# RAF Rivenhall - June 2013



## advancedbiker (Jun 19, 2013)

After reading the information on this site, finally got to visit RAF Rivenhall last Monday and took some photographs. Why the visit, my uncle flew from the air base during World War Two. There is not much left, but did manage to see the Nissan huts and the massive hanger.

Looking at RAF Rivenhall on Monday 17.6 2013. I had seen the photographs on this site and was in the area so went along arriving at just before 8am in the morning. I was on my motorcycle so sneaked upto the quarry working. The went to the farm and spoke to a very ncie lady who gave me permission to explore the nearby woods for the Nissan huts. I the went through Silver End to try and find the hanger, which I did and saw the farmer who had no objection to me being on site. Not a bad morning.

One of the Nissan Huts




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr

More views of the huts:




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




20130617_075114 by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




20130617_075232 by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr

Building just off Woodhouse Lane, access to woods and Nissan huts on path at side...




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr

On reflection, well worth the visit, but best to go when there is less undergrowth as is it taking over in the wooded area and consuming the Nissan Huts and there is only one hanger left. The other one has gone thanks to the quarrying...


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## night crawler (Jun 19, 2013)

Your new so please post some photos of the place and not a link to Flickr. I'll give you a while to sort it out before pitting the thread.


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## krela (Jun 19, 2013)

Full instructions on how to post a location report can be found [ame="http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=16286"]here[/ame].


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## Margaret Ann (Jun 20, 2013)

I thought Rivenhall was going to be completely razed to the ground. I live overseas, will be visiting the U.K. next summer and would like to look around this old airfield. With permission of course. Thank you.


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## advancedbiker (Jun 20, 2013)

*Update on RAF Rivenhall*



Margaret Ann said:


> I thought Rivenhall was going to be completely razed to the ground. I live overseas, will be visiting the U.K. next summer and would like to look around this old airfield. With permission of course. Thank you.



I thought the same as there has been talk of the whole site being used for an incineration plant. They have been talking about that for the past 30 years and now there is no money to do it.

I am no expert on the site, but I have been told that in Silver End, in the Western Arms there is a lot of memorabilia. I was there too early so missed out visiting it. It is where the memorial is.

Have a good visit, any particular reason for the visit as my interest was the 295 squadron.

Regards

Nigel


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## advancedbiker (Jun 20, 2013)

Some additional photographs from the Polish Camp site just off Woodhouse Lane. This roads leads onto the where the quarry entrance is:




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr


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## advancedbiker (Jun 20, 2013)

20130617_075628 by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




20130617_075211 by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr




Looking at RAF Rivenhall today by Advanced Biker, on Flickr


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## krela (Jun 20, 2013)

Interesting stuff, thanks for updating this.

It's always a bad time of year to visit rural history as the brambles and nettles are lethal and cloak everything. October - March is best, if a bit chilly!


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## advancedbiker (Jun 20, 2013)

Hello Krela

If your interest is the 295c squadron, I have the squadron war diary as a pdf

Nigel


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## flyboys90 (Jun 20, 2013)

Interesting report, great photos.


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## Abo (Jun 21, 2013)

I grew up in Silver End. I can remember when Marconi were using this place to test radar. There used to be 2 massive radars constantly spinning and 1 smaller one, the remains of which were still there a few years ago. There is also a second hangar over the other side by the scrap yard. Some of the old buildings are still there and in use I believe, including the old cinema. I also remember the old runway before the gravel extraction started and also the old control tower before a gas explosion wrecked it and it was demolished. There were a lot more buildings in those days. We used to go and sneak into some of them and regularly get chased off on our BMXs by security. It's a shame to see it these days but I guess that's progress. It was due to be torn up and an incinerator built on the part of the site that isn't being lost to gravel extraction, but I think their planning permission was rejected due to local outcry.


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