postiegaz Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 Hi everyone, Time to pick your brains, recently I was allowed to access Ellington Banks training grounds Ripon to look at two Chieftain hulks. One is a mk11 mostly intact but without barrel or engine pack. The other is a SP Mk1!! How do we go about getting the MOD to release the MK1 before some bugger comes along to scrap the old girls? I have lots of interest in restoring the MK1 but I don't know how we can get either of them released. Any thoughts will be helpful. Gareth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordonb Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 Well someone has very recently bought the Wessex that lived for years in the car park at Crowborough Camp, so it must be possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 the mk1 is worth saving but just make sure you have a lot of spare time on your hands before you tackle it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxy Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 All very commendable , however I am of the belief a Training Area / Range should have remaining a bit of history , ambience and of correct MOD appearance - not a stripped and sterile acreage. Grump , grump. grump grum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigduke6 Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 (edited) First port of call is the C/O or O/C of Rippon, Then go from there, It would make a good training exercise for the The Reserves (I know a few Recce mechs who could make a weekend out of it) In theory it is scrap and not on the books anymore so it would be down to him/her but I doubt it would be so easy. I would doubt they would relese it with the gun in tact, unless you have a 120mm cannon on your FAC. At the end of the day if you don't ask you cant get......... good luck, I tried to prise a vehicle of a training area when I was on Exercise, never got anything back but never really went to the main man. Edited June 18, 2019 by bigduke6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordonb Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 Agree with starting off with the local CO, he will know, or find out, how to take it further up the chain. The other year I "came across" a 25pdr that had apparently been abandoned and made enquiries via the relevant CO. He was very helpful and I eventually got an official reply back saying that the gun was an ex gate guardian and was due to go to Malta so not for sale/disposal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postiegaz Posted June 19, 2019 Author Share Posted June 19, 2019 I received this email from Major Ennis who is the training safety officer and whom is in charge of Ellington Banks, Hello Gareth I have raised the issue of refurbishing the Mk1 Tank Hulk with my HQ in Warminster, coincidently and may well be fortuitous they are looking in to all tank hulks, gate guardians and other such pieces of equipment around the MOD estate. If I hear anything further on policy with regard to this issue going forward that may be of interest to you I will be in touch. So its a not a no but not a yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 there are plans afoot to remove all the hulks from mod land. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surveyor Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 Can I ask if this includes aircraft? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxy Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 16 hours ago, Surveyor said: Can I ask if this includes aircraft? I was recently reliably informed all the remaining bits of aircraft have been removed from the training strip at Otterburn / Redesdale Ranges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally dugan Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 The subject of what to do about range targets has been discussed for a number of years one proposal was to let them be sold through the DSA making them available to a wider audience of the public this is one l would like to see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 all wrecks belong to and are administered by the defence training estate in warminster. they seem ok wioth the idea of selling them but they have to be offered for tender through normal mod disposals. if the wrecks are on an old range the area has to be cleared by eod first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postiegaz Posted June 20, 2019 Author Share Posted June 20, 2019 Ellington Banks is a driver training area mostly, so no live rounds on site. I believe the Mk1 is worth saving as its a historic vehicle and shouldn't be scrapped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ploughman Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 20 hours ago, postiegaz said: Ellington Banks is a driver training area mostly, so no live rounds on site. I believe the Mk1 is worth saving as its a historic vehicle and shouldn't be scrapped. During my time in the TA with 234 Fd Sqn RE at RAF Leeming we used to use Ellington Banks for Demolition Training which involved the use of Plastic explosive mainly PE4. However I cannot recall actual use on vehicles and there was also a size limit on the charges used on site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashley Posted October 17, 2019 Share Posted October 17, 2019 though a bit of time has passed since last post ….thought all gate guardians range wrecks belonged to Bovington (tank museum) ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postiegaz Posted October 19, 2019 Author Share Posted October 19, 2019 These are still def owned by the MOD. I did contact Bovington and they are fully aware about the vehicles but have no interest in them what so ever. Im still awaiting news regarding the hulks from the MOD. gareth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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