RAF Halton to close
London?
When Uxbridge/Bentley Priory was closed and Northolt rammed packed out with Biz Jets, then Halton became the place for RAF ceremonial support. Recently that meant HM's Diamond Jubilee RAF contingent was based there and it will host the RAF100 contingent's effort in London. Further for Coronations and other such State ceremonial events then for the RAF then Halton has been key with large stocks of uniform, swords, drill instructors, life-support (accom, food and medical) and its location. Then it has been used for Op OLYMPICS in that it trained a large proportion (~2,500) of the Venue Security Force and then was home to the 600 or so that did venue security at Wembley Stadiium and Wembley Arena during the Olympics. It was also a hub with at least 10 or so fire engines for the recent fire strikes and provides a base for other resilience tasks. Many of these things, with the loss of Halton AND Henlow will mean that supporting such things will be difficult. A bus of 55 personnel can be in London inside an hour, whereas from Cranwell or Cosford it will be at least 3 hours each way!
That is why Halton's location near London is significant.
iRaven
When Uxbridge/Bentley Priory was closed and Northolt rammed packed out with Biz Jets, then Halton became the place for RAF ceremonial support. Recently that meant HM's Diamond Jubilee RAF contingent was based there and it will host the RAF100 contingent's effort in London. Further for Coronations and other such State ceremonial events then for the RAF then Halton has been key with large stocks of uniform, swords, drill instructors, life-support (accom, food and medical) and its location. Then it has been used for Op OLYMPICS in that it trained a large proportion (~2,500) of the Venue Security Force and then was home to the 600 or so that did venue security at Wembley Stadiium and Wembley Arena during the Olympics. It was also a hub with at least 10 or so fire engines for the recent fire strikes and provides a base for other resilience tasks. Many of these things, with the loss of Halton AND Henlow will mean that supporting such things will be difficult. A bus of 55 personnel can be in London inside an hour, whereas from Cranwell or Cosford it will be at least 3 hours each way!
That is why Halton's location near London is significant.
iRaven
The Nip - "insecure" is not quite correct, some parts of Halton are more secure than others for the right reasons. Indeed, I would say that Halton is no less secure than Cranwell or Cosford.
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Happy New Year iRaven, but I disagree about the bus in an hour. That would mean personnel on standby etc. In my time at Halton we were used for route lining etc in London and had plenty of notice cos we did a lot of practices before the day. Can or could be done easily from either Cosford or Sleaford Technical Coledge, just means leaving a bit earlier to get there.
Saddest loss for me with the closing of Halton is its historic link to the early days of the RAF and the formation of the apprenticeship system within the RAF. It was a sad day when the apprenticeship scheme finished but the world moves on.
I do agree about your comment regarding the old workshops and hopefully they will servive and be preserved. It would be a very sad loss if some of it did not remain. A link to the many thousands would started time in the RAF.
Saddest loss for me with the closing of Halton is its historic link to the early days of the RAF and the formation of the apprenticeship system within the RAF. It was a sad day when the apprenticeship scheme finished but the world moves on.
I do agree about your comment regarding the old workshops and hopefully they will servive and be preserved. It would be a very sad loss if some of it did not remain. A link to the many thousands would started time in the RAF.
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I really don't think keeping a base open for the odd ceremonial/security detachment is a decent argument - sure as hell not one I'd like to take to the Treasury...........
Nostalgia is a strong emotion. My good fortune was to attend both Trenchard 'mills', Halton and Cranwell.
There was something about the location of Halton which added to the spirit of the training system.
A pre-service visit to the then 'new' airframe workshop, the sight of real aircraft lined up, to be explored taken to pieces, the smell of hydraulics ... this was the place to be. Three years later with the arrival of the first Lightning instructional airframe ... I want to fly that.
Trenchard's legacy enabled both.
It's disappointing to see the concept of apprenticeship, technical and flying excellence in decline (military at least). This was central in the Trenchard idea; much of what remains of the RAF has been founded on this.
Modern management tends to focus on the near term, because the future is uncertain, costly, ...
There is a lack of vision; will constant reorganisation deliver the much needed military agility and flexibility often required in unforeseeable futures. Are the politicians dazzled by cost, or reacting to the reality of the modern world including economic constraint, all short term; the military leadership remains weak and fragmented, a pale shadow of the likes of Trenchard.
There was something about the location of Halton which added to the spirit of the training system.
A pre-service visit to the then 'new' airframe workshop, the sight of real aircraft lined up, to be explored taken to pieces, the smell of hydraulics ... this was the place to be. Three years later with the arrival of the first Lightning instructional airframe ... I want to fly that.
Trenchard's legacy enabled both.
It's disappointing to see the concept of apprenticeship, technical and flying excellence in decline (military at least). This was central in the Trenchard idea; much of what remains of the RAF has been founded on this.
Modern management tends to focus on the near term, because the future is uncertain, costly, ...
There is a lack of vision; will constant reorganisation deliver the much needed military agility and flexibility often required in unforeseeable futures. Are the politicians dazzled by cost, or reacting to the reality of the modern world including economic constraint, all short term; the military leadership remains weak and fragmented, a pale shadow of the likes of Trenchard.
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They want to get elected - when any increase in taxes is screamed down by the Popular Press (both right & left of centre|) they are always under financial pressure
Now with social media the horizon narrows to next week if you are lucky - quite simply there are no votes in leadership or the long term
Now with social media the horizon narrows to next week if you are lucky - quite simply there are no votes in leadership or the long term
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Harry while I agree, they bury the fact that it all comes at a cost.
Along the way, the fact it costs multi millions to both close a Station and rebuild the existing infrastructure at another station always seems to get lost in the finer details of the cost saving ( apparently ) announcement.
Along the way, the fact it costs multi millions to both close a Station and rebuild the existing infrastructure at another station always seems to get lost in the finer details of the cost saving ( apparently ) announcement.
Nostalgia is a strong emotion. My good fortune was to attend both Trenchard 'mills', Halton and Cranwell.
There was something about the location of Halton which added to the spirit of the training system.
A pre-service visit to the then 'new' airframe workshop, the sight of real aircraft lined up, to be explored taken to pieces, the smell of hydraulics ... this was the place to be. Three years later with the arrival of the first Lightning instructional airframe ... I want to fly that.
Trenchard's legacy enabled both.
There was something about the location of Halton which added to the spirit of the training system.
A pre-service visit to the then 'new' airframe workshop, the sight of real aircraft lined up, to be explored taken to pieces, the smell of hydraulics ... this was the place to be. Three years later with the arrival of the first Lightning instructional airframe ... I want to fly that.
Trenchard's legacy enabled both.
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Nostalgia is a strong emotion. My good fortune was to attend both Trenchard 'mills', Halton and Cranwell.
There was something about the location of Halton which added to the spirit of the training system.
A pre-service visit to the then 'new' airframe workshop, the sight of real aircraft lined up, to be explored taken to pieces, the smell of hydraulics ... this was the place to be. Three years later with the arrival of the first Lightning instructional airframe ... I want to fly that.
Trenchard's legacy enabled both.
It's disappointing to see the concept of apprenticeship, technical and flying excellence in decline (military at least). This was central in the Trenchard idea; much of what remains of the RAF has been founded on this.
Modern management tends to focus on the near term, because the future is uncertain, costly, ...
There is a lack of vision; will constant reorganisation deliver the much needed military agility and flexibility often required in unforeseeable futures. Are the politicians dazzled by cost, or reacting to the reality of the modern world including economic constraint, all short term; the military leadership remains weak and fragmented, a pale shadow of the likes of Trenchard.
There was something about the location of Halton which added to the spirit of the training system.
A pre-service visit to the then 'new' airframe workshop, the sight of real aircraft lined up, to be explored taken to pieces, the smell of hydraulics ... this was the place to be. Three years later with the arrival of the first Lightning instructional airframe ... I want to fly that.
Trenchard's legacy enabled both.
It's disappointing to see the concept of apprenticeship, technical and flying excellence in decline (military at least). This was central in the Trenchard idea; much of what remains of the RAF has been founded on this.
Modern management tends to focus on the near term, because the future is uncertain, costly, ...
There is a lack of vision; will constant reorganisation deliver the much needed military agility and flexibility often required in unforeseeable futures. Are the politicians dazzled by cost, or reacting to the reality of the modern world including economic constraint, all short term; the military leadership remains weak and fragmented, a pale shadow of the likes of Trenchard.
It was VERY strange to attend ACTS with no technical trainees at Halton, yes many ghosts there indeed. And sadness too.
As a mech then FT I remember some outrageous weekends activity there and then there were the nurses, not easy to get into those social circles as a "trainee" but well worth the effort
What I cannot see is the cost for returning Halton Hall to it's original condition, strange that.
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Phase 2 will be interesting - the 'interaction' between those young fine officers going through IOT and those young fine recruits undergoing recruit training. I wonder if all those 'under training' will also need to sign the 'refrain from sexual activity' certificate .....
Whopity/Chevvron - my understanding too (and Wyton btw) but would seem a good time for someone to check. 25 years ago there was an investment appraisal for Wyton that included ISTR several million pounds from selling off the airfield. AOC not impressed when Staish and I raised this issue, and suggested the appraisal was flawed
Wyton airfield has been sold and developers are in the midst of planning for 'Wyton Garden Village' which will apparently comprise 4,500 new homes, 10ha of land for employment opportunities, a village centre and green, schools etc etc. all on the former airfield site.
4,500 new homes plus all the rest? I didn't realise SLAM blocks were part of the Government's new house building plan!
My only visit to Halton was in early 1959 when I had tests for possible Elephantiasis at the RAF Hospital there.
See Here (post #116):
http://www.pprune.org/military-aviat...ml#post9375493
See Here (post #116):
http://www.pprune.org/military-aviat...ml#post9375493
You may remember I posted this:
Here is some up to date info on the faciliies at Worthy Down at a staggering £250M!!!
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/s...at-worthy-down
I very much doubt that the facilities we sold to fund this at Worthy Down came anywhere near covering the cost. Is there any way to stop the madness that appears to be called D I O?
I don't see any savings or efficiencies!
LJ
£300-£400M is quite plausible.
Worthy Down cost £250M and that contract was awarded over 5 years ago: Worthy Down Barracks | Garrisons | Winchester-Garrison
Lyneham cost £230M and that was just the REME piece: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/d...army-engineers
£42M for a single hangar for A400Ms: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/a...f-brize-norton
£70M to build 322 families quarters: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/w...es-at-tidworth
£25M for demolition and then £142M for construction of the support building for F35 at Marham: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/m...-edge-aircraft
£20M to resurface just one runway at Valley: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/r...-at-raf-valley
16x SLAM Blocks costs £77M at Brize (that would be roughly the amount needed at Cranwell): https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...ic__Final_.pdf
£18M to renovate and build a new annex for 51 Sqn and RJ: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/h...raf-waddington
Welcome to the world of defence infrastructure and so-called 'value for money'.
LJ
Worthy Down cost £250M and that contract was awarded over 5 years ago: Worthy Down Barracks | Garrisons | Winchester-Garrison
Lyneham cost £230M and that was just the REME piece: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/d...army-engineers
£42M for a single hangar for A400Ms: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/a...f-brize-norton
£70M to build 322 families quarters: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/w...es-at-tidworth
£25M for demolition and then £142M for construction of the support building for F35 at Marham: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/m...-edge-aircraft
£20M to resurface just one runway at Valley: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/r...-at-raf-valley
16x SLAM Blocks costs £77M at Brize (that would be roughly the amount needed at Cranwell): https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...ic__Final_.pdf
£18M to renovate and build a new annex for 51 Sqn and RJ: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/h...raf-waddington
Welcome to the world of defence infrastructure and so-called 'value for money'.
LJ
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/s...at-worthy-down
I very much doubt that the facilities we sold to fund this at Worthy Down came anywhere near covering the cost. Is there any way to stop the madness that appears to be called D I O?
DIO’s priorities for 2017 are:
implementing the estate rationalisation plan and the disposal of sites both associated with that and more broadly
investing on the estate
making savings and efficiencies.
implementing the estate rationalisation plan and the disposal of sites both associated with that and more broadly
investing on the estate
making savings and efficiencies.
LJ