Rick W Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 The MOD is planning to relocates a large amount of the vehicles from the Ashcroft storage depot to Germany. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/feb/16/british-tanks-sent-germany-storage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FV1604A Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Tell me I haven't done a Rip van Winkle and fallen asleep until April the First. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Bizarre , as it says, we are moving troops from Germany back to UK and moving their hardware our there. Its a strange world we live in..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I would have thought there was a good disused railway tunnel not that far away from Ashcroft...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulob1 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 shows how bad things are here in the UK....I honestly think we have complately lost the plot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 (edited) shows how bad things are here in the UK....I honestly think we have completely lost the plot. Well without doubt the MOD are about to lose the plot (at Aschcroft) :cool2: :laugh: Taxi! Edited February 17, 2012 by N.O.S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I do think that sometimes we are served very badly by our civil servants, just look at PFI. So how can it be cheaper to move all these very heavy expensive tanks acroos the Channel to a, presumably, another climate controlled and secure shed in another country than keep them here in the UK? Someone must be expecting a huge amount of money from redeveloping the site especially in this financial climate - are there 'real' developers wanting to buy the land or is this another 'fantasy idea' by mandarins on ivory towers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 (edited) The cynical might conclude it is merely a result of having to comply with a tight short-term budget. In all probablility the long-term cost (of moving the gear, renting premises / building a new facility abroad, obtaining planning consent to develop a replacement facility back here, and then building it) will more than gobble up any short-term gain from selling the land for redevelopment. But that is the only way to meet the short-term goal. That's exactly what has happened with PFI hospitals. Oh yes, we really have lost the plot. Anyone noticed the recent exponential increase in self-storage units? Just an idea :whistle: Edited February 17, 2012 by N.O.S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RattlesnakeBob Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 (edited) I know the possibility of us ever going to war with Germany again is thankfully just about non existent..... (ah.....mmmhh....ahem....tell me it is...... isn't it ???:undecided:) but it sure does seem a daft move either way you measure it .... ......It'd certainly be a classic British Comedy moment if it ever did hit the fan with them again.... not only will we be in the rather difficult situation of having to ask if we "could possibly have some Landrovers for our army ???".....but also....."could we have our tanks back before we get started ?" .........always aware of getting too 'political' on an essentially 'vehicle' forum I have to say.... that as with many things concerning the MoD..... it would be funny if it were not true........ PS,,,and why does an advert keep jumping into my post ? baffled ! haha! Edited February 17, 2012 by RattlesnakeBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jchinuk Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 The MOD is planning to relocates a large amount of the vehicles from the Ashcroft storage depot to Germany. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/feb/16/british-tanks-sent-germany-storage In view of the interests of the folk on this forum, can I propose an "adopt a tank" scheme, along the lines of those "adopt an animal" schemes at zoos? I think my garden could accomodate a C2, I'd be prepared to offer the space rent-free in exchange for letting me drive it a bit! :cool2: jh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Eh, RB, have you ever heard the saying 'History repeats itself'? Don't want to worry you mate , but, the Goverment has just announced a combined military command with the French... Last time that happened was about a hundred years ago, called the Entente Cordiale, kept very quiet at the time. But does August 1914 ring any bells? :shocked: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrynevuk Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Surely there must be some redundant airfields in the country with hangers that can be converted? With the Harriers going, and all the other cutbacks there really should be somewhere these vehicles can be stored. The cost of the movement must be huge compared with the modification of an already secure airfield somewhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 shows how bad things are here in the UK....I honestly think we have complately lost the plot. Nah, its worse here. We sold our last tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tankmaker1 Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Surely there must be some redundant airfields in the country with hangers that can be converted?With the Harriers going, and all the other cutbacks there really should be somewhere these vehicles can be stored. The cost of the movement must be huge compared with the modification of an already secure airfield somewhere? Yep the Harriers are gone but the Army are moving in already. Strangely enough there were some really nice buildings at Vickers Leeds specifically to do what we are now sending vehicles to Germany to do - cocooned storage!. Of course the idea of UK companies being able to do such a thing was incomprehensible to the MoD at the time - so Leeds closed...... the sheds are still there (just!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big ray Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Nah, its worse here.We sold our last tanks. That explains it then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 Nah, its worse here.We sold our last tanks. Well you can always borrow ours, they will be closer to you than us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulob1 Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 what a crock of trouble, we have a mad administration system, we have loopy people in government, we have loopy people in local government, and they are now working their way into the army. i farm 187 acres of land, the council visited the other week, they saw the cows,they saw the tractor, they saw the crush, the cow hand;ling facilities, the cow only trailer, for taking the cows to the abattoir, they saw the 4 kms of stock fencing and they said there was no evidence of farming....are these people stark staring mad...I think ths answer is yes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 are these people stark staring mad...I think ths answer is yes... Yes they are all :nut: And This wouldn't be the council that built a bus stop on a road without a bus route would it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petop Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Having spoken to a few who know about this i would take the story with a pinch of salt. Ashchurch itself is pretty awesome to look around, which i have a fair few times. Every in-service vehicle is there, some still unissued or some returned for Whole Fleet Management storage. Vehicles returned from Afghanistan IED damaged, awaiting repair and some sheds that even i couldnt get into holding the "Gucci" ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RattlesnakeBob Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 I've never had a proper good mooch in there but in the early 90s I did have to go there to price a dismantling job.......this must have been about '92 or '93 and one of the large sheds there was full and I do mean full front to back & nose to tail with black Austin Maxis... all absolutely immaculate and 'un-issued' and this was of course a long good while after BL had stopped making them...I often wondered what else was stashed away there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 what a crock of trouble, we have a mad administration system, we have loopy people in government, we have loopy people in local government, and they are now working their way into the army. i farm 187 acres of land, the council visited the other week, they saw the cows,they saw the tractor, they saw the crush, the cow hand;ling facilities, the cow only trailer, for taking the cows to the abattoir, they saw the 4 kms of stock fencing and they said there was no evidence of farming....are these people stark staring mad...I think ths answer is yes... I won't ask where their heads were stuck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulture Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 (edited) I do think that sometimes we are served very badly by our civil servants, just look at PFI. So how can it be cheaper to move all these very heavy expensive tanks acroos the Channel to a, presumably, another climate controlled and secure shed in another country than keep them here in the UK? Someone must be expecting a huge amount of money from redeveloping the site especially in this financial climate - are there 'real' developers wanting to buy the land or is this another 'fantasy idea' by mandarins on ivory towers?As a Civil Servant who has worked for the MOD for 32 years I take great exception to that first sentance, which is a sweeping Daily Mail generalisation if ever I read one. The vast majority of us are having to implement policies thought up by Treasury, politicians and a number of the high priced help who are then happy to take retirement to avoid the subsequent fall-out of their bad policies/decisions. This decision, assuming it has been reported correctly, is yet another crap one being hoisted on us by people at the top who frankly have completly lost the plot, about what defence is about, and the whole concept of UK Plc. Edited February 20, 2012 by Vulture quote tags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Apologies. I was commenting after over 40 years dealing with politicians and self serving officers in local government. Perhaps more of us should have challenged each stupid policy they presented for implementation. Sorry if I pointed at the wrong target but someone must be producing these ideas like sending our tanks to Germany and others making it work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 As a Civil Servant who has worked for the MOD for 32 years I take great exception to that first sentance, which is a sweeping Daily Mail generalisation is ever I read one. The vast majority of us are having to implement policies thought up by Treasury, politicians and a number of the high priced help who are then happy to take retirement to avoid the subsequent fall-out of their bad policies/decisions. This decision, assuming it has been reported correctly, is yet another crap one being hoisted on us by people at the top who frankly have completly lost the plot, about what defence is about, and the whole concept of UK Plc. This is a perfect example why we have a strict NO Politics policy on HMVF. Politics on any Forums lead to arguments. There are too many on here who are quick to put down Civil servants & the like, which we do have amongst our members. No more Politics in this thread (or any other) please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timbo Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I've never had a proper good mooch in there but in the early 90s I did have to go there to price a dismantling job.......this must have been about '92 or '93 and one of the large sheds there was full and I do mean full front to back & nose to tail with black Austin Maxis... all absolutely immaculate and 'un-issued' and this was of course a long good while after BL had stopped making them...I often wondered what else was stashed away there. My dad had a maxi, and im afraid it was a truly rubbish car...he sold it and bought an orange lada which in spite of the mickey taking was much better, flippin good heater too....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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