# RAF Upwood - October 2013



## Amixsyg (Oct 10, 2013)

Hiya, this is my first report so apologies if it's not brilliant! (Please give me pointers)

Went with a friend, we'd been here previously but it was far too dark to look around and we got a bit spooked!

Bit of history (taken from wiki)
_Since 1982, the Nene Valley Gliding Club [1] has conducted its glider operations from a field that occupies the site of the old runways. Initially these operations were under an agreement with the Ministry of Defence. However, in 1995 the club was told they would need to find a new home as the land was going to be sold off. The club was unable to locate a suitable new home and was preparing for the possibility of having to close when the purchaser of the land, Marshal Papworth, agreed to lease the land to the club for 10 years. This has allowed the club to continue flying from Marshals Paddock (so named by the club after their benefactor's death in 2000).
Much of the RAF Upwood is unused, closed by the Ministry of Defence in 1994. Most of the station was vacated and the land and buildings sold off to civil ownership.
Upwood is also the home of No 511 (Ramsey) Squadron Air Training Corps who have been on the site since the early 80s. Originally housed in the old fire station the squadron moved to a number of buildings before settling in the old nissen hut church building. When the station was closed by the MOD in 1995, the squadron moved to the Upwood school. The squadron finally settled into the present building inside the fence in 1997.
In 2004 Turbine Motor Works purchased a large amount of property on the former base including the four C-type hangars. Their plan is to convert the property into a state-of-the-art jet engine overhaul facility. Together with the Nene Valley Gliding Club and the Air Cadet Squadron, this facility will ensure that the former RAF base will continue its aviation legacy well into the 21st century.
Part of the facility is now used by Urban Assault to play Airsoft every other Saturday.
Every year in August the site is home to the Ramsey 1940s Weekend, an event dedicated to recreating the sights and sounds of the 1940s. The event is held in aid of several local charities and has been rewarded with a tourism award. The weekend features living history re-enactors, period dancing, food, exhibitions and trade stands.[1]_

When we arrived there was an old fella who was collecting wood who told us it was private property and that we wasn't allowed in, so we played dumb and flutter our eyelashes and he told us to go on through. (Being a young female has its advantages!)




1391721_10151746952142690_323192595_n



1394435_10151746952252690_181304134_n



1383897_10151746952377690_1571244618_n



1383979_10151746962937690_1676805422_n



1383996_10151746954842690_1221965655_n


All taken with an iPhone as I forgot my camera like a numpty. I've been told about an underground part which we'll be checking out in the near future.

Thanks for looking


----------



## krela (Oct 10, 2013)

Thank you for taking the time to post a report, but you need to follow [ame="http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=17009"]the instructions in this thread[/ame] to get your photos to show up. You can edit your post to fix it.


----------



## Amixsyg (Oct 10, 2013)

Oh bugger. I'll do that now! Thank you


----------



## UrbanX (Oct 10, 2013)

Photo's now up! Well done! 

Great first report and write up! Look forward to seeing many more


----------



## Amixsyg (Oct 10, 2013)

Yay, thank you


----------



## flyboys90 (Oct 10, 2013)

Great first report .


----------



## Amixsyg (Oct 10, 2013)

Forgot to mention that there's workmen now on the site, not sure what they're doing though. We were 2 metres from them at one point! Proper James Bond moment haha.


----------



## The Wombat (Oct 10, 2013)

Amixsyg said:


> Forgot to mention that there's workmen now on the site, not sure what they're doing though. We were 2 metres from them at one point! Proper James Bond moment haha.



Good effort for a first report
what were the workmen doing?


----------



## Amixsyg (Oct 10, 2013)

There was quite a lot of them, they were just walking around the place, in and out of the buildings. A couple of vans and cars. The way that we got in was blocked by the time we went back so they must have seen us at some point.


----------



## mrtoby (Oct 11, 2013)

well done you.


----------



## Kimbie (Oct 15, 2013)

Its a good site, and weekly airsofting games  The tanks often are used as objectives

Workmen could be looking at the site as its going to be sold at some point for housing, but I know they were doing soil samples as it was an active base, also could have been people robbing the copper cable not that there is much left.

Regarding the underground part, it is probably not advisable to go there, as it is often flooded, and sheep get down there and sadly die so it is probably not very safe at all to go down there.

Kimbie


----------



## danny-solar (Oct 15, 2013)

Underground area???? Now you have my attention!!!! I presume you are not talking about the bunker type places that are part buried


----------



## Amixsyg (Oct 16, 2013)

I went to one of the underground parts, walked through, no dead sheep and wasn't flooded although the other underground part was flooded. No, not the bunkers, there's two (what we found) stairs that go underground but don't lead to anywhere.


----------



## danny-solar (Oct 17, 2013)

Amixsyg said:


> I went to one of the underground parts, walked through, no dead sheep and wasn't flooded although the other underground part was flooded. No, not the bunkers, there's two (what we found) stairs that go underground but don't lead to anywhere.



Sounds interesting - how far underground did it go? Which building did you access to get underground?


----------



## Amixsyg (Oct 18, 2013)

No not far, um, I can't really remember! I'll speak to the guy I went with and message you


----------

