Wisley....ah Vickers....(Merged)
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Wisley....ah Vickers....(Merged)
Looking to find some good info on Wisley, the disused Airfield just off the A3. Use to be the flight test airfield for Vickers/BAC.
Photo's especially in it's hey day or contacts who might have some history.
Anybody know of any plans for it?
Thanks in advance
PFR
Photo's especially in it's hey day or contacts who might have some history.
Anybody know of any plans for it?
Thanks in advance
PFR
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I live quite close to it. Last I heard it was owned by the same people who own Fairoaks. There was some agreement with the locals/LA that it would never operate as an airport ever again. Shame, it's got a VOR/DME on site and a hard runway (still there).
Rememmber also that Surrey CC are one of the councils that oppose any form of aviation, so any request for planing is more than likely to be turned down.
Anything in particulay you are after? Send me a private message if so.
Regards
PS
Rememmber also that Surrey CC are one of the councils that oppose any form of aviation, so any request for planing is more than likely to be turned down.
Anything in particulay you are after? Send me a private message if so.
Regards
PS
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As I'm down at the Brooklands Museum every weekend (which is on the site of the old Vickers factory), I'll ask one of the guys currently sorting through the archives if we have any info on Wisley.
There is a planning application to build a waste incinerator on the site but the nimbys have put up fierce opposition.
Will let you know what I find in due course.
[ 20 December 2001: Message edited by: R for Robert ]</p>
There is a planning application to build a waste incinerator on the site but the nimbys have put up fierce opposition.
Will let you know what I find in due course.
[ 20 December 2001: Message edited by: R for Robert ]</p>
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PFR,
You may be interested in the following site:
<a href="http://www1.getmapping.com/sorry.asp?method=move&dir=Left&oseast=507825.38&osnorth=1576 29.1&cellId=1136149010005" target="_blank">http://www1.getmapping.com/sorry.asp?method=move&dir=Left&oseast=507825.38&osnorth=1576 29.1&cellId=1136149010005</A>
a little grainy, but you can pan left and right. Current plans for this site have included a waste incinerator, or housing development. Nothing confirmed yet, as far as I know.
You may also be interested in the following site:
<a href="http://home01.wxs.nl/~hiemi003/History/vc10_25years.html" target="_blank">http://home01.wxs.nl/~hiemi003/History/vc10_25years.html</A>
You may be interested in the following site:
<a href="http://www1.getmapping.com/sorry.asp?method=move&dir=Left&oseast=507825.38&osnorth=1576 29.1&cellId=1136149010005" target="_blank">http://www1.getmapping.com/sorry.asp?method=move&dir=Left&oseast=507825.38&osnorth=1576 29.1&cellId=1136149010005</A>
a little grainy, but you can pan left and right. Current plans for this site have included a waste incinerator, or housing development. Nothing confirmed yet, as far as I know.
You may also be interested in the following site:
<a href="http://home01.wxs.nl/~hiemi003/History/vc10_25years.html" target="_blank">http://home01.wxs.nl/~hiemi003/History/vc10_25years.html</A>
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Thanks for the replies. Polar_stereographic I'll drop you a line - thanks also R for Robert, much appreciated if you can see what's in the archives. I'd love to have enough info/history, stories to write a book to give due recognition to the valuable part played by this forgotten airfield and the dedicated poeple both at Wisley and Weybridge who contributed so much to what was a heyday of British aviation. More's the pity we ain't got it now!
Is Hugh Tyrer still involved with the Brooklands Museum?
Newswatcher thanks also for your reply....I'd found the VC-10 sight earlier plus some good aerials from multimap, nevertheless all inputs welcome.
Thanks to all, more contributions always welcome
Seasons Greetings <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> PFR
Is Hugh Tyrer still involved with the Brooklands Museum?
Newswatcher thanks also for your reply....I'd found the VC-10 sight earlier plus some good aerials from multimap, nevertheless all inputs welcome.
Thanks to all, more contributions always welcome
Seasons Greetings <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> PFR
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A wee Q for the history buffs of Wisley; how were the '10's and other machines that were test flown from there transported to sight - in large sections and then re assembled? Was GARTA not originally flown from Brooklands runway or am I mis informed? Were the 1'11's also test flwown from Wisley or manufactured and flown from Hurn?
Ok, maybe more than one question........
Ok, maybe more than one question........
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Wisley is indeed still owned by the owners of Fairoaks. The runway is still there, but now has bollards along its length to stop the car racing that used to go on (illegal racing of course!)
The Incinerator was turned down - because of the local Nimby lot, probably no bad thing, though there case was largely misinformed - still, at least it won't destroy OCK (Ockham VOR is on the site).
The VC10's were not assembled at Wisley (I think I'm right in saying, certainly Trubshaw's autobiog refers to them being positioned from Weybridge/Brooklands across). It makes interesting reading that book, and also combined with the comments of the "Old, Bold" brigade around these parts. Apparently they would take of with enough fuel for the 3 minute flight. And I mean, with enough for the 3 minute flight ONLY! But, those solid RAF types nevered wrapped one around Byfleet!
It's a great place, but sadly, like Brooklands (in total, but good on the museum for keeping some of it healthy) and inevitably Dunsfold, it isn't getting any younger and is gradually being consigned to the land reclamation past that was Surrey's aviation history.
Surrey CC are a real bunch of short sighted ******s, though there's a great (and by that I mean HUGE) opposition to anything remotely developmental within airports in Surrey/Middx. Dunsfold has to be the crime of the decade. BAe pulled out and the airport will not, because of the council's development plan, be able to be used for anything other than Harrier test flying. So, that'll be back to farmland again.
Kick off, that's what I say.
Mind you, if Wisley did reactivate it'd scare the sh*t out of drivers on the A3 - about 100 metres from the end of the runway! "But it weren't there when we built it!"
Ho hum, airport rape and pillage rant over!
The Incinerator was turned down - because of the local Nimby lot, probably no bad thing, though there case was largely misinformed - still, at least it won't destroy OCK (Ockham VOR is on the site).
The VC10's were not assembled at Wisley (I think I'm right in saying, certainly Trubshaw's autobiog refers to them being positioned from Weybridge/Brooklands across). It makes interesting reading that book, and also combined with the comments of the "Old, Bold" brigade around these parts. Apparently they would take of with enough fuel for the 3 minute flight. And I mean, with enough for the 3 minute flight ONLY! But, those solid RAF types nevered wrapped one around Byfleet!
It's a great place, but sadly, like Brooklands (in total, but good on the museum for keeping some of it healthy) and inevitably Dunsfold, it isn't getting any younger and is gradually being consigned to the land reclamation past that was Surrey's aviation history.
Surrey CC are a real bunch of short sighted ******s, though there's a great (and by that I mean HUGE) opposition to anything remotely developmental within airports in Surrey/Middx. Dunsfold has to be the crime of the decade. BAe pulled out and the airport will not, because of the council's development plan, be able to be used for anything other than Harrier test flying. So, that'll be back to farmland again.
Kick off, that's what I say.
Mind you, if Wisley did reactivate it'd scare the sh*t out of drivers on the A3 - about 100 metres from the end of the runway! "But it weren't there when we built it!"
Ho hum, airport rape and pillage rant over!
All the 10s were flown out of Weybridge over to Wisley. However, G-ARTA went back in to Weybridge, possibly more than once. I was told that this aircraft also did all the deep stall tests; at one stage the stress engineers were calculating the 'life' of the tail in minutes. It was subsequently bought and operated by Fred, one hopes with a new tail!
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It was not unusual to fly the -10s back into Weybridge. Wind had to be in the right direction because of the railway at the north end. Fire engines were ready at the end of the landing roll to put out any brake fires! Getting out was never a problem and one could load quite q reasolnable amount of fuel. Take off in a 1-11 from Weybridge was much more "exiting".
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Since Wisley is ten minutes down the road and it was a nice afternoon to walk the dog.....
Access easy off A3 via Elm Lane. Park nr gate.
The old factory area has been flattened, but all of the concrete has been left, including some buried hangar door bottom rails. There are some sort of channels covered by concrete access covers about two feet wide for, I assume, services of some sort?
What stunned me was the slope of the taxiways upto the runway -must have taken some extra power to get up, and heavy on the brakes coming down.
The top pic above I can positively identify as at the 28 threshold. The other is quite distinctive from the joins in the concrete, that are still quite visible.
The centre line markings, instrument landing markings, 10 numbers, piano keys and yellow taxi lines are still visible on the runway. And WHAT I runway!! Still plenty of room to land a light plane at the west end.....
Still, nice place to let DOG.400 run around -but what a waste of good tarmac!!
[ 02 January 2002: Message edited by: DOC.400 ]</p>
Access easy off A3 via Elm Lane. Park nr gate.
The old factory area has been flattened, but all of the concrete has been left, including some buried hangar door bottom rails. There are some sort of channels covered by concrete access covers about two feet wide for, I assume, services of some sort?
What stunned me was the slope of the taxiways upto the runway -must have taken some extra power to get up, and heavy on the brakes coming down.
The top pic above I can positively identify as at the 28 threshold. The other is quite distinctive from the joins in the concrete, that are still quite visible.
The centre line markings, instrument landing markings, 10 numbers, piano keys and yellow taxi lines are still visible on the runway. And WHAT I runway!! Still plenty of room to land a light plane at the west end.....
Still, nice place to let DOG.400 run around -but what a waste of good tarmac!!
[ 02 January 2002: Message edited by: DOC.400 ]</p>
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I didn't know there was so much interest in Wisley.
Here is a shot of it in it's heyday:-
Regarding Wisley movements there is a booklet published by Cirrus Associates called Wisley Aerodrome - Record of Aircraft Movements 1954 -1969. It is by no means a comprehensive list but it gives a fair idea of what went on there.
I had a look round Wisley shortly after it closed. In the Fire Station sink I found a number of station logs which recorded everything that happened on the field. As they were of no use to anyone I 'borrowed' a few (I must take them back) and they make really interesting reading.
In the 50's they record Valiant flights over the weekend, imagine them getting away with that now in that area!
Another entry records the VC-10 structural test airframe arriving at the 'field up the narrow approach road.
G-ARTA touching down at 17:44 on Fri 29th June 1962.
Anther interesting entry is Ronald Biggs is suspected of being in the area to be picked up by a light a/c that night to be flown out of the country.
I wish I had taken all the logs now.
Here is a shot of it in it's heyday:-
Regarding Wisley movements there is a booklet published by Cirrus Associates called Wisley Aerodrome - Record of Aircraft Movements 1954 -1969. It is by no means a comprehensive list but it gives a fair idea of what went on there.
I had a look round Wisley shortly after it closed. In the Fire Station sink I found a number of station logs which recorded everything that happened on the field. As they were of no use to anyone I 'borrowed' a few (I must take them back) and they make really interesting reading.
In the 50's they record Valiant flights over the weekend, imagine them getting away with that now in that area!
Another entry records the VC-10 structural test airframe arriving at the 'field up the narrow approach road.
G-ARTA touching down at 17:44 on Fri 29th June 1962.
Anther interesting entry is Ronald Biggs is suspected of being in the area to be picked up by a light a/c that night to be flown out of the country.
I wish I had taken all the logs now.
Last edited by etsd0001; 28th Dec 2002 at 21:36.
Looking at the view of Wisley posted by "etsd0001" has reminded me of the halcion days in the early '60s when BAC's D.H.Herons plied the Wisley-Hurn route daily, often in close formation.
I attended Brooklands Tech from Sept 66 to July 67. Lunchtime was spent, weather permitting, sitting on the Brooklands embankment eating sandwiches whilst waiting for the down "Bournemoth Belle" (still steam hauled on most days ), and of course watching the VC10/Super VC10s on the engine- running area.
I never saw anything take off, unfortunately!
Weekends invariably included a cyclle ride to Lasham (from my home at Farnham) where, on more than one occasion I "helped" with an engine run on an ACE Freighters DC4 !
Happy days indeed: sadly, I don't think our offspring will enjoy this sort of freedom....all the more reason to get such events recorded for posterity ?
More ramblings from me before long.
In the meantime , all the best for 2003 to one and all.
Folkyphil.
...Re. my last...should read "Bournemouth Belle"...two too many pints of "Old Hooky", maybe...!
I attended Brooklands Tech from Sept 66 to July 67. Lunchtime was spent, weather permitting, sitting on the Brooklands embankment eating sandwiches whilst waiting for the down "Bournemoth Belle" (still steam hauled on most days ), and of course watching the VC10/Super VC10s on the engine- running area.
I never saw anything take off, unfortunately!
Weekends invariably included a cyclle ride to Lasham (from my home at Farnham) where, on more than one occasion I "helped" with an engine run on an ACE Freighters DC4 !
Happy days indeed: sadly, I don't think our offspring will enjoy this sort of freedom....all the more reason to get such events recorded for posterity ?
More ramblings from me before long.
In the meantime , all the best for 2003 to one and all.
Folkyphil.
...Re. my last...should read "Bournemouth Belle"...two too many pints of "Old Hooky", maybe...!
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A few years ago, I used to be associated with one of the local Air Training Corps squadrons in the local area. We were informed that Wisley was used as one of the main bases to test fly the ill fated TSR2. The aircraft flew in with only basic instrumentation installed, and were fitted out at the airfield with the more sophisticated bits of kit.
Can anyone confirm this? Or is this one of the ATC legends.....
Can anyone confirm this? Or is this one of the ATC legends.....
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It's an ATC legend. The TSR2 was only flown from Boscombe Down intially, then it went up the Warton.
The Vicker's contingent at BAC wanted the a/c testing done from Wisley, while EE wanted it done from Warton. In the end the Government said it had to be done from Boscombe.
If you read Roland Beamont's books he say's Wisley's runway was too short in the case of a brake failure as the a/c would be the other side of the A3 before it came to a halt. Presumeably that was if the a/c survived the steep drop from the runway to A3 level.
Rgds
ETSD (ex-11F Sqdn ATC)
The Vicker's contingent at BAC wanted the a/c testing done from Wisley, while EE wanted it done from Warton. In the end the Government said it had to be done from Boscombe.
If you read Roland Beamont's books he say's Wisley's runway was too short in the case of a brake failure as the a/c would be the other side of the A3 before it came to a halt. Presumeably that was if the a/c survived the steep drop from the runway to A3 level.
Rgds
ETSD (ex-11F Sqdn ATC)
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ETSD
Is 11F the Walton on Thames ATC squadron? If so do you have any contact with Dave Reynolds, one of the squadron officers a few years back? If you do, perhaps you could email me with details.
Thanks
BFB
Is 11F the Walton on Thames ATC squadron? If so do you have any contact with Dave Reynolds, one of the squadron officers a few years back? If you do, perhaps you could email me with details.
Thanks
BFB
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Aviation lives on at Wisley.
The pub on the eastern airfield boundary, the Black Swan, is particularly welcoming of helicopters. You can beat up the airfield on the way in for pie and chips.
Watch for horses east of the pub.
The pub on the eastern airfield boundary, the Black Swan, is particularly welcoming of helicopters. You can beat up the airfield on the way in for pie and chips.
Watch for horses east of the pub.