It appears to be true, quote
Learning tonight that Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome owners want the aircraft out to boost profits to store cars not only infuriates me but saddens me.
As an aviation enthusiast I created my first ever aviation group after my first Bruntingthorpe visit in 2013 and my love for Cold War jets grew from there and I feel this was a bad decision on the owners.
The UK were once feared, once powerful, we had British quality engineering at its best, let’s name a few, The Avro Vulcan, The Handley-Page Victor, The Lightning and Buccaneer.
Bruntingthorpe is the heart of keeping these unique bits of kit serviced and running. The history lives on.
Now we face the threat of those airframes being scrapped! Disgusting.
Why does profit have to dominate everything these days ?
By: trumper - 31st July 2020 at 11:25
PETITION UPDATE
More media coverage and VC-10 specific update
Oliver Burden
East Grinstead, ENG, United Kingdom
30 JUL 2020 —
BBC News have picked up the story and focussed on the fate of the VC-10: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-53528017
The VC-10 team have also posted a GoFund me perfectly underscoring the scale of the financial hurdle that the teams supporting these aircraft have to face if the current terms are enforced:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/vc10-rescue-and-relocation
The petition is still growing strong. Thank you to everyone who has been signing and sharing.
I will be following up on some contact this week and hopefully have some more updates to post.
PETITION UPDATE
More media coverage and VC-10 specific update
Oliver Burden
East Grinstead, ENG, United Kingdom
30 JUL 2020 —
BBC News have picked up the story and focussed on the fate of the VC-10: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-53528017
The VC-10 team have also posted a GoFund me perfectly underscoring the scale of the financial hurdle that the teams supporting these aircraft have to face if the current terms are enforced:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/vc10-rescue-and-relocation
The petition is still growing strong. Thank you to everyone who has been signing and sharing.
I will be following up on some contact this week and hopefully have some more updates to post.
PETITION UPDATE
More media coverage and VC-10 specific update
Oliver Burden
East Grinstead, ENG, United Kingdom
30 JUL 2020 —
BBC News have picked up the story and focussed on the fate of the VC-10: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-53528017
The VC-10 team have also posted a GoFund me perfectly underscoring the scale of the financial hurdle that the teams supporting these aircraft have to face if the current terms are enforced:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/vc10-rescue-and-relocation
The petition is still growing strong. Thank you to everyone who has been signing and sharing.
I will be following up on some contact this week and hopefully have some more updates to post.
By: trumper - 29th July 2020 at 20:24
29 JUL 2020 —
STATEMENT TO CHANGE.ORG RE AVIATION ACTIVITIES AT BRUNTINGTHORPE
We wish to confirm that the statement given to you by Peter Bell of Cox Automotive UK on 25 June correctly represents the facts.
We confirm that the Aviation activities carried on at Bruntingthorpe were not acquired by Cox Automotive when they acquired the automotive vehicle services business of C Walton Ltd in March of this year. The Aviation activities, including responsibility for the historic aircraft, remain under the control of a Company owned by the former Directors of C Walton Ltd.
There are no plans to scrap any of the historic British aircraft currently onsite. We have reached agreement with a number of organisations to rehome several of the historic aircraft and are actively pursuing the possibility of establishing an aviation museum upon land adjacent to the Airfield at Bruntingthorpe, but there are a number of practical implications which will determine whether this will ultimately be viable.
As and when there is any further information we shall make further announcements, but in the meantime we confirm that whilst we are working with Cox Automotive upon the possibility of hosting aircraft adjacent to the main entrance gate house, they are not involved in the day to day aspects of managing the Aviation activities and attempting to safeguard the historic British aircraft.
All further enquiries concerning the Aviation activities formerly carried out at Bruntingthorpe, and the historic aircraft, should be directed to Dave Walton at dave@airfield-storage.com.
20 July 2020
By: trumper - 29th July 2020 at 20:24
I hope the links work
By: Archer - 27th June 2020 at 21:37
They did respond: https://www.change.org/p/cox-automotive-prevent-the-loss-of-irreplaceab…
By: Stratofreighter - 27th June 2020 at 18:50
…for those interested:
https://www.change.org/p/cox-automotive-prevent-the-loss-of-irreplaceab…
I sincerely doubt whether Cox Automotive will actually care about this petition…
By: TwinOtter23.Mk.19 - 18th June 2020 at 10:45
Perhaps I ought to have thought bit more about the positioning of that comment – for clarification it’s not as obvious as the original comment may have implied!
Strange times, that will no doubt get even stranger!!
By: Bruce - 18th June 2020 at 10:35
‘Lots of people offering exhibits’ – Hmm, I wonder where from….
Hope all goes well for you.
Bruce
By: TwinOtter23.Mk.19 - 18th June 2020 at 10:29
Not too bad given the devastating circumstances for everyone concerned with Covid-19 and the associated ‘fall-out’ the real challenge is going to be trying to restart in a viable manner – mini-update just about to be added to the briefing thread!
Lots of people offering exhibits!!!
By: Bruce - 18th June 2020 at 10:12
Quite so Howard – I hope everything is as well as can be with you?
My former second home at the de Havilland Museum is also struggling – now they have the new hangar complete and full, they really needed to be able to fill it with visitors, and with corporate functions this year – which of course, they cannot now do.
Bruce
By: TwinOtter23.Mk.19 - 17th June 2020 at 23:14
Lots of UK aviation heritage sites are only just ticking over during the current Covid situation and the sector will no doubt be quite different on the other side!
By: Archer - 17th June 2020 at 19:36
Have a look at Ben Dunnell’s editorial in Aeroplane Monthly, he recounts how Aviation Heritage UK (previously BAPC) have stated that large, established institutions such as Brooklands Museum, Bristol Heritage and Stow Maries are in urgent need of financial support and will otherwise run out of money in the near future. There are loads of demands for financial support from many different corners, but if you can spare it, consider donating if you would like to see UK’s aviation heritage preserved.
https://www.brooklandsmuseum.com/about/support-us/lovebrooklands
By: Wet-Dog - 16th June 2020 at 17:48
Oh well, look on the bright side the days are going to get shorter in 5 days (21 June 2020).
On a serious note Bruce, I think you are absolutely right, this is just the tip of the iceberg and the impending economic situation that the U.K. (as well as other countries) face will mean that there wil be other casualties.
I for one thank the management of Bruntingthorpe for giving us so much aviation pleasure throughout the years. It’s just a pity that it couldn’t go on, but qudos to them for making it happen in the first place.
By: Bruce - 16th June 2020 at 15:53
The knock on effect of these strange times is going to be enormous – I strongly suspect that the heritage aviation sector will be decimated over the next five years or so – museums, operators and restoration companies. This is the tip of a very large iceberg.
Lets hope I’m wrong eh?
Bruce
By: Archer - 16th June 2020 at 11:16
The company is in the automotive business and they bought another automotive business and its premises/facilities. We can’t really blame them for wanting to use those facilities.
I understand that David Walton owns the Comet, Nimrod and Victor and he is looking into putting buildings up to house aircraft next to the ‘Q’ shed, but outside of the airfield. The VC10s and Buccaneers are not owned by him and will have to leave, most likely others too (I haven’t heard about the LPG yet). This is a lousy moment for this as museums are struggling and in danger of financial collapse as it is.
By: TonyT - 15th June 2020 at 10:17
Plus 2 of the Buccs are having to move to Kemble, talk about shafting our aviation history, shame on this US company.
By: TonyT - 15th June 2020 at 10:15
Not looking good for the VC-10s…
The following message was posted on the ‘ZA147 The Last VC10 To Fly.’ facebook group-
“Sad news for all the VC10 fans around the world. ZA147 & ZD241 have been given notice to leave Bruntingthorpe by the end of October 2020.
As you can imagine all the guys and girls who have looked after these aircraft at Brunty over the past 6 years are very sad with this news and just don’t know what we can do.
If the jets aren’t moved before this date the only thing the owner can do is scrap the airframes and move the fuselages.What can we do….. The only option we have for the survival of at least one of the aircraft is if we can find a new airfield and road move ZD241 in a sympathetic way so she can power up and possibly taxi once again. This is a huge undertaking and it can be done but it’s going to cost £300,000!!!
Does the VC10 have the public backing around the world to raise this amount of money??? I just don’t know! It’s a huge amount of money to find.
If the fans are interested in preserving one of the last fully working examples in the world I need to know your thoughts. Time is against us and we need to see what public support there is before we could consider a possible crowdfunding project.
Over to you now. Thanks.”posted on pprune
By: Stratofreighter - 4th April 2020 at 19:01
https://www.bruntingthorpe.com/aviation
Important New Information re the Aviation services at Bruntingthorpe
Please note that, following an acquisition of C.Walton Ltd by Cox Automotive, the Aviation business and Cold War Jets Museum at the Bruntingthorpe site are now closed and will not re-open.
It is recognised that this may be concerning news to some aviation enthusiasts. Cox Automotive is an automotive services business who do not work within the aerospace sector. One of the previous owners of C.Walton Ltd, Mr David Walton, is currently investigating the construction of new buildings adjacent to the LPG ‘Q Shed’ to house some of the collection and safeguard their future on land excluded from the Cox Automotive lease. News of any progress on this front will be released by Mr Walton as and when available.
Subject to the COVID-19 situation at the time, it remains the intention of Cox Automotive to hold the planned Cold War Jets Fast Taxi Day in August. Further information on this will be released much closer to the date.
Please note that due to the COVID-19 situation there is no access to the site currently.
…and indeed:
https://www.am-online.com/news/supplier-news/2020/03/05/cox-automotive-…
Cox Automotive UK acquires Bruntingthorpe operator C Walton Ltd
05/03/2020
The deal sees Cox acquire 100% of the share capital of C Walton Ltd (CWL), including its three locations in Bruntingthorpe (Leicestershire), Wyton (Cambridgeshire) and Long Bennington (Lincolnshire).
A statement issued by the automotive service s and remarketing specialist today (March 5) revealed that the deal also includes CWL’s proving ground and events businesses.
By: TwinOtter23.Mk.19 - 15th February 2020 at 19:47
Perhaps worth noting the following information that was posted on the Classic British Jets Collection Facebook page on 07.02.20
“There is a lot of speculation about the future of Bruntingthorpe proving ground. The Classic British Jets Collection Team are extremely thankful for the support we have been given by the Walton family.
At this time we have no information on the future of aviation activities at Bruntingthorpe.
We would like to ask all of our supporters and fans of all the aviation groups/aircraft that call Bruntingthorpe home, to refrain from speculation about the future.
It must be remembered that Bruntingthorpe proving ground is first and foremost a business premises owned by the Walton family.
Once we have information about future of the Classic British Jets Collection we will let you know.
Thank you for your ongoing support
CBJC Team”
By: airfield - 15th February 2020 at 19:37
Shame this appears to be true but as Scampton which was once earmarked to become a flying museum site is about to close in the near future would this be a contender for a new base for the cold war jets?
By: avion ancien - 15th February 2020 at 18:04
Being mischievous, I suppose that they could ‘take off accidentally’ and ‘discover’ that the nearest place that they can then touch down safely is receptive to the long term storage of big jets! ?
Being realistic, I suppose this demonstrates that nothing is certain unless you own it – and even then local or central government can put a spanner in your works.
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February 14, 2020 at 11:10 am