RAF Upwood to be sold off.

Was this building not the Station Commander’s House?
I remember it being used up until maybe 5 years ago as the “Haunted House” for the USAF kiddies at Halloween – it would be decked out with decorations.:diablo: :dev2: :diablo: :dev2: :diablo: :dev2: :diablo: :dev2: :diablo: :dev2:

They put it out of bounds after its safety was called into question.

Peppermint Jam, the house on the hill has been empty and unused for as long as I can remember(25yrs+). As far as I know it needs approx £300k spending on it just for repair to the foundations let alone anything else. I do know there was a local property ‘tycoon’ who was interested in turning it into a pub, however planning was denied. Will see what else I can findout.
The Mess’s, nice idea but I really don’t think they will have anything more done to them with the exception of meeting a bulldozer, the whole base is utterly trashed. There’s talk of 2000 houses going-up on the old admin/domestic site but that won’t happen until the waiting order has expired and planning has been cleared/requiste palms greased.
Personally I think I’d rather have the old HQ buildings by the gate.

Dustyone, It would be good to hear any stories you have from your time at RAF Upwood. Had a brief conversation with another chap during the Upwood 40s weekend whom also had his first flight from Upwood in a Lancaster, it wasn’t you was it?(on the Sunday, Lanc flypast but near the village rather than on the base)

www.rafupwood.co.uk is well worth a visit for anyone that wants to know more.

Seem to remember that I read somewhere that there were plans to turn the former officers mess into a suite of apartmnents. Makes me sad to drive by the once proud Station every time I go to see the in-laws. Anyone know what the story is with the house that stands on it’s own infront of the former MQ’s? Always fancied her as a fixer upper, something about it just appeals to me!

And of course ‘Appointment in London’ was filmed at Upwood too. I was at the 1940s weekend as a talking mannequin as a 1944 British infantryman, if anyone’s interested i’ll upload some of my photos – the Lancaster put on a fantastic display on the Sunday. The mortuary is also owned by Turbine Motor Works round the back of the hangars, certainly didn’t like hanging around there for too long when me and a few others had a walkabout after dark

Upwood

I was on Lancaster 111s there in 1947/48 & made my very first flight in one of them on a cross-country around England & Scotland —- later on parts of the ‘Dam Busters’ film was shot there.

Dustyone

Curlyboy, this can only refer to the housing at Valiant Sq, the rest was sold off long ago, albiet subject to Waiting Order on the admin area.

Will this include all the Mess and admin buildings which are still standing near the hospital?

And if so how long have they got before they are sold ?

curlyboy

Tyler, I think you’ve got it a little confused. I think you’ll find that it was the old runway area/agricultural land was sold off in the 70’s, the fenced(admin and messes) area was retained and use by the USAF until 1991 although the ‘hospital’ is still in use by the USAF for those still at Alconbury.
Strawsons could not redevelop it due to planning issues and the ‘Waiting order’ that was imposed by the MOD(15yrs?), the MOD don’t own it.

Nene Valley Gliding Club have a lease on the old main runway(outside the fence), 25yrs I beleive.

Tom Vaughan/TMW group purchased the hangars from Strawsons, not the MOD.
Mr Vaughan has supported the 1940s weekends, I hope he continues to do so.
It was fantastic to see the Lancaster over this year(thanks in no small way to ‘Josie’)

My father did his national service as a radar tech on Lincolns, based at Upwood. He was sent off to help fight the Mau Mau in Kenya. His memory is failing and we cannot find any photos of him at that time, but your psot has lead me to the ‘Ramsey 1940s Weekend’ and RAF Upwood site, which I’ll show him.

Thanks for the post,

DS

This is a post from about the same topic that I started on another site, which gives some more info.

“Don’t panic! This does NOT affect the Ramsey 1940s Weekend, which is held on the main airfield site. That has already been sold off and is owned by Tom Vaughn of Turbine Motor Works. Given the money he has spent on renovating the hangers and offices he isn’t planning on moving anywhere yet!

The redundant barrack blocks, messes and other admin buildings may yet be sold off, but this doesn’t affect the TMW site.

The “agricultural land” which is basically the area where the runways used to be, was leased back in 1991, with a “claw-back” clause so the MOD retained ownership. This is now being sold off, and is outside the TMW site.

Three of the four former married quarter estates are already private housing – one estate is now called Fairmead Park and has been private since 1998. Our first house was one of these. So not sure which MQ estates this is talking about, unless they mean Valient Square, which is up the road from the airfield and is currently occupied by the USAF.

The Ramsey 1940s Weekend is already scheduled to go ahead on Sat 16th and Sun 17th August 2008 at the former RAF Upwood. More details to follow.”

The vast amount of former RAF Upwood is owned by Strawsons. The hangars are all in use by Turbine Motor Works and allied companies. I think this may well refer to the housing at Valiant Sq, opposite the (still in-use) USAF hospital?

The old runway areas have been farmland since the 70’s, with the exception of that used by Nene Valley Gliding Club.

I was under the impression that former RAF Upwood is owned by Strawsons Property. I would imagine that the notice relates to the airfield (and the aforementioned AMQs).

Thought it would be very simple for the Defence estates to do a search for living relatives and give them a straight offer to regain their famlies lost property?

Paul