Does anybody know anything about RAF Barford, near to Bloxham in Northern Oxfordshire?

I am desperate to find out as much as I can as I live only a few minutes away!

I have seen US Government registered vehicles drive into the place and there are the usual MOD Property warning signs around saying keep off etc.

A guy I know used to work for British Telecom and said he was doing some work in the base for them a few years ago and was in a huge underground complex. He said he saw some kind of control room with big screens similar to the Wargames movie and then he was told to leave the area by an American armed guard! He is old and not into this sort of stuff so I highly doubt he made it up!

Supposedly it is a CIA / NSA listening post similar to RAF Croughton but I reckon it is more secretive than that!

I know some kids who were metal detecting around the borders and wandered over onto their property (there are no big wire fences). They told me these traps opened in the ground and guard dogs with armed guards were surrounding them in less than a minute.

Please does anybody know what is going on there?

Barford is a US Satalite monotring post.

Don't mean to rain on your parade, but Barford at the time I was stationed there was just a secure transmitter station. Nothing but transmitter bay, dormitory for the airmen stationed there, chow hall, and a generator power plant. We didn't even have any security police on site. I was there from April '76 until June '79. Now the other facility at the far end of the old runway was far more "secure" than we were.

Now since 9/11 things may have changed drastically over there. Last I heard it had been shut down due to budget cuts.

Just my 2¢ worth.

Hal C.

Thanks for the info Halac, interesting!

I am dying to drive on in there as the gates are open 90% of the time although it says MOD Property, Keep Out etc.

Do you think anything bad would happen if I did? I could say I was just looking around as it looked desserted etc. What do you all think?

There are cameras on the gate but I haven't seen them move at all. Is anybody there or not?

I think I would avoid that type of approach. Ever since 9/11 a lot of military facilities are paranoid about trespassers. You might find yourself staring out from a jail cell.

One way to tell if there is anyone still working there; do they still fly the RAF and American flags out by the flag pole near the main road? I don't know how many times I had to drive out there to the flag pole to raise or lower those flags. Also there were two buildings in the main compound. The smaller one was the power generation plant that ran on diesel engines. Is there smoke coming out of the stacks?

One of these days when hopefully the world political situation calms down I'd like to visit there again. Are you familiar with Bloxham? We used to go to a pub called the Red Lion. I wonder if the same couple still own it?

Hal C.

Thanks for the info., I think I'll stay out until I know what's going on after I check the smoke and flags etc.

Where abouts are you as it sounds like you aren't in the area any more. I live about 3 miles from Bloxham so know it well,

I currently reside in Florida. Like I posted earlier, I was stationed at RAF Barford St. John from April 1976 until June 1979. I hope to get back there someday for a visit. I have an open invitation from an old friend who lives in
the southwest part of England. Maybe one of the days I'll be over there and we could meet up.

I see from your sidebar you're from Banbury. There was a pub we used to go to called "The Bear". It was just off the market place area of town. Is it still there?

Hal C.

If you visit Google earth you'll get an up to date view of the airfield. I was just browsing and it caught my eye. I'm ex RAF and have an interest in WW2 airfields. As this one looked quite complete I tried to find out more about it and thsi forum popped up. I'm in east anglia where we have literally 100's of disused airfields.

Now living in Northamptonshire, near Northampton, does anybody know if there are any underground bases or ex military bases nearby?

Having lived near to Croughton and Barford etc., they have always interested me.

Holy cow!

www.secret-bases.co.uk will keep me busy for a long time, thank you for that!

Any more you know of?

I was stationed there Dec 1957 1958 then at Croughton
I visited RAF Barford St John and RAF Croughton in 2005 we drove up the runway at Barford to the site the power plant is gone, high fence gate locked was curtains on what used to be the chow hall windows.
different types of antennas. Went to Croughton hardly anyone on base was told Barford was remote operated.
There is no under ground at the USA part of either base but I only was at the site at end of Barford runway once was told was and RAF operation, but really have no idea no one talked about it. There were guards at Croughton but they let me on base.