Lyneham move???

[Incipient Sinner]

Hot off the rumour press, is there any truth that a certain Herc base is due to close with a possible move to Fairford.

Does anyone know for sure??

[moggie]

To what end? I suspect that the folks around Fairford would whinge like hell about the extra noise and there are ATC implications for Brize.

Add to this the huge cost involved for little at no gain, then it is a certainty that the MoD will go for it!

[Tiger_mate]

Lyneham close? ....NO way, Not enough new buildings completed, on the other hand; Fairford has just been resurfaced and had lots of new buildings, a dead cert to close!

T_M

[Jambo Jet]

Has any other southern airfield got a N/S (albeit bent) runway ? :eek:

[StopStart]

I'd heard this too, albeit ninth hand. Apparently some sort of review next June? Consequently no spending on capital projects at Lyneham until then.....
So the Med centre will still be in a Barrack block and the OM will still have no hot water for a few months to come.

T_M - as regards new builds, surely the new J schoolhouse and simulators are more than a good enough reason to close the station!??!?

I smell another money saving scheme coming up..
You know, one of those exercises that, on paper, will save £11.40 over 10 years by closing one station but in reality ends up costing an extra £11.4 million a year....

[1.3VStall]

Jambo,

Yes - Abingdon, which unfortunately is now inhabited by brown jobs.

[The Gorilla]

I suppose savings have to be made to finance Tonys overseas tours. Have to pay to keep our vitally important security council seat!! After all someone has to be able to influence the Americans.
;)

[Gainesy]

Stop,Stop,Stop!

This type of gossip could bankrupt those of us with shares in the pie industry; the market is already reeling from the crew downsize for the wretched J.
:eek:

[Jackonicko]

West of London, but accessible from N, W and S of the capital? Within easy reach of the M4 and mainline rail? Bound to become London Swindon International, surely?

The next best choice after they closed Greenham and let them dig it up.

[Top Bunk Tester]

Well they have just built new Sgts' Mess accom, a new Jurassic Park, a new school house (J) and been updating Ops sooooooooo.............bye bye Lyneham

[Ghost Dancer]

Ah, yes, but have they re-surfaced the runway recently?

And how many Herc bases are there in the North of Scotland?

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[EESDL]

Ghost Dancer

If they move Albert up to Scotia, then it should have climbed high enough before SIREN!

We all know that this is a simple diversionary tactic, used by the powers that be, to take our eyes off the ball. As stated in another thread, it is common knowledge that, due to lots of American things under the surface, St Mawgan cannot close.....Newquay it is then.....all aboard!!

Should crack the SIREN from there.

[Capt Widebody]

No, no, no! Bloody rumours... let me set you all straight...

You're all wrong. Lyneham is not going to close, and that was never part of the plan. RAF Lyneham is actually staying open, and it will be a straight swap: Nimrods for Alberts. Something to do with the J being such a long range beast - oh, and Herc mates having it far too good for far to long.

Enjoy Elgin, boys! :p

[Jackonicko]

Don't be stoopid! Lyneham's much too close to the sea. Nimrods therefore to go to Halton (furthest point from every coast, I'm told). Build me a runway quick!

[Arkroyal]

Jambo

There is another southern airfield with a N/S runway, proven ideal for Alberts and dilapidated enough to require the spending of the stacks of money required to be wasted when saving money.

Thorney Island. :eek:

[Who's Ya Daddy]

Arkroyal,
it will never be Thorney Island - too many ex air officers living around the place!

[Arkroyal]

Who'sya,

Quite right! 'sfunny, though, that things worked the opposite way for SAR at Lee. When it was moved to Portland, it was the retired Admirals with their Solent based gin palaces who required its return. :rolleyes:

[EESDL]

So, some politician has caught wind of a 3 stars latest project-to-keep-himself-busy-and-justify-his-scrambled-egg-hat-in-an-ever-shrinking-airforce. It's only because this secret Wiltshire airbase employs so many civvies that MPs are ****d........

[Descend to What Height?!?]

If a North South r/w is needed, then why not the very underused Boscombe Down? I'm sure Mr Sting will welcome the increased trafic! :eek: ;)

[Ghost Dancer]

Nah!!, here's the way it goes:

Tankers - out to private tender (cheaper, but not as effective, but who cares)

SLF - Well, BA is the obvious choice, a good excuse to bail them out and to get rid of any lingering ideas of Empire that required rapid support by air.

BZN - OK, Sir Richard, you've bought up the rest, here's the middle bit at a knockdown price - by the way would you like to run the National Lottery?

Right, then, the rest of you, well, Cornwall has been a bit neglected for a while, there's this nice little place, 9000' blacktop, quite wide, des res will take B52s, Concorde etc (oh yes, and what was that Comet variation?)

I know, we haven't had a big move since ModPE went to Abbey Wood - lets all go to St Mawgan (well at least for the summer)

After all, if we don't like it we can always spend a few more zillion to change again and all move to....???

Or perhaps I'm being cynical..am I??

[Ghost Dancer]

EESDL,

Sorry mate did not read your epistle before my last outburst.

Whether or not they would make SIREN or not depends on whether they are K or J (how many people are pedalling??)

I have it on EXCELLENT authority from the (former) GRU that StM cannot close, because as Newquay International (oops sorry, have I blown its' cover) their wives cannot work on their tans without spending money.

He He, little do they know that Ice Station Kilo actually has more hours of sunshine a year than almost anywhere else in UK - but that's our little secret eh?

[Desert Crash]

There is an MOD wide 'Core Sites' study underway that will survey all MOD holdings (except TA and Cadets) to determine whether sites are Strategic, Flexible or Retained (ie can be sold off or merged with another MOD user). Isn't Lyneham awfully close to Salisbury Plain? Perhaps the Army would like to share it with the AT fleet? :cool:

[Ghost Dancer]

They already do - 47AD Regt RLC

[Desert Crash]

No, I mean proper troops (not pallet stackers!). Anyway, Machrihanish is remaining in MOD hands and a study is underway to further utilise the site. Just think: SCOT-TRAIN would commence immediately when airborne! After all, Campbletown has more to offer than Wootton Bassett and Glasgow is only 130 miles away by road! :eek:

[Gash Handlin]

Desert Crash,

Not to mention that at the end of a recent exercise at Macrahanish, we Royal Engineers left behind some permanent accomodation that we'd spent a week and a half hardening to leave as our legacy, hmmmm, and there's still the big hangar on the southside. This could have been a cunning plan.

But the Harrier mates will be pleased to hear we lifted the FOP and taxiway we built. So it wont be them moving in :D

And dont be such a pessimist, you can get a ferry accross to Glasgow :D

[Ittle B. Alright]

Dessert Crush,

I assume from your phrase 'pallet stackers' that you haven't had many dealings with 47 AD, otherwise you would know that they are 'proper troops'.

By the way,the Nth of Scotland might have loads of sun, but it is still f*@£ing cold.

[TalkingBallast]

Move Hercs to Kinloss or St Mawgan? Great idea! Troops based in Scotland could be bussed to the the Air Mounting Centre several days prior to departure then bussed to the new, conveniently located AT centre. Top tip. Buy shares in bus companies. :confused:

[sarboy]

More grist to the rumour mill - the recent announcement of intent to carry out reviews of the future roles and committments to St M, Lyn and Brize (now that new, shiny and supposedly easy to maintain aircraft are on their way to 2 out of those 3 - guess which). But the same announcement declared one of the units at St M to be the Search and Research HQ (fingers, pulses...)

[No comment]

Just shove everything out to Llanbedr

[Charlie Luncher]

Got the RAF news in my mits today,
article mentions poss move of trucker f**kers and Tanka w**kas to allow the majestic Norman to defrost and bring a little bit of operational flying to S.England.

Higher recruitment to maritime
lower divorce rate
upset the sweaties

go on you know you want to