the
PR display stand and we are now trying to find out / aquire the Air Traffic Tower & 3 bay Garage for storage of our expanding
PR Stand, equipment for Abingdon Fayre events and the idea of maybe to set up a small RAF Abingdon memorial museum so to be a permanent reminder of its past and would save the Tower and Garage from being bulldozed!
Can i have peoples thoughts on this, and any willing helpers to volunteer any services or contribute as we want to get the ball rolling.
Please initially e-mail me on:
[email protected]
Many thanks
NP