INFO Bramley Training Area,(NR Basingstoke) Temp Detachment

[michael]

While down at Boscombe Down and Middle Wallop yesterday,Innoticed a couple of extra AH-64E operating around the SPTA that appeared to be aproaching and later departed towards Basingstoke when the stopped plotting.

I was latter contacted by a source that they may be operating from Bramley (about 8 miles from me).In the last 30 years I have been aware of the odd wrecked helicopter in the site and the occasional use by RAF Odiham based Chinooks ,but even on the occasional train journey from Mortimer to Basingstoke you see nothing that even resembles an active site.

I missed them again today return from shorter than I thought mission today but plotted on FR24.

 Currently KNOWN based there are

That Plotted as GUNSHIP 1/2 on 25/10

ZM704 AH-64E
ZM711 AH-64E

That Plotted as GUNSHIP 1/2 on 26/10

ZM706 AH-64E

ZM707 AH-64E

I have been told there may be more and have Fuel Bowsers on site.

[davebasing]

The four Apaches have been operating from Bramley to Salisbury Plain over the past few days.

Bramley is a fascinating place, even without the aircraft connection. Opened in WW1 as an ordinance depot for the manufacture and storage of ammunition it spans an area on both sides of the main Basingstoke-Reading railway line. It is now designated as a training area, heavily wooded unlike much of the Salisbury Plain training area. Some 30 miles of rail track were originally laid within the area to access the various ammunition areas, which were spaced for safety reasons. The lines connected with the main railway line at Bramley Station. Post WW2 (and until as late as 1987 when the US Army left having used Bramley as an ammunition store from around 1978) former Piccadilly Line trains were used on this connection to enable the work force to commute.
I visited back in 2013. Some photos below –

IMG_6520 by dave tompkins, on Flickr
IMG_6521 by dave tompkins, on Flickr

Lynx XZ661
IMG_6528 by dave tompkins, on Flickr

Lynx XZ219 with the boom of XZ654
IMG_6525 by dave tompkins, on Flickr

The mortal remains of Gazelle XZ300 which suffered a terminal accident at Middle Wallop in February 1997
IMG_6535 by dave tompkins, on Flickr

Retired as a rescue trainer at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus Whirlwind XK970 moved to Odiham for battle damage training then to Bramley where it stood basically complete in the open in a clearing (I graphed it as such when we took the Cessna overhead for some shots a few years before) but some visiting cadets apparently set off some pyros inside it resulting in the state I took it in 2013.
Just how many frames actually remain is a bit unclear. Just XZ219 was still noted there last year but visits reports are scarce and even that report may even have been when noted from above.
IMG_6518 by dave tompkins, on Flickr

[graham]

Hi Michael/Dave

PlaneBase says that these five are there, I don't know how accurate or up to date it is.

Airport : Bramley, Tadley


XK970 Whirlwind HAR.10 WA141 Royal Air Force
XW900 Gazelle SA.341 AH.1 1195 Army Air Corps
XZ219 Lynx AH.7 144 Army Air Corps
XZ300 Gazelle SA.341 AH.1 1525 Army Air Corps
XZ661 Lynx AH.7 212 Army Air Corps

The same four made the same trip earlier this morning

[davebasing]

Oct 27, 2022 11:06:18 GMT graham said:

Hi Michael/Dave

PlaneBase says that these five are there, I don't know how accurate or up to date it is.

Airport : Bramley, Tadley


XK970 Whirlwind HAR.10 WA141 Royal Air Force
XW900 Gazelle SA.341 AH.1 1195 Army Air Corps
XZ219 Lynx AH.7 144 Army Air Corps
XZ300 Gazelle SA.341 AH.1 1525 Army Air Corps
XZ661 Lynx AH.7 212 Army Air Corps

The same four made the same trip earlier this morning

Can't help feel that Planebase would benefit from last noted dates, as the last dates EuroDemobbed have for anything listed above other than XZ219 are over 8 years ago

[michael]

As Graham said they were all active this morning,unfortunately they appear to have all departed at 1030L as GUNSHIP1-4 back towards home.

It was earlier than I expected as I positioned myself on the departure track west of Bramely 40 minutes later.

[graham]

To be fair Dave, I guess that Planebase relies upon reports from visitors to keep their lists updated and accurate. If no one's been there for ages, then that would be why it's so out of date.

[davebasing]

Oct 28, 2022 10:35:14 GMT graham said:

To be fair Dave, I guess that Planebase relies upon reports from visitors to keep their lists updated and accurate. If no one's been there for ages, then that would be why it's so out of date.

Thanks Graham. As with many other things, reliance has to be on contributors reporting their sightings. That's exactly why a last noted date would be useful. Not for active aircraft which would be a massive and never ending task, but for stored aircraft, wrecks & relics it would be very useful as is already done in many other listings such as EuroDemobbed, W&R, European, US & World Military Out of Service etc. On the other hand it could be argued that since such publications are available which do show last noted dates, there is no need for Planebase (and some other databases) to do the same. However, users of databases as a stand alone reference point would I feel clearly benefit from such inclusion. If I knew that something I needed had been seen recently I'd be much more likely to go there than if it had not been noted for many years, even if only because no one had been there recently or had been there but failed to report that whatever it was is no longer there. The regular updates we get on AFA, e.g. from Whitebear on the up to date situation at Kemble, I personally find invaluable rather than having to rely on lists that could be months (or longer) out of date.

[Jeff]

Further interrogation of these reggies in planebase gives the following, some have last seen dates

[davebasing]

Excellent, thanks Jeff.

[zz]

Bramley is only 5-6 miles from myself (and Dave), but sadly I’ve never been inside. For years I’ve wanted to see XZ219 Lynx there, as it’s one of the last Lynx that I need.
The only helicopter I’ve ever seen there is the Whirlwind (XK970 listed above) which I saw from the Basingstoke - Reading train. Using Google maps, I worked out where it was, then taking the train in winter so there was less foliage to block the view, the Whirlwind could be seen to the west of the trainline. No idea if it is still visible.

If I knew who to get in touch with, I’d try to arrange a quick visit!

[graham]

As kids of around 9 or 10, my brother and I would often go on the train from Reading to Basingstoke to see my gran who didn't live far from the station. I was a trainspotter in those far off days and I always wondered about the junction in Bramley and where the line could possibly go. So, after decades, I now know thanks to you chaps 👍

[davebasing]

Oct 28, 2022 18:16:49 GMT zz said:

Bramley is only 5-6 miles from myself (and Dave), but sadly I’ve never been inside. For years I’ve wanted to see XZ219 Lynx there, as it’s one of the last Lynx that I need.
The only helicopter I’ve ever seen there is the Whirlwind (XK970 listed above) which I saw from the Basingstoke - Reading train. Using Google maps, I worked out where it was, then taking the train in winter so there was less foliage to block the view, the Whirlwind could be seen to the west of the trainline. No idea if it is still visible.

If I knew who to get in touch with, I’d try to arrange a quick visit!

Hi ZZ. I went round on an organised trip in a small group (about 6) back in 2013. I know that they used to do similar trips for railway buffs. Seemingly weekends only as it can be active during the week. Only suggestion would be that as Bramley falls under the control of the DTE at Longmoor Camp in Liss it might be worth a call to them (last number I had was  01420 483332.

[zz]

Thanks for that Dave. I had a search yesterday and couldn’t find anything specifically for Bramley, but that explains why.
I’ll give it a go.
Cheers
Phil