RAF Halton Halton House and Trenchard Museum

Trenchard Museum seeks local volunteers

Are you interested in local history, aircraft, engineering, the RAF? Would you like to get out and to meet like-minded people a few times every week? The Trenchard Museum at RAF Halton is seeking local volunteers at all levels.

Established in 1999, the Trenchard Museum covers RAF Halton's history from its first use by the Royal Flying Corps through its life as the home to Lord Trenchard's Aircraft Apprenticeship scheme, to today's recruit training. Exhibits include a Folland Gnat trainer jet; plus two more aircraft; two cockpits; aero engines; and displays of models, tools, weapons and memorabilia which illustrate life, training and events in the station’s history.

In a nearby separate building, the James McCudden Flight Heritage Centre focuses on the history of flight. Exhibits include a a glider, plus a modern replica of the Mayfly powered aircraft built by apprentices in the 1920s; Link Trainers (built in Aylesbury), models and displays. One of the most popular attractions is a computer flight simulator where visitors can try to fly a representation of a Chipmunk trainer.

Francis Hanford has been the curator for 25 years and is aided by assistant curator Garron Clarke-Darby. Francis says that the day- to-day running of the museum depends on its team of volunteers, who handle all sorts of activities from looking after visitors to helping to maintain and clean the exhibits.

Volunteers until now have often been former RAF apprentices who settled down around Halton after retirement. However, Francis is hoping to engage other local people who might be interested.

“Volunteers can come from any background,” he says. “They don’t need to have served in the RAF, or even know about aircraft or engineering. We’ve seen that they tend to find their own interests. They may come in to help with the visitors or the dusting and polishing, then often find they develop an interest in some aspects of the history or particular exhibits, and then become an expert onthat subject .”

The volunteers can choose when to come in, but Wednesdays are particularly busy, especially on RAF recruit graduation days. However, individuals and parties may arrive all through the week, subject to a few days' notice.

Garron says “If you are not sure then just get in touch and come for an informal chat –even if you are not able to volunteer please come and visit anyway. It is free to enter and we have an awful lot of interesting stuff!”

There is a form on the Trenchard Musem’s website where you can register your interest, here: www.trenchardmuseum. org.uk (or www.bit.ly/3OzNDc7 takes you straight to the form).

RAF Halton open day

For the first time since 2019 the RAF is opening Halton House to the public, on Sunday 10 September, from 10:00 to 16:00.

Halton House is a 19th century chateaustyle mansion that was originally the weekend residence of Alfred de Rothschild, but was converted to the Officer's Mess after the RAF took it over.

There will also be free coaches to and from the Trenchard Museum on the other side of the base, for anyone wishing to see it.

Entry is free and there's car parking, but note that Halton House only has limited disabled access. Follow the signs to Halton House from the B4009 Tring Road at HP22 5NN. www.bit.ly/3YAzFM3

Peter Bird Garden Design

Over the course of the last few weeks since the previous edition of Wendover News we have had to change the programme of works and the traffic management plans in September for the Wendover area. The current schedule of works is now as follows, but is subject to change, writes Jon Deas, Engagement Manager, Eiffage Kier Ferrovial BAM JV.

• 4 – 6 September: Full closure of Dobbins Lane at the junction with the High Street to commission a water main. While these works are confined to the verge area and could be completed under a lane closure it would mean traffic lights at all junctions of the roundabout. We are installing the closure to reduce the disruption.

• 8 – 17 September: Overnight closures on Risborough Road (A4010) near Old Risborough Road to install a bridge for our internal traffic to pass over the road to reduce our impact on road users. The closures will be in operation from 8.30pm to 5.30am.

The next phase of works to bring the temporary diversions of A413 London Road and Ellesborough Road into operation is now scheduled for October. The A413 London Road will require a mixture of lane and overnight road closures while on Ellesborough Road, due to its narrow width, a full closure will be in operation.

To help you understand exactly what work we will be carrying out around the A413 and why it is required, we have produced a video using our 4D design model demonstrating upcoming work for the construction of Small Dean Viaduct including road diversions and utility work, please scan the QR code to access.

In July our team took part in our annual fundraising programme, Race the Trace. Over the course of the month members of our team undertook and logged their participation in various physical activities to raise money to donate to local communities. The aim is to encourage our workforce to improve their physical and mental health while raising money for charity. This year the team raised £2,185 which will be donated to Lindengate, the nature-based health and wellbeing charity on Aylesbury Road, Wendover.

If you have a question about HS2 or our works, please contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk.

Calling keen local photographers!

Wendover News is always in need of good quality local photographs. Sometimes to illustrate stories, sometimes just to show what a beautiful place we live in. Our volunteer editorial team already includes a few people who can wield a camera, but they’re not always available at the right time or in the right place. Would you like to help us out?

You don’t need elaborate kit. Modern smartphones are often good enough (though anyone with a camera drone and a license would be particularly welcome). What you do need is a good eye for photographs and know how to take them.

We’re looking for keen photographers who can be on-call to take a brief and deliver results digitally. It may sometimes be short notice, but it’ll probably be short distance too. We can’t promise payment, but you’ll have the pleasure of seeing your photographs and name in print!

If you’re interested, send us an email to: getinvolved@wendovernews.org

Tell us what you think!

Wendover News believes community support is key to creating a thriving area. We would like to hear from a range of people about how to improve the Wendover News website for you and for our community. You can join in the research by clicking the link below or scanning the QR code which will lead you to a form to fill out. Please complete this form and we will be in touch if you are selected to take part.

www.tinyurl.com/3kek36ne

If you are unable to complete the online form but would still like to take part in the research, please email us at getinvolved@wendovernews.org or write to us at 11 Manor Road, Wendover, HP22 6HL.