I vaguely recall the Brill NDB; I think it was associated with Chalgrove (Martin Bakers test airfield)

I can remember a few years back during gliding competitions that at virtually every briefing, we were told "Don't land at Wescott!" Apart from the security issues (was the hush-hush stuff really tested outside without covers?) there was the real safety issue of hazards in the grassed areas and trees along the former runways. But I know of two people who ignored the instruction. One lost his glider for a week while "special" checks were carried out (more as a form of punishment than anything else) by MOD Police and the other was Christopher Reeve, the actor. His reception was virtually that given to royalty, complete with apologies for not being able to show him more due lack of notice.

As regards arrival procedures from the North to LHR, there was the 'Wescott Snatch" which was a short cut. A certain BA lady F/O caused a slight commotion in the sector controlling this area by asking "Any chance of a quickie at Wescott?"

PM

The old Otmoor range, just to the west of Brill, was once used for Oboe blind-bombing practice. Perhaps a Brill beacon was in some way connected with this? The range was still in use in the mid-'50s.

I remeber many times as a schoolboy, living 3 miles the Amersham side of Wendover, hearing very loud and obviously very powerful rocket motors being tested at Wescott. Lovely noise.! I also heard a tale that a USAF T.33 had 'deadsticked' into there on one occasion.

"'WCO' its still there, being part of Heathrow arrivals into Bovingdon stack Luton and Stansted arrivals too."

Also very useful for we lesser types from Halton (and I imagine other local GA airfields) to do our IMC training as well. I always have in my kneeboard the unofficial and for training only, approach from WCO to Halton.

Many thanks for all the posts on this thread. You learn a little every day :ok:

Beags,

Otmoor was still in use, certainly by the Canberra OCU at Bassingbourn as late as 1957/early 1958 for visual bombing. According to the FOB one should not open the bomb doors "approaching or over the Cowley Works" (at Oxford) after a light carrier with four 25 pounders attached went through the factory roof one day!

AD.

Superman flew gliders in England??????

OK, here's a thing. I hereby register a claim to have conducted the last ever take-off of a fixed-wing aircraft from Westcott having flown a PA28 (G-BRXC) out of there on 22 Aug 1996. The aircraft had been landed on the remains of the north easterly runway by an Oxford student following an 'engine failure' - oddly enough, by the time the engineer and I got there the engine performed perfectly (perhaps the ice had melted in the summer sun - who knows?). Anybody care to claim a later take-off?

I shudder to think how many hours I've spent with students practising holds and NDB approaches on the WCO beacon - you'd think I'd have got it right by now!!

Otmoor was also used by Oxford for helicopter low-level and confined area training - but only when the rifle range was inactive. It was then acquired as an RSPB reserve and we had to go elsewhere, Cornbury Park as I recall.

Edited to add - The terminus of the Brill Tramway is now the site of a rather fine micro brewery. Vale Pale Ale mmmmmmmmmm!

WCO NDB. Have a look at the half mil and it becomes obvious why it attracts GA like flies to a honey pot so keep a very good lookout!

Ah yes. Many a happy half-hour practising limited panel holds at WCO...

But unless people's memory is dodgy, that can't be the NDB at Brill? The WCO one is firmly on the airfield.

Sad it's being dug up at last.

Tim

XX514;

I well remember an Oxford heli student flying down the rifle range at 50' when it was active, the phone and the student glowed red at that one.

I flew over WCO the other day, the main hasn't been dug up, they have put solar panels down a huge length of it.

VH

Yes, I remember that noise as well. I lived at the NW edge of Wendover as a child and would often hear the tests quite clearly. The father of one of the lads in my class at primary school (Halton, opposite the main guardroom) was employed at RPE Westcott and I believe he worked on the development of Blue Streak.

The book you chaps need is 'The Brill Tramway' by Bill Simpson. ISBN 978-0860932185 and available from the usual outlet.

The house on the opposite side of the road to the site entrance was the station master's house and has the letters B&C inscribed on the front. (Duke of Buckingham & Chandos). I believe that the old ticket office is still in use as a garden shed.

Station Master's House.

The 'B&C' plaque is just visible on the central gable. I believe that the gable on the left of the picture is new and that part of the house sits on the track bed. The old ticket office is just out of sight on the left.

VH

I definately saw a huge length of runway with JCBs on it digging up massive lumps of concrete. Its one of 3 runways and I would guess it is 06/24 from the 24 threshold end towards the 1st intersection of one of the other runways.

:(

Here is a link to a picture. http://www.westcottventurepark.com/w...%20removal.jpg

JEM60: one of my other ROC colleagues (FP) lived in one of the houses on the west side of the Missenden - Wendover road near the junction with the road to Chesham (Rocky Lane?) and he said he could hear the rockets being tested too. Further thread creep: at the back of these houses was a large field which he said was occasionally used by AAC Beavers

More thread creep...

Piltdown Man
Can anyone recall the actor Ian Ogilvy (Return of the Saint) making a precautionary landing on a disused airfield in the Aylesbury area during the '80's possibly whilst training at Denham? Don't remember it being Westcott but could well be wrong.

Rocky Lane it is and about three quarters of a mile from this very spot.
The field to the rear which you mention, and the lane itself, will be bisected by the HS2 line if HMG gets its way.

Christopher Reeve was a member of Booker Gliding Centre and owned his own glider a Discus. He was also a member of the Tiger Club.

Westcott after 1946
 

Hi,

you say that RAF Westcott closed in 1946 but my dad says he was there in the early 50's as an RAF Cpl in the tower. He did National Service then and told me that there used to be some of the german V bombers there for testing because he still has the magnification lens from one of them. He also said that the staff there nicked most of the war exhibits and lots of stuff seemed to strangely disappear.
Is there any assocation of westcott veterans ??

Landing at Westcott
 

Late 50's as a Brat, Wednesday afternoon gliding out of Bicester on only my second X-country in Anita Schmidts Grunau Baby, planned to thermal up to Halton, all went pear shaped & landed out at Westcott , on landing surrounded by RAF plods, who couldn't comprehend that an Apprentice had flown in a glider, was told that "only Officers fly aeroplanes" I tried to get them to help pull Grunau off the runway & secure etc it before being arrested with threats of being locked up etc, fortunately was rescued by Dick Stratton (working there on the SR53 Spectre motor) he had seen me land & came over initially for a chat, he intervened & put the plods in there place & got me to safety & able to make phone calls back to Bicester for a retrieve, I now live in Bicester across from the airfield & pass Westcott on a regular basis & believe the old wood rocket test tower although still standing is due for demolition soon, ah happy days, Paul H.