RAF Upper Heyford & RAF Croughton Road Trip. May 2022

I recently made a trip back to the former RAF Upper Heyford now called 'Heyford Park' to update a previous video I posted titled RAF Upper Heyford. 1999 - 2015. To say there have been significant changes at the Base would be an understatement. For me it was a trip down memory lane - I lived there between 1968 - 1972. Not all areas of the Base are covered as it would be impractical to do so but here is a reminder of how it looks today...
It was sad to see how much had changed but you can't stop progress. On a positive note, the History of the Air Base is being perpetuated by those involved with the Heritage Center and long may that continue. Any reference to dates concerning the Airfield were taken from the 'Office of History' Publication, 20th Fighter Wing, RAF Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England and dated 1st January 1994.
Note: NCO 'Tobacco' Housing and the original 1920's type RAF dwellings (Carswell Circle), are in the main, 'Private Rental' Properties. Today, the 'Tobacco' Housing units are some 60+ years old and they are showing their age but they are as I remember them. The new 'Heyford Park' Development which essentially surrounds the former Base Housing estate comprises of owner occupied New Builds and I would suggest the purchase price of such properties would reflect the location - near Oxford, The Cotswolds and with good road/rail transport links to both the North and South of the Country.
Photo Credits: My photographs were taken between 1999 - 2015 and have been supplemented with sourced images and photo credit has been given accordingly. No infringement of personal copyright is intended with any image(s) included in this video. With thanks to The Public Domain Archive.
Music Score: 'Rising Tide' from the Windows 10 Music Library.

[@TucsonHighBand]

I’m crying now. I met my husband there in 1988. I worked in the housing office. I left in 1989 and went back to AZ. He transferred to Offut. We long distance dated and married in 1990 before the Gulf War. We were going to go back on our anniversary in 2020, but Covid. I was thinking about going back for our 35th. I don’t think I could now.

[@JoyfullSpirit]

Thank you for the memories. We were stationed at Upper Heyford in 1969-1971. I am still so thankful for the opportunity to see this part of the world and have lived in the English community in Somerton. Great benefits as an Air Force brat that most kids don't enjoy. Some wonderful memories!

[@pennymccormick3471]

Thank you so much for sharing this! My father was stationed there 72 to 76. We lived on Portal Drive, you went right by our old house! I love living there. Best part if my childhood.

[@philparrott4424]

I was stationed at RAF Croughton from 1976 to 1979. always loved the nurses at Stoke Manville Hospital in Aylesbury. Good times and good memories.

[@howiestewart8295]

I lived there as a kid from 1976-1980. Really cool place to be a kid.

[@conneryc]

Thank you for posting this “tour”. I was stationed at RAF Croughton from 1986 - 89 as a 307x0/493x0. My two oldest sons were both born at the UH base hospital. All shipping was done at the UH Commissary and BX. I really miss my time there.

[@johnnysea7]

Thank you for posting this video. I was stationed at RAF Upper Heyford from November 1979 to November 1981. It was my first assignment after Technical School, I was a fresh 17-year-old Airman Basic then. 😱 Looking at your video, I recognized the Base Exchange, Movie Theater, & Bowling Alley. Other than that, I did not recognize anything else. It looks like a different place -- I guess it IS a different place now 45 years later (geez, I'm old). Oddly enough, the lasting takeaway from my experience there was, not so much the work I did there, (it sucked) but it was the music (which definitely did NOT suck). Since it was my first time in a different country, everything was new and different to me. I remember taking a keen interest in this new music I was hearing on BBC1, from these bands that I had never heard of before, like The Police, Human League, Duran Duran, etc. (actually: XTC). Once again, thank you for posting. It took me back to those slightly thrilling days of yesteryear.

[@robw3027]

Thanks for the tour. I wish I had been there when the F-111's were in residence. A feeling of sadness though- the past has been swept away.

[@janicestephens8643]

Thank you for posting this. We were there from 89-91 and loved every minute of it. It’s great to see it!

[@clifftrimble2616]

Thanks for sharing!! My Dad was stationed at Heyford in the late 50's.. I was born in London.. 20 years later I came back as a A1C and assigned to RAF Croughton 1978-80 and worked the HF SSB Airways Station.. Croughton is a big Communications base.. Got married at Croughton in 1980 and we ended back at Croughton in 1995 after Alconbury did their drawdown. Back this time as a MSgt in the same shop but as the "boss". Lot of good memories for sure. On your Croughton trip the antennas before the Domes, were our antennas for our receivers. I went to the all ranks club at Croughton and I swear I was back in 1978! Except for the gambling machines the club looked and felt just like it did back then.. I ran into one of the staff who even remembered me from back then!! Thanks again for video!!

[@Hadite84]

I last visited in 2017 - at that time the building /reconstruction work had just begun, and a lot of the old buildings were still standing, it was sad to see how the base had become so worn down and dilapidated. Though I wish she were as I remember her, it is encouraging to see the new life that has been given to this special place that we call Upper Heyford. Thank you for sharing.

[@groverbrown2185]

I was there from Sep61-Jun64 and loved it. After my mother in law died in 2004 we haven't visited then UK to often and this video was a real eye opener to the changes that have taken place. Sad to see them close Heyford but it appears to be recovering very well. Thanks Mark, I for one really appreciate your efforts in making this video.

[@Chelveston78]

Thank you Grover for your message. Whether you lived or made the daily commute to the Base, today, the transformation of the site is remarkable and indeed the 'New Community' of Heyford Park continues to grow. I'm pleased the video conveyed these dramatic changes. Thankfully, the History of the Base is being preserved at the Heritage Center. I have only good memories of my time at RAF UH as an AF Dependant (1968 - 72). All the best to you....

[@pauljirinec2772]

77-83 then again 89-91. A lot has changed. It is nice to see that something has been done with the location.

[@CarlWatts-pv7vb]

I was station there from 77-79 worked in the gym and played some basketball during the days when Hank Brown was the star player. Carl Watts was my name remember?

[@CardsFromTheShop]

I appreciate the video. I was stationed at RAF Croughton from 89-92. You are correct when you assumed it was a Communications base. I worked long haul HF with RAF Barford St John being our Tx Site. Many great experiences for a 20 yr old kid...and, my daughter was born at the hospital on Upper Heyford. Loved my time in the UK.

[@clifftrimble2616]

You were in between my time there!! 1978-80 and 1995-1996.. Worked Airways and Global back then.. good times and alot of memories!!

[@CardsFromTheShop]

@@clifftrimble2616 I believe I've talked to you at some point during our careers. I did Giant Talk at Croughton.

[@rockesark9689]

I was able to find my father in the group picture at about time 0:48 with the B-47. We still have this photo at home. I was very young at the time and went to school there but my older sister was in High School and was bused to Lakenheath since at the time Upper Hayford didn't have a high school. We lived just on the corner by the Base Chapel so I enjoyed seeing you drive by the old homestead. We had moved to Upper Hayford from RAF Brize Norton. Thanks so much for this video.

[@Chelveston78]

Thank you for sharing your memories, I'm pleased you were able to identify images and scenes that are personal to you. All the best...

[@garyo4057]

Great video, really enjoyed watching, brought back a lot of good memories. Thank you.

[@gregorydobson4307]

Remember watching the F1 11S going out of upper heyford on night training. There was a gate we watched from that shook as the afterburners kicked in. The good old days..

[@yappledapple3469]

Mark, Thanks for posting this. I was stationed there right at the end, Aug 90 - Aug 92, much of that time was in the middle east but I still have many good memories from there. I've googled it over the years and have seen some changes but this doesn't even look like the same space I once lived. I was in dorm 445 just south of the dining facility. In your video, right before you show the location bowling ally on the left, you can see some hills on the right just inside the fence. That is an old WWII refueling site, and I spent many hours there. I still have my flightline pass for working the Sky Pageant in 92. In a way, it is nice to see it being repurposed, but there is something, in certain situations, about reaching back and seeing those places we spent time. Again, thank you for sharing this.

[@Chelveston78]

Thank you for your comments. Without question, there has been some incredible changes over the past 10 years or so. Progress is good but I agree that sometimes it's nice to look back and just remember things as they were. This is Prime Real Estate and location is everything. Construction work still continues today. Thankfully, the guys at the Heritage Centre are preserving that link with our past so future generations will know of the Base's History. All good memories for me as an AF Dependant (1968-1972) at RAF Upper Heyford with inevitably the odd bad one. All the best to you.

[@piggyoinkenstein.186]

Wow, i graduated from the US high school at croughton in 1976. Graduation ceremony was held in the old town hall in Oxford. So that we could all claim that we were indeed "oxford" grads. My dad was in the air force for 29 years, we were also at high wycombe 69-71. Back when the best of what was british was still alive and well. 🤪👍

[@harriergr7728]

Save our Cold War heritage, when it’s gone it’s gone! Thanks for posting your video of UH.

[@mickboakes7023]

Brilliant video Mark. Hard to imagine how busy and vast it was in those days. If only there were a time machine. Visited a couple of times in airshow days never realising that one day it would become non operational. Now I’ve found your channel am catching up with previous posts. All the best. Mick

[@Chelveston78]

Thank you Mick for your comment. So much has changed but at least this former Base hasn't been abandoned and effectively left to rot as is the case at other decommissioned military sites in fact the transformation is amazing but location, location is everything. And the History of the Base will be preserved at the Heritage Centre. Progress in a good way I guess but I miss the old days. I wish you well...

[@peppifree123]

20th TFW 1980/81 "Sleep tight tonight, Heyfords on alert"

[@t-mobiletodd9093]

It, RAF Croughton, was always a COMMs based. Years later, I worked for BT and can confirm that it will not be going away anytime soon. 🤫

[@brucelaclaire2872]

I was there in 1964

[@britishchickinusa]

We were stationed at Croughton. My dad was a comm bunny and i followed in his footsteps. I am very interested in the housing at Upper Heyford now. im thinking of relo from the usa to uk since im a dual..and i can. How far is Upper Heyford from Croughton as im considering Banbury my birthplace (Horton Hosp) . Tu for video excellent.

[@Chelveston78]

Hi and thank you for your interest in my video. The former RAF Upper Heyford (now Heyford Park) is no more than 5-6 miles from RAF Croughton (if that). Banbury to Heyford Park is approximately 11/12 miles. Oxfordshire is generally an expensive county as far as property prices are concerned given the vastly improved rail/road links into London and indeed to the rest of Middle England and the UK. If you are thinking of buying property in the UK, there are several Real Estate Property Portals to check out - www.rightmove.co.uk is a popular site but generally the closer you are to London the more expensive the property, however, homes in the UK are expensive. I hope this helps. All the best.

[@buffplums]

If some of the design from the TSRII didnt go into that aircraft I would eat my old RAF beret

[@jobellecollie7139]

As much as I'd love to view this film, my memories of UH and Croughton are very bad. I don't want to be up all night with PTSD. No. Jobelle Collie is not my real name. I transferred to Lakenheath. My ONE good memory was from Rousham Folly.

[@gregorydobson4307]

Remember watching the F1 11S going out of upper heyford on night training. There was a gate we watched from that shook as the afterburners kicked in. The good old days..