Possible Stored Helicopter By M55

[cantillon01]

Hi I went to Blackpool at the weekend and around junction 4 I saw what looked to be a kind of military helicopter on my right in a farmers field on the north side of the M55. Has anyone any clues of anything stored round here? Could be my imagination !!
Regards Mike.

[ian531]

Hi Mike,

Your right, I was on the M55 today and I saw a Wessex, near Weeton, as you say just before Junction 4 on the right.

I spoken to someone later at Warton and he said it is XT469

This was confirmed by the Demobbed website

Ian

[cantillon01]

Hi Ian Cheers seems there are a few here to. Might pay a visit next time.
Mike.

[Beemer]

This is a link to my photo on AB pics taken nearly four years ago when it was displayed at Newton-with-Scales near Warton.

www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1253199/

[cantillon01]

Hi beemer just noticed it was that one. Seems a few others worth popping in for though.
cheers mike.

[ian531]

Hi Mike

Do you know what else is at this site?

Ian

[Beemer]

Ian, thanks to the Demobbed web site it lists the following,




XT469 Westland Wessex HU5 Private Apr 2014 History
XZ173 Westland Lynx AH7 Cabin only Stored Apr 2014 History
XZ193 Westland Lynx AH7 Cabin only Stored Apr 2014 History
XZ220 Westland Lynx AH7 Stored Apr 2014 History
XZ648 Westland Lynx AH7 Cabin only Stored Apr 2014 History
XZ655 Westland Lynx AH7 Cabin only Stored Apr 2014 History
XZ673 Westland Lynx AH7 Stored Apr 2014 History
XZ676 Westland Lynx AH7 Cabin only Stored Apr 2014 History
 
Regards Beemer.

[ian531]

Thanks Brian

I will try and have a look next time I'm that way

Ian

[Deleted]

This used to be on the A585 between Kirkham and Newton

[oldspotter]

Very belated update on this, Not sure where the Wessex is but Lynx XZ676 (which was also in a field visible from the Blackpool end of the M55) is now at Ream Hills Holiday Park and it sleeps 4!!!
Stumbled across the website when looking for somewhere local to go in our camper.
Saw the Lynx in the field for about a year then it disappeared in about 2019 and assumed it had been scrapped but they have done a great job with it, Here's a link to it reamhills.co.uk/lynx-helicopter/
This link has some better pictures of the interior reamhills.co.uk/gift-vouchers/

[aeronumerologist]

XT469 WESSEX was noted at the WINDMILL CAMPSITE on the ISLE OF WIGHT on July 2020 so I cant see it being at Weeton. on Google Earth you can see a Lynx in a caravan park.

see :-

www.flickr.com/photos/jeta1photos/50148769833/in/photolist-8vjuay-6vX1GS-Ytxjsz-spbuWh-2kY2gJX-rut6z9-bq2yAz-mGKkhr-2jx4dLn-29hv7p5-9rMaAV-ompFpm-21v4Wd9-osBpTQ-6S5ijF-prEMUH-prxvEe-2n1YJSN-9yR3aW-uCfvRG-uEPgh8-2jpty7D-9masdX-2jpxyaf-2jpwm5j-2jpxy4i-2jpxyhu-QkpzjH

[viscount]

Wreck & Relics, Ed.28 (Ken Ellis, Crécy Publishing 2022) lists Wessex HU.5 XT469 as indeed being at Windmill Campsite, Newport, Isle of Wight.
The posts recording Kirkham/Weeton sightings earlier on this thread date back to 2014, and 'Beemer's' photo (AB pic link) was 4 years before that.

Wrecks & Relics list the previous locations/service history, reading from most recent to earliest, as:

ex Weeton, Bowgreave, Kirkham, Stafford, 8920M, Wroughton, 771, 847, 772, 846, 848, 847, 848 Sqdns RN. Constructed 1965 and SOC 27.09.2007.



Wrecks & Relics, 2022, confirms the Lynx AH.7 at Ream Hills Holiday Park, Weeton (the one reported as being visible on Google Earth) as XZ676.