# Digger Graveyard @ RAF Folkingham - August 2009



## ukmayhem (Sep 1, 2009)

Visited with Concentration F and Liam as part of our Midlands bank holiday urbex tour.


RAF Folkingham is a million miles away from what it was once used for. 

RAF Folkingham was an air station of the Second World War period, established in phases on a convex hilltop by the British Royal Air Force, and lent to the United States Army Air Forces.

The initial Royal Air Force use of the site began in 1940 when it was set up as a decoy for RAF Spitalgate. The intention was to make it look like a real airfield so that it would draw aerial attacks which might otherwise be made on active stations. As such it attracted the attention of the Luftwaffe on at least three occasions.

Not until early 1943 did Messrs Lehane. MacKenzies & Shand arrive with directions to build an airfield to Class A specification. The work took most of the year, during which time the new station had been allocated to the United States Army Air Forces Ninth Air Force Troop Carrier Command.

The main runway was 6,000 ft in length with two 4,200 ft auxiliaries, aligned 01-1.9, 07-25 and 13-31 respectively. The 50 hardstands were all loop type and both these and the runways were of concrete. The two hangars were the T-2 type and the scattered domestic accommodation, built by Bovis Ltd, catered for 2,189 persons.

From 1959 to 1963 Thor intercontinental ballistic missiles were set up as a deterrent lest the USSR should think of threatening a war. 

The Base finally closed in August 1963.

Today the Runway and Loop hardstands are now used for a different purpose, they have become home to 1000's of Diggers, Tractors, Lorrys and other machinery that have been laid to rest. There was so much to see and was a very interesting explore especially the military stuff.
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On with my pictures*








































































































Matt


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## bullmastiff (Sep 1, 2009)

some lovley pieces sitting there rotting away, makes a classic plant and commercial nut like me sick to my stomach


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## Random (Sep 1, 2009)

Wow, that's a mad place. I'd love to see that in the flesh. It looks massive on google earth.

Interesting to see that a couple of the THOR sites seem to have been made into ponds. I wonder why that is?


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## Mid diesel (Sep 1, 2009)

superb - luv to go there


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## Mid diesel (Sep 1, 2009)

I particularly like the AEC Mammoth Major refuller and the Scammell Explorer -- what is this place ?? is it someone's private collection?


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## escortmad79 (Sep 1, 2009)

I'll have the Scammell Explorer please!!


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## night crawler (Sep 1, 2009)

Brilliant what a great place place to wander round.


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## Sabtr (Sep 1, 2009)

Lovely rusty goodness there. 

Looks to me like a spares depot for all those machines which are still running?


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## Mid diesel (Sep 1, 2009)

having done some googling it seems it's overspill storage for a plant firm


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## crickleymal (Sep 1, 2009)

ukmayhem said:


>


That so looks like one of Bob the Builder's vehicles looking sad.


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## dervish99 (Jan 18, 2010)

Have you Google earthed this place? the extent of storage there is STAGGERING, it runs nearly the full length of the runway on both sides plus marshaling areas...wow


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## Richard Davies (Jan 18, 2010)

I think Great Dalby airfield near Melton Mowbray was last used as a Thor site before closing, certainly it had some missiles based that towards the end of operations.


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