RAF Wigsley, Notts, April 2015

Bit of a last minute decision to go here. Was passing and saw the sign to Wigsley and knew of the Night Watch Tower so made a diversion to go and see it. Wished I’d planned it and done some research as there are quite a lot of buildings remaining at this former WWII airfield. When I arrived at the tower all the downstairs access points had been bricked up but that didn’t stop me getting in. Afterwards I spied some other buildings across the road in the undergrowth and these were duly explored. Unfortunately I found out about the former decontamination buildings close to the village itself after returning. Anyway, here’s the history.

RAF Wigsley, located 8 miles west of Lincoln, was built in 1942 as a standard bomber airfield. In total there were 17 different sites including sick quarters and a sewage works. The watch tower was of three story design and quite unique design. It opened in the same year under the administration of 5 Group Bomber Command and served as a satellite base for RAF Swinderby. Its brief time as an operational airfield started when the Hampdens of 455 Squadron arrived in February 1942 before being moved to RAF Leuchars in May. Then in June became a major training station for 5 Group which included a mix of Lancasters and Manchesters. By April 1943, Wigsley was an all-Lancaster airfield before re-equipping with Stirlings. Its training role came to an end in September 1945 and was placed on Care and Maintenance in 1946. The airfield was reactivated in the 1950s as a Relief Landing Ground for the Vampires and Meteors of RAF Swinderby until closing permanently in April 1958.

Over the years the site’s most imposing building, the watch tower, has been very badly vandalised and survives along with a few of the Technical Site buildings. The runways were torn up many years ago and are now used as a pig farm.

Airfield & Technical Site: Bdg No. 64, Watch Office from the road:

img8639 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Close up of the watch Office:

img8642 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Adjoining out building:

img8660 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Inside it’s fairly bleak:

img8645 by HughieDW, on Flickr

But there are glorious views over the adjoining pig farm:

img8647 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img8648 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Up the stairs to the second floor:

img8659 by HughieDW, on Flickr

…even better views await:

img8653 by HughieDW, on Flickr

..and more crap graffiti:

img8655 by HughieDW, on Flickr

A few more externals for good measure:

img8662 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img8665 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And the tower in its full glory:

img8666 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Across the road is Airfield & Technical Site: Bdg No. 90, Sub Station

img8668 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img8671 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img8673 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Not too sure what this building was:

img8677 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Or this:

img8678 by HughieDW, on Flickr

But this is Airfield & Technical Site: Bdg No. 89

img8681 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img8682 by HughieDW, on Flickr

…and finally Airfield & Technical Site: Bdg No. 96, a very tidy and clean Stanton Shelter:

img8684 by HughieDW, on Flickr

img8689bw by HughieDW, on Flickr

img8691 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Thanks for looking!

Definitely worth the diversion, fantastic photos.
Thanks for sharing

Some choice shots Hughie,thanks for sharing.

Cheers both. Much appreciated. Can't beat a bit of old WWII Airbase action now and again!