Report - BAE Systems, Woodford - March 2019

[sdfsafasf]

My first post here.

I decided to visit the site while passing through the area. This visit made for an enjoyable few hours.
Most buildings are in a reasonable condition, although unfortunately, they appear to have been vandalised. The remains of the site are protected by on-site security.

History

The Avro aircraft company used the airfield between 1924 and 1935 before Avro became a subsidiary of Hawker-Siddeley Group. The Avro name, however, remained in use at the site until 1963 when Hawker Siddeley Aviation fully absorbed the company. British Aerospace gained control of the site in 1977.
Following the acquisition of Marconi Electronic Systems in 1999, the site became known as BAe Systems Woodford. BAe Woodford was originally due to close in 2012; however, the site met its demise earlier in 2011, following the cancellation of the Nimrod MRA4 project. The site was purchased by the heir to the JCB fortune.

BAe Woodford saw the construction of many iconic British aircraft such as the Lancaster and Vulcan Bombers.

More of the history Here.

 

[Ojay]

A good first post, thanks for sharing

 

[Speed]

The cars have turned into a pile of scrap!

 

[mookster]

Yep that's cool, like that a lot.

 

[paulpowers]

I thought this was now a bypass

 

[HughieD]

Yeah...good first report!

 

[Exploring with Andy]

Oh yeah, still has some interesting bits and pieces to look through

 

[sdfsafasf]

The cars have turned into a pile of scrap!

There is a Toyota Aygo in the back corner

 

[Giymo85]

There is a Toyota Aygo in the back corner

So still scrap then?

 

[Toodlecat]

Nice!

 

[Calamity Jane]

Nice way to open your account. I know this is a bumped thread, but just wanted to say well done on this one

 

[Monuk]

sad to see woodford like that, i worked there as a contractor as a fitters mate from 1988 with a fitter converting four hangers to motorize them and replace wheels( its the ones with the big gearboxes/motors as seen in pics) as the hanger you can see setback has a missing hanger in front, it collapsed on the just finished Lancaster bomber and killing two people, i was still going back as a fitter till closer doing nearly all the hangers and industrial doors on site including the top were the houses are now, some mad memory's there also the canteen was very good lol,
the hanger were you see the ATP printed on the partition wall use to be the paint shop hanger 3A,well the whole hanger was,that's were the queens plane/helicopter use to get resprayed and Diana's, the pic were there is a plastic bag on the floor that was the gun butts area were they simulated bird impacts to plane parts, one test was messed up once as they left the bird too defrost in the gun over weekend, they did a test and it came out twice as fast (i was there as i never seen the test) turned out a cat crawled down it lol, the black hair was a giveaway at first and made a right mess,the pic were you see the damaged shutter and gas/oil generator use tobe the mechanics shop and the hanger were all the rubbish is was hanger 4a and that was first phase in 88 to motorize the hanger doors sad to see that, i could go on..

some pics i took in 2011 outside hanger 5, the bottom pic use tobe the canteen but that shut years ago so we had to use the canteen north side over the runway.

 

[Luke vaughan]

Bae atp quality

 

[Renown36]

Love seeing the old pic of Woodford,spent nine years working there strengthening the hangars after one collapsed,we originally went there to burn up the collapsed hangar and ended up staying there for nine years.....loved it there!

 

[Monuk]

That was around 1988 , i was there as a fitters mate 18 at the time with a fitter to refurbish the hangers doors after the collapse , the hanger fell on a near refurbished Lancaster bomber ,i was going there to whole site till woodford closed servicing and repairing the hanger doors as most were automated, the canteens were no good as they were that good you needed up putting weight on lol, was you contracted via Drewers as they were our contacts back then