Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airport

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VRT Southend Vulcan
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Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airport

Post by VRT Southend Vulcan »

We are delighted to let everyone on UKAR know that Vulcan XL426 will soon be moving to a new home under cover at London Southend Airport.

XL426 is relocating to the airport’s Hangar 6 for an initial five-year period. The hangar will become our engineering and visitor base. XL426 was moved off her parking pan on the airport’s eastern perimeter for the final time on 5 May to a temporary holding location until the hangar is ready.

We expect to move XL426 into Hangar 6 in the next few weeks.

Since the beginning of May our volunteers have been busy, assisted by London Southend Airport, getting the hangar ready for XL426’s arrival. This work has included: upgrading the hangar’s electrical services, replacement of ceiling tiles, bringing the hangar doors back into full operation, and an extensive amount of cleaning and tidying. The hangar, together with the adjacent Hangar 5, which we will use for storing our ground equipment and spares, measures some 4,000 square metres.

We have been in negotiation with London Southend Airport since early 2017 over the new site and agreement to relocate XL426 to Hangar 6 was reached at the end of April. The move is necessary due to extra car parking space being needed for the increasing numbers of passengers using the airport. This extra space includes the area of XL426’s former parking pan; meaning we had to find a new home for the Vulcan.

Glyn Jones, CEO Stobart Aviation has said: “The Vulcan is a key part of the history of London Southend Airport and is incredibly popular with visitors, so we have been very pleased to work with the Trust to provide it with a new home that helps their objective of creating an even better visitor experience, at the same time as helping us grow as an airport.”

London Southend Airport has been incredibly positive and helpful throughout the whole process and we can’t thank them enough for the support they have provided and will continue to provide. A roof over XL426's head is really a dream come true for us and opens up many opportunities, both in terms of engineering and getting XL426 open to the public more often.

London Southend Airport is aware that we’re a totally voluntary body and is assisting us practically and financially with XL426’s move so that the costs, and the ongoing cost of running the hangar, remain affordable. We will, however, soon be launching a campaign to raise funds to improve our engineering facilities and to make the hangar a high quality environment in which the public can visit XL426.

In the meantime, though, anyone wishing to contribute can do so via our website http://www.avrovulcan.com. All donations will be very gratefully received. In keeping with our policy of total openness, we must point out that the lease contains a break clause. London Southend Airport, however, has said it does not envisage ever implementing this. The lease on our former parking pan contained a similar clause and we survived there for over two decades!

We will keep you updated with our progress and will post some photos of the hangar work – and the move – as we go along. You can also keep up-to-date by visiting our Facebook page.

The first chance to see XL426 in its new home will be on Fathers’ Day, Sunday June 18th, when we are holding our next Visit the Vulcan Day. Further Visit the Vulcan Days will take place on Sunday August 20th and Sunday September 24th.

Many thanks
Rich
Rich Clarkson (VRT Trustee)
Vulcan Restoration Trust
Preserving Vulcan XL426 at London Southend Airport
Registered Charity No 1058111

Sundowner
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by Sundowner »

Great news.

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The Baron
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by The Baron »

Sundowner wrote:Great news.


Indeed. Excellent achievement from all involved.
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Vampire 1973
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by Vampire 1973 »

Is Hanger 6 next to the old control tower?

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VRT Southend Vulcan
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by VRT Southend Vulcan »

Vampire 1973 wrote:Is hangar 6 next to the old control tower?


Hi - no it's the one furthest away, at the western end of the line of hangars and next to Seawing Flying Club.

Rich
Vulcan Restoration Trust
Preserving Vulcan XL426 at London Southend Airport
Registered Charity No 1058111

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NAM Updater
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by NAM Updater »

Excellent news and well done to everyone involved!
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FarnboroJohn
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by FarnboroJohn »

Not only great news but nice to have it volunteered in this way, without having to join a club or anything. Full marks and best wishes for the future!

John

Xm657
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by Xm657 »

Incredible achievement. Can't begin to say how pleased I am to hear this. I will definitely be there on Fathers Day to see her in her new home.

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MicrolightDriver
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by MicrolightDriver »

Great to have this confirmed! Superb outcome for the VRT and XL426! :clap:

Ryan.
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by Ryan. »

Fantastic news. :clap:

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VRT Southend Vulcan
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by VRT Southend Vulcan »

aknott68 wrote:Very positive news for the long term future of the Vulcan, I'm intrigued to know if she's been taken off the pan where she was previously is there still an opportunity for engine runs and night photo shoots to be done at the airfield, I know that there's talk about TLE hopefully doing another one later in the year - and the location she was at with the sun behind her earlier in the year generated a lovely sunset backdrop so be interesting to see what this arrangement means for different positioning in the future.

But ultimately having something as large as this under cover has to be the best thing for the aircraft - so well done to the VRT for continuing to provide the support of XL426


Thanks for your comments. The old XL426 pan wasn't an engine running area so we always had to take the aircraft out onto the airport for engine runs, so the same will apply with the hangar. As for photo shoots, there's a large area of tarmac outside Hangar 6 which might lend itself nicely for these. Whatever, we certainly want to continue doing more shoots and where there's a will there's a way.

Rich
Vulcan Restoration Trust
Preserving Vulcan XL426 at London Southend Airport
Registered Charity No 1058111

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flashman8
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by flashman8 »

awesome news indeed, shame this move was not done before October 2015 as I am sure there would have been room for two Vulcans.......... :wink:
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tache3
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by tache3 »

Great news and congratulations to all at the VRT. I'll look forward to visiting XL426 at her new facility ASAP.

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Wes_Howes
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by Wes_Howes »

Wow an open, forward thinking and positive aircraft trust! It's like the holy grail! :grin: Great news that the airframe is being moved indoors, well done all at VRT :clap:

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tache3
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by tache3 »

The hangar appeal is underway-

https://campaign.justgiving.com/campaig ... ngarappeal

Lets all chuck a few quid in, shall we?

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Alber Ratman
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by Alber Ratman »

Brilliant news to see that Storbart Air have been supportive of a restoration project. Hope the lease can be for longer.

Xm657
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by Xm657 »

Good to see the appeal is now at 68% of its target, some £8000 raised. The Southend Vulcan will go from strength to strength with a bit of funding and hopefully we'll get to see a taxiing Vulcan again some day.

https://www.justgiving.com/campaigns/ch ... ngarappeal

Xm657
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by Xm657 »

Sadly just been announced that the airport may be asking the VRT to move out of their hanger. Must be a blow to the group after all their hard work setting up the new hanger.

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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by VRT Southend Vulcan »

Just to confirm that nothing's been decided yet and that we're working closely with StobartGroup to find a solution. Once there's anything further to report - and we can't say for certain at the moment how fast or slow things will move - we will keep UKAR informed. In the meantime, please accept our thanks for everyone's support.

Our statement, which is on http://www.avrovulcan.com, says:

"The hangar fire on 16 August at London Southend Airport has meant the airport’s owner, StobartGroup, is having to look at a number of options for relocating businesses on the site.

"One of the options being considered would involve moving Vulcan XL426 from its home in Hangar 6 to another site on the airport.

"XL426 relocated to Hangar 6 in May this year and the Vulcan Restoration Trust has spent a considerable amount of time and money renovating the hangar so it could become the Trust’s engineering and visitor base. StobartGroup fully acknowledges this and has committed to working with the Trust to ensure the best possible long-term solution for XL426.

"We would like to stress that no firm decisions have yet been made. As soon as we have more information we will issue a further statement and will write to our members and the companies and individuals who donated to our Hangar Appeal."

Rich

Richard Clarkson
Trustee - Vulcan Restoration Trust
Vulcan Restoration Trust
Preserving Vulcan XL426 at London Southend Airport
Registered Charity No 1058111

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VRT Southend Vulcan
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Re: Vulcan XL426 to Move to Hangar at London Southend Airpor

Post by VRT Southend Vulcan »

Hi Everyone

We've just released the following joint statement with StobartGroup:

"Two weeks ago the Vulcan Restoration Trust and StobartGroup announced that it might be necessary for Vulcan XL426 to relocate from Hangar 6 at London Southend Airport.

"Following discussions, both parties are agreed that, due to a number of redevelopment needs arising from the recent hangar fire at the airport, the Vulcan will be relocated. StobartGroup recognises the commitment and continuing hard work of the VRT’s trustees and volunteers and has made it clear that they remain committed to supporting the VRT and to providing a location that allows for public access to the Vulcan and for the aircraft to have access to the runway for demonstrating taxi runs."

We're still in negotiation with StobartGroup about our new site at London Southend Airport so can't say too much more at this point but we will be contacting our members, supporters and the donors to our Hangar Appeal with more detail about XL426’s relocation as soon as we can and will keep UKAR updated as things develop.

Thanks to everyone for their ongoing support.

Rich

Rich Clarkson
Trustee - Vulcan Restoration Trust
Vulcan Restoration Trust
Preserving Vulcan XL426 at London Southend Airport
Registered Charity No 1058111

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