| Located in Norfolk, some 12 miles North-East of Kings Lynn, RAF Bircham Newton, which takes its name from a village a mile to the East, first opened in 1916 as an RFC landing ground for fighter aircraft, but later became a Bomber station.
During the 1930s, the station was enlarged and redeveloped as part of the RAF’s expansion programme and remained in active RAF use post WW2. But having only grass runways, the site was unsuitable for use with the new jet aircraft coming into service and so was closed in 1962. The station was held as an inactive site for several years, with the airfield used as a relief landing ground, before finally closing for good in 1966. The site was then purchased by the Construction Industry Training board, who continue to use it to this day as a college, as well as their main headquarters. The site is bisected by the B1155, with the main technical site and former flying field on the West side and the main bulk of the domestic accommodation buildings to the East Most of the original buildings and Hangers remain, along with the barrack blocks, which are in use by the college. The old Officers Mess is now a private hotel and the RAF housing is now in private ownership. Whilst the site retains most of its war time feel, at the time these photos were taken in 2009, the original pre-war control tower is scheduled for demolition due to its poor state (hey, aren’t they a construction training college? Can’t they just rebuild it?). Similarly, the old guard room and buildings adjacent to the former main entrance are also up for demolition to make way for newer college dormitories. PLEASE NOTE, the site is strictly private property, so do not try and barge on and take photos. These pictures were taken as part of an arranged visit with the site owners during out-of-college hours. A heritage room and memorial to the old airfield is located in the former station commander’s house to the North East of site. Viewing of the heritage room is by appointment only, so checkout their website for more details at http://www.rafbnmp.org.uk/ |
Welcome to the CITB training college 700x480 |
Former ops block (now the college security lodge and main entrance) 700x525 |
Olfd RAF Guard house by the former main entrance 700x525 |
Station HQ (now CITB admin buildings) 700x525 |
Sgts Mess 700x525 |
Road around the complex (with Richard and Noel) 700x525 |
Workshops 700x525 |
Old C type hanger 700x525 |
Hangers with flight offices 700x525 |
Old "Fort type" control tower (due for demolition). 1024x768 |
Old control tower (front view) 700x525 |
View accross the old airfield (now a building site) 700x525 |
The sort of thing you'll see around Bircham today! 700x525 |
"C" type hanger 700x525 |
old Bellman hangers 700x525 |
Tanker shed 700x525 |
Latrine block 700x505 |
Former workshops 700x525 |
MT sheds 700x525 |
Fuel compund storage yard. 700x525 |
Station armoury. 700x525 |
Parachute store 700x525 |
Former main stores 700x525 |
Link trainer 700x525 |
