The demolition of Woodford has begun
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Canberra visiter to Woodford 24th May 1967 PR.3 prototype VX181 pale blue scheme , can't have had long to go?
Landing at MIA last week I could see 603 in the distance surely it must be getting a tad green and delicate?
Landing at MIA last week I could see 603 in the distance surely it must be getting a tad green and delicate?
Aaahh yes the Avro Canberra 
Think we might stir up some old rivalries unless we stick to Tudor Terrace and Lancaster Lane
The very last flying Canberra bomber variant, WK163 was built at Woodford by Avro so they built them to last.
Think we might stir up some old rivalries unless we stick to Tudor Terrace and Lancaster Lane
The very last flying Canberra bomber variant, WK163 was built at Woodford by Avro so they built them to last.
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XH558 Salute the V-Force Tour
XM603:
My connection with Woodford was spending far too much of my time teaching in the BAe146 simulators there. I cannot tell you how many times I drove past the Vulcan. For quite a few years, she was looked after by a bunch of enthusiasts, many of whom had built her in the first place. They even re-painted her in the original nuclear white colour scheme.
At one point, she was fully serviceable apart from one item from the fuel management system which the RAF had re-possessed for use in the belated Falklands campaign. I can even remember her being towed over to the end of the old short runway to do engine runs.
Then, the modern management of BAe started to make things very difficult for them. Old Vulcans do not make money and they could just become something of a liability. (This was the same sort of modern management that occurred in BA when they decimated their airliner collection at Cosford).
Anyway, I gave up going to Woodford in 2009 and the last I heard about XM603 was that the management had tried to have her scrapped but then discovered that she was still full of fuel. The process of getting the fuel out was put out to tender and the best quote given was £50,000!!!! That made them think.
Which reminds me of a funny story. I had a gliding friend who was an engineer on Vulcans at Akrotiri in Cyprus (9 and 35?). He was in the cockpit of a Vulcan inside the hangar and the name of the game was to de-fuel the aircraft before maintenance. Apparently the Vulcan had an awful lot of fuel tanks and they all had to be de-fuelled in a very strict order to maintain the C of G.
So Chalky told me that he was sat in the left seat when he glanced out the window. The hangar was sinking! Then it dawned on him that the hangar wasn't sinking but it was him who was going up! He ended up hanging from the nosewheel while the aircraft gracefully sat on her backside.
Sorry for the thread drift.
My connection with Woodford was spending far too much of my time teaching in the BAe146 simulators there. I cannot tell you how many times I drove past the Vulcan. For quite a few years, she was looked after by a bunch of enthusiasts, many of whom had built her in the first place. They even re-painted her in the original nuclear white colour scheme.
At one point, she was fully serviceable apart from one item from the fuel management system which the RAF had re-possessed for use in the belated Falklands campaign. I can even remember her being towed over to the end of the old short runway to do engine runs.
Then, the modern management of BAe started to make things very difficult for them. Old Vulcans do not make money and they could just become something of a liability. (This was the same sort of modern management that occurred in BA when they decimated their airliner collection at Cosford).
Anyway, I gave up going to Woodford in 2009 and the last I heard about XM603 was that the management had tried to have her scrapped but then discovered that she was still full of fuel. The process of getting the fuel out was put out to tender and the best quote given was £50,000!!!! That made them think.
Which reminds me of a funny story. I had a gliding friend who was an engineer on Vulcans at Akrotiri in Cyprus (9 and 35?). He was in the cockpit of a Vulcan inside the hangar and the name of the game was to de-fuel the aircraft before maintenance. Apparently the Vulcan had an awful lot of fuel tanks and they all had to be de-fuelled in a very strict order to maintain the C of G.
So Chalky told me that he was sat in the left seat when he glanced out the window. The hangar was sinking! Then it dawned on him that the hangar wasn't sinking but it was him who was going up! He ended up hanging from the nosewheel while the aircraft gracefully sat on her backside.
Sorry for the thread drift.
I'm a bit late joining the discussion of this but I can confirm that XM603 has survived the laying waste of most of Woodford and has been moved to the new Avro Heritage Museum at what used to be (I think) the fire station.
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Dougal-loo Shackleton?
Great to hear of the progress made at Woodford's heritage centre but concerned to read that The Manchester Museum of Science 'MOSI' maybe having a clear out of it's aircraft collection because of building maintenance issues.
Sadly rail enthusiasts are also affected by another issue as the museum's iconic Liverpool Road Station faces dis-connection from the UK network through re design of the Ordsall Chord.
I just hope the resident Shackleton isn't facing a latter day Dougal-loo massacre?
Sadly rail enthusiasts are also affected by another issue as the museum's iconic Liverpool Road Station faces dis-connection from the UK network through re design of the Ordsall Chord.
I just hope the resident Shackleton isn't facing a latter day Dougal-loo massacre?
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MoSI's main line disconnection is sad as it was the original L&M terminus. Far worse is the cutting back of the rail system within MoSI to make operation of the railway (with its replica 1830 L&M 'Planet' loco) nonviable due lack of length of running line.
It would be great if Avro Heritage could accommodate the 707 at Woodford.
It would be great if Avro Heritage could accommodate the 707 at Woodford.
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I had the 'privelege' of visiting the former Woodford site recently for the Vulcan Farewell Tour.
Having flown there in the past from Barton, I have to say visiting the place in this state was quite unpleasant.
What a sobering sight. The old control tower surrounded by rubble, of what was the runway, I reckon.
That said, hats off to whoever organised it's use for this purpose.
Anyway, I thought that they said that XM603 was going to be undercover, inside the Heritage Centre ?
Having flown there in the past from Barton, I have to say visiting the place in this state was quite unpleasant.
What a sobering sight. The old control tower surrounded by rubble, of what was the runway, I reckon.
That said, hats off to whoever organised it's use for this purpose.
Anyway, I thought that they said that XM603 was going to be undercover, inside the Heritage Centre ?
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Avro Heritage Museum
We are now open. Look at the web site avroheritagemuseum.co.uk for all the details. You can look in person at the piles of rubble!
The house builder - Redrow Homes - has started releasing plans and details of this large scale development.
One snippet caught my eye - bearing in mind the prototype MR-4 airframes were scrapped here - the name of one the first roads to be built....
"Nimrod Grave"
Actually it's Nimrod Grove but I ask you
One snippet caught my eye - bearing in mind the prototype MR-4 airframes were scrapped here - the name of one the first roads to be built....
"Nimrod Grave"
Actually it's Nimrod Grove but I ask you
The house builder - Redrow Homes - has started releasing plans and details of this large scale development.
One snippet caught my eye - bearing in mind the prototype MR-4 airframes were scrapped here - the name of one the first roads to be built....
"Nimrod Grave"
Actually it's Nimrod Grove but I ask you
One snippet caught my eye - bearing in mind the prototype MR-4 airframes were scrapped here - the name of one the first roads to be built....
"Nimrod Grave"
Actually it's Nimrod Grove but I ask you
