'Kemble Guide' Dave Rose 26/08/20
Kemble has grown over the years and is one of two "graveyards" in the UK, the other being St Athan. The Covid pandemic has meant many airlines are storing and scrapping older frames, and therefore Kemble has seen a massive influx in recent months. My company HQ has recently moved to Swindon, so I have visited Kemble twice recently, to check out the inhabitants.
Of note are the current opening hours, which are Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 5pm. For those of you who havn't made the trip, its an easy place to grab all of the stuff, even though its well spread out. The airfield is 2 miles south of Cirencester, so head on the A433 towards Tetbury, after about a mile or so there is a junction with the A429 to Malmesbury, take this and you drive through Kemble village. You will arrive at the eastern side of the airfield, and a layby allows parking. Most frames can be seen here, and you are close to the runway 26 threshold.
To the right is the main "Belfast scrapping pan" which is usually crammed full of frames about to be, or in the process of being cut, with a line of the next to be cut alongside the pan. Straight ahead is the ASI facility, and recent frames usually get the engines dropped and parts removed here. You can get much closer to this area, which I will come onto. Further to the western side of the airfield is some hangars containing the Resource Group Technical College, and a taxiway where large airliners are parked. The map below refers to the previous inmates "Chevron", who maintained and stored 146's.
To the left is the overflow parking, and you can get close to these frames by driving towards Malmesbury for a few hundred yards to a large crash gate. Good shots can be had here, and it has over 20 frames parked currently. Driving further along brings you to the entrance to the main hangars, turn right and drive through here to get really close to the aircraft, security never bother you. This area is classed as the South Apron. Driving further around you can get close to the fire dump and 08 threshold, but a securty gate means you need a pass to go further.
Once back onto the A429, turn left and drive back to Kemble village, take a left turn towards the railway station and carry on until it meets up with the A433 again. Turn left and drive to the western side of the airfield, which is signposted. You will arrive at the entrance gate, and before you turn in you can get good shots of the frames on the left, awaiting the cut. Once inside the gates, drive towards the west and you can get shots through the fences, once at ASI turn right and you will arrive at the college. Once finished drive back to the ASI hangars and turn right, this is where the based light aircraft are hangared, and the Aviator Cafe has 2 Buccaneer's, a Gnat and a Hunter parked alongside.
By taking in both sides of the field, you should have bagged everything, the map below will show where I mean, the photo was taken in the very quiet days!!
Here are some recent shots - Click to enlarge
South Apron
Scrapping Area
ASI Facility
Technical College
