RAF Southrop

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The remaining runway at Southrop

Originally, Southrop had 3 grass runways: 05/23 - 3060 ft 15/33 - 2790 ft Due East/West - 3450 ft But there are remains of a later, concrete perimeter track and taxiways - you can see them on the pics. I’m trying to find out if the main runways were concreted too. I didn’t have a lot of time - or a decent camera, just my iPhone - so this was always going to be an exploratory visit with an eye to coming back and doing a proper job. I started at the little back lane that leads from Southrop to Eastleach. The old domestic site is now owned by the Hatherop Estate, but I’m sure they won’t mind me poking about a bit. There must have been worse places to be posted. All the view you could eat, plus two VERY good pubs within rolling distance. You get to the site by riding up a dusty, dirty track near the wonderfully named Macaroni Woods. Unlike many of the roads around old WWII bases, this access road was never concreted. Those concrete tracks are a dead giveaway for old bases. Spot one of those leading into a field and it’s always worth taking a look - that and any old brick buildings with cast metal window frames. Just about the first thing you see at Southrop is the old water tower. Presumably Stealth & Hasty have pointed their bony finger, so it’s now fenced off, but still very much standing. I know from talking to one of the village old boys in the pub that they used to climb it back in the ‘50s. It was a gorgeous evening on Friday, so I thought I’d do something I’d planned for ages - a quick scout round the old RAF Southrop. My office used to be in Southrop, and the old WWII base is just up the road so it seemed rude not to. And I’d been waiting for the chance for a while. I’d learned my lesson from previous explorations of RAF bases and took something Russian. Didn’t think any RAF-loyal gremlins left behind could object to that. RAF Southrop was a Royal Air Force station just west of Southrop village in Gloucestershire. Opened in August 1940 and finally closed two years after the war in November 1947. Wherever you go in this part of the Cotswolds you’ll fall over WWII bases every three minutes, on average. Driving back from Cheltenham a couple of weeks ago I spotted the tell-tale outline of a norcon pillbox and discovered RAF Chedworth (one for another day). That’s by the by though. Southrop was used as a relief landing ground (RLG) for Oxford and Harvard training aircraft for 23 Grp. Advanced Flying Unit (AFU) and a relief landing ground for RAF Little Rissington, just up the road. It’s an interesting site. The base itself is a long way from the motor transport and domestic site. It’s a funny old place though - a combination of modern use for old buildings but lots of strung-out infrastructure. Almost as if it’s waiting for a passing plane to drop in if it’s needed. 35

There’s a real range of decay at Southrop. From buildings that look like a decent shove would tumble them to pristine whitewashed and renovated.

For example, the old ablutions block is now used by a firm that makes fake stone castings. Stuff’s just piled up outside. Can’t imagine the mess would impress any passing Flight Sergeants.

Most of the old domestic site has gone over to light industrial use. That, and a few interesting abandoned cars. I spotted a whole heap - literally - of Mk I Range Rovers.

This was the first base where I began to see just the bases of buildings - foundations, but nothing else. Now, as I look around old bases this is, sadly, becoming more common.

I saw one of the farm tracks on the edge of the estate making good use of old RAF brick as hardcore. Seems a shame though.

I’m always conflicted about what should happen to these old bases. Leave them to return to the earth they came from? Develop them? Just let chance, business need and nature take its course? It seems sad that whatever happens seems to be casual and haphazard. It’s in such stark contrast to the way these bases were created, occupied and used.

36 View across one of the remaining Southrop runways