RAE Farnborough - steeped in history
I'm just here to put people's minds at rest. I'm a security worker 2016 at the airfield and the building G21 (the sheds at the end of runway 24) still holds all the archives for the Rae. No skips etc. I could lose myself in there if I had the equipment to convert everything to digital format..... Reels of film. Negatives and finally the hand written notes of test pilots. Become a trustee of the farnborough air sciences trust or FAST and gain access and help share all this stuff. After all its farnborough's history that we all love. That's why you googled it :-) much love, Albert out
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the black sheds in question are the ones by G29 gate (not sure if this was the old fire station) they are right under the final app to 24 and inside the fence. If driving past the Aviator on the perimeter road so that its on your right there is a gated turning on the left, these are the sheds talked about, if you see the small pond on your left you have gone too far !
You must be referring to what used to be called South Gate; it has a small guardroom there next to what used to be a roundabout.
When I first started work in N1 building (the now demolished control tower), there were two of these 'black sheds' known colloquially as 'K' Shed until one of them was found to be in a poor condition in (I think) the early '80s and had to be demolished. I didn't know the remaining one had archive material stored there, but I know the display line markers and the 'greenhouses' for the commentator and Flying Control Committee were kept there between airshows and it was the fire station until the present one at Jersey Brow was built.
I can remember a scene for the TV series 'Soldier Soldier' being filmed there mid/late '90s when it was fitted out as a parachute training room.
When I first started work in N1 building (the now demolished control tower), there were two of these 'black sheds' known colloquially as 'K' Shed until one of them was found to be in a poor condition in (I think) the early '80s and had to be demolished. I didn't know the remaining one had archive material stored there, but I know the display line markers and the 'greenhouses' for the commentator and Flying Control Committee were kept there between airshows and it was the fire station until the present one at Jersey Brow was built.
I can remember a scene for the TV series 'Soldier Soldier' being filmed there mid/late '90s when it was fitted out as a parachute training room.
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4 years ago when i was inside it was empty shell apart from the pidgeons 
I was told back then that is was in a bad state, last week when passing airside I noticed what looked like models on the windowsill facing the runway, couldnt tell what from the distance but def models. Perhaps the rumours of skips in the area came from people seeing the workmen refurbishing the shed as opposed to historical gumph being skipped !
I was told back then that is was in a bad state, last week when passing airside I noticed what looked like models on the windowsill facing the runway, couldnt tell what from the distance but def models. Perhaps the rumours of skips in the area came from people seeing the workmen refurbishing the shed as opposed to historical gumph being skipped !
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Chevvron, I have seen an aerial photo of that area (cant find it now..doh) which shows the entrance to the RAE site that goes down between FAST and the Swan, now a dead end. Coming in that way the sheds would be on your left and the ornamental pond on your right....now if only I could find ta picture !! lol
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Not the pic I had in mind but in the pic top right of the wiki page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:R...ry,_c.1915.jpg the sheds can be seen runing left right at the bottom, they are white/silver in this 1915 shot and there are 2 of them instead of just the one thats in situ now
I think that ornamental pond is new, although there was another in the grounds of the 'Staff Mess' a bit further towards 'The Swan' at the bottom right of the photo. It contained a large number of koi carp which were transferred to a static water tank on the airfield just behind 'C' Shed ie near the present control tower, C shed also having been demolished. I remember going out on the airfield with Tony Knight, the airfield engineer, before the new tower was built and we made a 'special' stop there where he threw in a handful of fish food.
In the picture it was the right hand one of the two 'black' sheds which has already been demolished.
In the picture it was the right hand one of the two 'black' sheds which has already been demolished.
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re the present fish pond, its small and circular with paved/slab edging, its outside the boundy fence and is obviously looked after, does seem a strange place to have one though !
yes we are talking about the same sheds now...lol
yes we are talking about the same sheds now...lol
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sorry, replying to a post thats 9 years old here !!! I saw some black wrought iron gates with RAE picked out in flaking gold paint around the back of FAST leaning up against the building a few years back, could be the same ones
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M,emories
I have happy memories of Farnborough because they loaned me Dove to do my civil instrument rating. I was based at Bedford which a sub station.To get to Stansted where all instrument ratings were done then we had to fly east from Farn and then transit under the approach at Heathrow, they too were very kind about it
re the present fish pond, its small and circular with paved/slab edging, its outside the boundy fence and is obviously looked after, does seem a strange place to have one though !
Busk Memorial, R.A.E. Small lily pond and fountain with memorial plaque. In memory of Edward Teshmaker Busk, killed in a flying accident 5.11.1911. SU 869 545 0802 35
A bit about ET Busk here: http://www.airsciences.org.uk/FAST_B...hmakerBusk.pdf
There was another rectangular lily pond, either outside the medical centre or the nearby building the RAF used. Both were near the old control tower. I also recall being told there were fish in the large cooling(?) pond by the five metre tunnel, as well as some more in another pond on the Pyestock site.
With regard to the RAE gates, they weren't considered imposing enough when Nevil Shute's 'No Highway' was being filmed, so some more ornate ones were created. After filming, these gates were installed at the RAE Sports Ground, where the retail park is now by the A331.
Last edited by Mechta; 14th Aug 2016 at 23:05. Reason: Info on gates
This could be the Busk Memorial Pond:
Hampshire Treasures: Volume 3 ( Hart and Rushmoor), Page 221 - Farnborough
A bit about ET Busk here: http://www.airsciences.org.uk/FAST_B...hmakerBusk.pdf
There was another rectangular lily pond, either outside the medical centre or the nearby building the RAF used. Both were near the old control tower. I also recall being told there were fish in the large cooling(?) pond by the five metre tunnel, as well as some more in another pond on the Pyestock site.
With regard to the RAE gates, they weren't considered imposing enough when Nevil Shute's 'No Highway' was being filmed, so some more ornate ones were created. After filming, these gates were installed at the RAE Sports Ground, where the retail park is now by the A331.
Hampshire Treasures: Volume 3 ( Hart and Rushmoor), Page 221 - Farnborough
A bit about ET Busk here: http://www.airsciences.org.uk/FAST_B...hmakerBusk.pdf
There was another rectangular lily pond, either outside the medical centre or the nearby building the RAF used. Both were near the old control tower. I also recall being told there were fish in the large cooling(?) pond by the five metre tunnel, as well as some more in another pond on the Pyestock site.
With regard to the RAE gates, they weren't considered imposing enough when Nevil Shute's 'No Highway' was being filmed, so some more ornate ones were created. After filming, these gates were installed at the RAE Sports Ground, where the retail park is now by the A331.
The gates in the photo above were once I believe, at 'South Gate' which was the gate nearest the staff mess in RAE Road and not far from the FAST Museum.
Last edited by chevvron; 16th Aug 2016 at 00:18.
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It appears that the place has change a lot since I used to fly a Tiger Moth there on week ends to tow the R.A.E gliding club machines. No landing fee back then!
