Did you know that registration to Civilian Aviation is completely free and brings you lots of added features? Find out more....

Kemble - airfield guide & information

Post Reply
User avatar
andygolfer
Administrator, POTM, SPOTM & FC POTM winner
Posts: 8500
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2011 11:51 am
Location: Rayne Essex - 12 miles east of Stansted

Kemble - airfield guide & information

Post by andygolfer » Sat Nov 21, 2015 8:51 pm

Address:
Cotswold Airport, Cirencester, Gloucestershire,
GL7 6BA (Postcode is for north side)

Official website: http://www.cotswoldairport.com/

Code: EGBP

Runways:
Asphalt 08 – 26, 2009m
Grass (north of asphalt runway) 08 -26, 561m

The airfield is located between the A429 to the south and A433 to the north about 5 miles south west of Cirencester. The access to the tower and hangars is on the north side from the A433. While the south side is well known for it’s views across the airfield to the Belfast apron and the adjacent scrapping area as well as the Air Salvage International (ASI) aprons. Kemble is one of the largest aircraft recycling centres in the UK. The south side also has an entrance onto the industrial estate from which can be gained views across the airfield.

Imagekemble os plan by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

The south side: coming along the A429 from the Cirencester direction there are 3 places to stop, firstly as you approach the airfield there is a track and gateway on the left where there is a very wide verge and the track leads to Kemble wood point A (see the OS plan above). When I visited in 2013 I parked on the verge and this gives good views of the scrapping area and Belfast pans, it’s fine for logging but photos wont be the most pleasing you will ever take.
ImageA kemble wood gateway images by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

Imagekemble aerial view by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

Moving on west from there for about ¼ mile is a large layby (B), this also gives good views of the scrapping area and Belfast apron as well as the ASI aprons, the 2 locations together should enable you to see most of the scrapping area incumbents.

ImageB A429 layby images by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

Carrying on for another ¼ mile round the left hand bend there is a green metal gate onto the airfield (on your right) and a very wide access road on the left, point C – there is loads of room to pull in here without blocking the road. This spot gives the best views of the ASI aprons from the south side and a different although more distant view of the scrapping area. There are also good views of the southern end of former runway 31 which is sometimes used for aircraft storage, the ex RAF dominies stood here for a while but they may have moved by now. Beware that when leaving this spot car can approach very quickly round the bend so look carefully.

ImageC airfield gate A429 images by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

The last position on the south side is at the far end of the industrial estate at the south western corner of the airfield however there may not be much to be seen from here that cannot be seen elsewhere. Turn into the industrial estate (D) and go straight along to the end and turn right, this road then follows around the edge of the estate to the airfield fence towards the site of the former air museum. From this area you can see across to the hangars where the Bae.146s are stored although most of these should be visible from the north side anyway.

To visit the north side, head back to Kemble village and turn into Windmill Road which will take you onto the A433, when there turn left towards Tetbury and the road goes straight for about ¾ mile. On the right hand bend there is a road to the left with signs to the airfield, and you need to turn left here, (if coming from Tetbury it’s signed but it quite a tight turn and you won’t see it until the last minute).

Imagenorth side turning off A433 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

Follow the road for about ½ mile and you will come to a sharp right bend at the airfield fence – point E. From this area you can get good views of the Belfast apron and scrapping area but it is quite a busy corner so don’t stop longer than necessary.

Imagekemble north side aerial view by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

The road continues behind the first 2 large hangars and some smaller buildings and then splits before reaching the two new ASI hangars at point F. You can see the ASI apron from most points along here including the overspill area in front of the two large hangars which you previously passed behind. Continue along the road towards the tower and the AV8 restaurant which will be on your left, there is car parking adjacent to the restaurant area (G). On the opposite side of the road are a series of small hangars housing light aircraft and microlights. There will normally be several light aircraft parked on the grass in front ofAV8 and towards the ASI hangars.

Looking west across the disused runway (13 – 31) you will see the Chevron technical Services hangars where there are normally numerous Bae 146 series aircraft parked. Further in the distance you will see the fire dump where B737 N389DF currently resides. There may also be other aircraft stored on the disused runway.

Now backtrack to point F, the road junction behind the new ASI hangars where the road/former taxiway runs behind the trees and follow this ‘road’ round the left hand bend where you will see the preserved Brittania XM496 (H) ahead of you, the aircraft is open regularly and dates are publicised on their website: http://www.xm496.com/

Immediately before the Brittania is a road on the left which leads to the Vintage Flyers blister hangar (J). They are reputedly very friendly so an enquiry should gain access assuming there is somebody there. If you continue past the Brittania you will approach the Chevron hangars again albeit from a different direction but you cannot go beyond the fence K, this should assist in reading off any of the 146s which have evaded identification so far. Also on the right as you approach on the end of the old runway (13) is the Resource Group training hangar, the prize content here is VFW614 D-ASDB, the hangar is airside but sometimes an enquiry will gain access to see it (plus the other incumbents).

That’s about it and hopefully this will help you with a visit, more information would of course be most welcome. The aircraft arriving for storage and dismantling and departing in skips are always changing and this web page is kept up to date and is probably the best source for up to date lists: http://www.airportspotting.com/storage-lists/kemble-uk/

This topic from some time ago shows pics from many of the locations so might provide further assistance:
http://www.civilianaviation.co.uk/forum ... =13&t=5991

hope this is useful, please feel free to add any further information to the guide as long as any viewing / photography can be done legally

andrew
Andygolfer (or at least I was once), now just plane crazy

Image
please support our photo competitions by entering and/or voting!
Proud winner of 2019 Air-Britain photo competition!

co-owner of UK Light Aviation Enthusiasts google group https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/uklae
and Stansted Aviation Enthusiasts google group: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/stnae

my photos on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/125470545@N07/

Maltatripper
Posts: 755
Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2011 8:17 pm

Re: Kemble - airfield guide & information

Post by Maltatripper » Sun Nov 22, 2015 4:54 pm

A while ago I ended airside near the LH Teknik area.

My fault for not paying attention but there were no obvious signs.

Lesson is pay attention in that area.

User avatar
andygolfer
Administrator, POTM, SPOTM & FC POTM winner
Posts: 8500
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2011 11:51 am
Location: Rayne Essex - 12 miles east of Stansted

Re: Kemble - airfield guide & information

Post by andygolfer » Wed Jan 20, 2016 12:18 pm

some new photos of the current incumbents courtesy of 'welshdan' Dan Williams, thank you Dan

http://www.civilianaviation.co.uk/forum ... 69&t=24393
Andygolfer (or at least I was once), now just plane crazy

Image
please support our photo competitions by entering and/or voting!
Proud winner of 2019 Air-Britain photo competition!

co-owner of UK Light Aviation Enthusiasts google group https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/uklae
and Stansted Aviation Enthusiasts google group: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/stnae

my photos on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/125470545@N07/

User avatar
james143611
Posts: 634
Joined: Sun May 18, 2014 12:36 pm
Location: Trowbridge

Re: Kemble - airfield guide & information

Post by james143611 » Tue Jan 26, 2016 4:05 pm

Very detailed well done!

Never actually been up to that Vintage Flyers hangar, do they have anything in there then?

Do you think if I contact Chevron in advance they'd allow airside access so that you can get pictures of the former Swiss Avro's?

User avatar
nitro999
Posts: 182
Joined: Wed Dec 11, 2019 10:30 am
Location: EGBP
Contact:

Re: Kemble - airfield guide & information

Post by nitro999 » Wed Dec 11, 2019 2:26 pm

Airfield FIS frequency is now 118.430

Post Reply

Return to “Kemble”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 29 guests