59-566: The Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment (TTTE) was a multinational air unit based at RAF Cottesmore in Rutland , England , from 1981 to 1999. It performed training on the Panavia Tornado for the Royal Air Force (RAF), Luftwaffe , Marineflieger and Italian Air Force . Initially, pilots received four weeks of training on the ground, followed by nine weeks in the air. The Tornado
118-571: A radio mast then over the beginnings of the River Torne , and crosses the B6463 (for Harworth to the south) as Bawtry Road at Spital Hill. It meets the Nottinghamshire boundary from the south, which follows the road all the way to Bawtry for around three miles. Harworth is to the south, and it meets Bawtry Road (for Harworth) from the right. There is a bend to the left, with Swinnow Wood on
177-477: A roundabout at Harpswell . It becomes the parish boundary between Hemswell Cliff and Harpswell, with the former RAF Hemswell (where The Dam Busters was filmed in 1954) adjacent on the left, and the Hemswell Court conference centre on the right. There is a right turn for Dog Kennel Road (for Glentworth ). The road becomes the parish boundary of Hemswell Cliff and Glentworth. At Caenby Corner it meets
236-603: A roundabout . There is an exit for Thorndike Way , the A631 Gainsborough Relief Road, which opened in March 1974. Lindsey County Council intended to continue the dual carriageway all the way to the A15 at Caenby Corner. On the southern relief road, it passes The Gainsborough Academy (former Trent Valley Academy) to the south, and there is a right turn at traffic lights for Heapham Road . Corringham Road (B1433),
295-484: A few days before the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 when they were sent to RAF Cranfield to serve as a pool providing replacements for combat losses. Their place at Cottesmore was taken by Nos. 106 and 185 Squadrons , moving in from RAF Thornaby with Hampdens. However, with the outbreak of war, the aircraft and crews were sent to locations in the north and west, as enemy air attacks were expected over
354-599: A right turn for Whitehill Lane (B6066, for Catcliffe , and is also the Trans Pennine Trail ). It passes under a 15 ft 3 in railway bridge , and crosses the River Rother . The road then serves as a bypass of Rotherham after it combines with the dual-carriageway Centenary Way ( A630 ) at Canklow Roundabout . A TOTAL garage is on the right, and a McDonald's and the Pace (former Q8) Canklow Service Station
413-628: A roundabout links the road to the A6178 Sheffield Road and the A6102 Shepcote Lane (part of the Sheffield by-pass). This short section is classified as a trunk road. After the M1 the road is a single carriageway non-trunk road and heads east to Rotherham as Bawtry Road through Tinsley . It passes Tinsley Infants School and Tinsley Junior School, and on the left hand side on the corner oh Highgate
472-647: A satellite to RAF Wittering on 31 March 2011 with a civic parade and flypast to mark the disbandment of No 1 Sqn RAF, 800 NAS, 801 NAS and JFH. In July 2011, Defence Secretary Liam Fox announced that Cottesmore would house the Army's East of England Multi-Role Brigade . The Army officially took over the site in April 2012. It is now home to the 2nd Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment , who moved from Dhekelia Garrison in Cyprus. A second regiment, 7 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps , moved to
531-543: A year when at its height and consisted of three squadrons of Tornados. TTTE was a unit of approximately 1,600 military and 130 civilian employees. The Royal Air Force provided technicians and logistics personnel, the staff and the three training squadrons were manned by the three nations. The post of the Wing Commander varied between the three nations. Staff and students of the three squadrons (Tornado Operational Conversion Unit – TOCU) were tri-nationally mixed. A-Squadron
590-675: Is a right turn for Tickhill Castle , and the road bends sharply to the left near the Millstone . on the left is St Mary's Church, Tickhill . The road passes along Castle Gate and a JET garage , and at the Market Place , the A60 continues straight ahead, and the A631 leaves sharply to the right at a T-junction for Sunderland Street . After Tickhill the road passes under the A1(M) (Doncaster bypass) near
649-518: Is an entrance on the left, opposite Maltby Wood. It crosses a railway and Scotch Spring Lane (the Doncaster-Rotherham boundary), for Stainton , is on the left, the point where the road becomes the Doncaster-Rotherham boundary for one mile, just before being crossed by a 400 kV pylon line, the point where it also enters the Doncaster postcode . Limekiln Lane is on the left, and
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#1732844909765708-637: Is briefly followed by the Viking Way , passing the Black Horse on the right and the White Hart . At a crossroads the Viking Way leaves to the right. It passes through the parish of Calcethorpe with Kelstern , with a left turn for Kelstern . It passes Cotes Grange Farm with a crossroads for Welton le Wold , to the right. It passes through South Elkington , where in the parish of Elikington it terminates at
767-581: Is mostly single road throughout its length but has some stretches of dual carriageway as well. The road starts at the M1/A6109 junction at Meadowhall. This is the northern half of Junction 34 on the M1. The road then passes under the M1 on the lower deck of the Tinsley Viaduct as a dual carriageway with the Meadowhall Shopping Centre visible to the southwest. At the southern half of junction 34
826-622: Is opposite. It continues to the south-east as the non-trunk dual-carriageway West Bawtry Road , with Canklow Woods to the east, on the side of the Rother Valley . Canklow Meadows Industrial Estate is on the right with Leger Holidays HQ, the large Crossroads Volvo truck garage , and Manheim Auctions . It is followed by the Canklow Meadows Retail Park, and it passes the Holiday Inn Rotherham-Sheffield on
885-502: Is the Pike & Heron . The Jamia al Hudaa Sheffield , a girls' independent Muslim secondary school is on the right, and opposite Park House Lane is the Outokumpu sports and social club, with Sheffield Hallam University 's Graham Solley Sports Development Centre on the right (where SHU play other universities at sport). The road enters the borough of Rotherham at a bend to the left, becomes
944-703: The A15 at a roundabout near the TOTAL Caenby Corner Garage , and passes through the parish of Glentham . Near Highfield Farm it becomes the parish boundary of Glentham and Caenby, then passes through Glentham and the Crown Inn , and in the distance are the Lincolnshire Wolds . At Bishopbridge it crosses the River Ancholme , which is its must southern navigable point. It passes The Bell and becomes
1003-871: The B6410 and the A6123 ( Herringthorpe Valley Road , the Rotherham ring road) at the Worrygoose Roundabout . The A631 becomes a non-trunk road and meets the A6021 at the Brecks Roundabout , also meeting Brecks Lane . After the roundabout is the Rotherham Premier Inn , and The Brecks Beefeater pub on the left, opposite an Esso garage. Further on the left is a small Sainsbury's , some takeaways, and Texaco The Brecks garage. It becomes Bawtry Road , passing
1062-602: The Doncaster to Lincoln Line , with the former road being Ramper Road to the south, and becomes the single carriageway The Flood Road , on the former route, being the Beckingham- Saundby parish boundary. Approaching Gainsborough it passes the Stonehouse Trent Port . Crossing Trent Bridge, Gainsborough it enters West Lindsey and Lincolnshire . It then goes through Gainsborough, meeting two spurs of Lea Road ( A156 ) and Trinity Street ( A159 ) at
1121-660: The East Coast Main Line railway as Gainsborough Road . It then crosses the River Idle at Bawtry Bridge and enters Nottinghamshire and Bassetlaw . The road bends to the right and becomes dual carriageway as it bypasses the village of Scaftworth , which has two exits to the right; the Scaftworth bypass was built in 1936. It bends to the left and continues as the single carriageway Bawtry Road (passing SPECS average speed cameras) through Everton , with Harwell on
1180-578: The Handley Page Victor B.1 until disbandment on 1 March 1964. The squadrons carried out Quick Reaction Alert duties using Handley Page Victor and later Avro Vulcan bombers until 1969. "C" Flight, No. 232 Operational Conversion Unit RAF , was present from 1 November 1961 to 1 April 1962, at which point the Victor Training Flight stayed until 31 March 1964. After the V-Bombers left,
1239-531: The M18 at Junction 1 and continues as Bawtry Road , a trunk road, through Hellaby , with a left turn for the Hellaby Industrial Estate, and the large Stockyard truck stop . There are speed cameras on this stretch. It enters Maltby as Rotherham Road with a left turn for Addison Road , then passes Maltby Academy and leisure centre on the left, and Hooton Levitt and St Bartholomew parish church on
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#17328449097651298-645: The Trent Valley Way ) to the left, both part of the B1403 (from Misterton ). It climbs Beacon Hill , resuming the former route. To the south West Burton power stations and Cottam power stations can be seen . It gently descends the hill and at Beckingham meets the A161 (from the north) at a roundabout near Mill Farm. Previously it met the A161 in the village. There had been a terrible crash at 11.15am on Tuesday 16 April 1968 at
1357-509: The landscape is now mostly rural from here to Bawtry. At the junction of Blyth Gate Lane on the right, the borough boundary leaves to the south along Sandbeck lane and the road enters the Borough of Doncaster. It passes under a railway line and enters Tickhill as Rotherham Road where it meets the A60 from the right. It continues along West Gate , passing the police station on the left. There
1416-573: The A631 level crossing, which made national news, where five occupants were killed, including three children. It was the 10am York to Great Yarmouth train, and the level crossing was a new automatic half-barrier, which had been installed 18 months earlier. The driver of the car was John Hilton, aged 50, manager of the New Charnwood Restaurant at Blyth, Nottinghamshire , with his two sons Stuart, 8, and Irvine, 9, and his daughter Sheena, 13, and with his mother-in-law Maria Moody. His wife, May,
1475-656: The ADV. As a historical comparison, a Tornado could carry twice the bomb load of an Avro Lancaster . It was chosen above contemporary American aircraft at that time because the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon lacked all-weather capability, the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle had inferior radar and electronic countermeasures and the Grumman F-14 Tomcat was too expensive. The Tornado was
1534-610: The B1203 at traffic lights . As Willingham Road it passes the De Aston School and Market Rasen Racecourse on the right. In Tealby parish it passes through Willingham Woods . It passes through North Willingham , with a right turn for Sixhills . It then ascends the western edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds as Willingham Road to 142 metres height, crossing Caistor High Street (B1225) at Boucherette Farm, where it enters East Lindsey . It passes through Ludford where it
1593-670: The Dalton Listerdale Junior and Infants School , and passes through Listerdale and Wickersley with a parade of shops either side and The Three Horseshoes on the left, being crossed by the Rotherham Roundwalk. The Masons Arms is on the left, next to the Wickersley Roundabout which meets Northfield Lane from the left and Morthen Road (B6060) from the right, with the St Albans CE primary school to
1652-697: The base in 2013. Kendrew Barracks was officially opened in October 2012 by the Duke of Gloucester . [REDACTED] This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency A631 road The A631 is a road running from Sheffield , South Yorkshire to Louth, Lincolnshire in England. It passes through the counties of South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire . The road has many towns on its route including Rotherham , Maltby , Gainsborough and Market Rasen . It
1711-803: The base was used by 90 Signals Group. Flight Checking, Trials and Evaluation Flight (FCTEF) used 98 Squadron (Canberras) and 115 Squadron ( Vickers Varsity and Armstrong Whitworth Argosy ) to provide ILS and radar trials and checking services to RAF airfields around the world. No. 231 Operational Conversion Unit moved into Cottesmore on 19 May 1969 equipped with Canberras, staying until 12 February 1976 when it moved to RAF Marham . No. 360 Squadron , an electronic countermeasures squadron flying Canberras, moved to RAF Cottesmore in April 1969. 360 Squadron moved in September 1975 to RAF Wyton . In July 1980, Cottesmore became home to Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment (TTTE). Officially opened on 29 January 1981,
1770-529: The centre undertook training of new Panavia Tornado aircrews from the RAF, German Air Force , Marineflieger (German Navy air arm) and Italian Air Force . The TTTE closed in 1999, and after a period of refurbishment was replaced by the British Aerospace Harrier IIs of Nos 3 and 4 squadrons; these were later joined by 800 and 801 Naval Air Squadrons to form Joint Force Harrier (JFH). With
1829-633: The example of the Tornado programme in many ways, the TTTE model was not adopted. Rather the Eurofighter partners (Germany, Italy , Spain and United Kingdom ) have chosen to run national training schemes. RAF Cottesmore Royal Air Force Cottesmore or more simply RAF Cottesmore is a former Royal Air Force station in Rutland , England, situated between Cottesmore and Market Overton . On 15 December 2009, Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth announced that
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1888-541: The first RAF aircraft with an active scanning Terrain Following Radar (TFR). The Marineflieger was the first to receive their aircraft. When the TTTE was established, the RAF was concerned it may not have enough trained pilots to fly the aircraft, due to poor recruitment and perceived low pay. The memorandum of understanding establishing the unit was signed in 1979 by the United Kingdom , Germany and Italy and
1947-628: The former route, is to the left, and nearby is the Road Safety Markings Association . At Woodhouse Farm it resumes its former route . As Corringham Road it enters Corringham , passing the Beckett Arms . There is a left turn for Hemswell Lane , and it continues as Harpswell Lane , becoming the parish boundary for two miles between Hemswell and Harpswell. It climbs the Lincoln Cliff to meet Middle Street (B1398) at
2006-577: The group were: The 316th TCG was part of the 52d Troop Carrier Wing . Cottesmore was officially handed back to the RAF on 1 July 1945. It became a training station, hosting No. 7 Flying Training School RAF with Percival Prentice basic training aircraft and the North American Harvard trainer for advanced training – later replaced by the Boulton Paul Balliol which had a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. No. 16 Operational Training Unit RAF
2065-732: The introduction of the Eurofighter Typhoon into RAF service, No. 3 Sqn moved to RAF Coningsby and No 1 Sqn moved from RAF Wittering . No. 122 Expeditionary Air Wing was also established at the station (2006–2011). The following units were here at some point: In early December 2009, the then Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth announced the station would close due to funding cut-backs, in part to help pay for additional helicopters for British operations in Afghanistan . In 2010, No. 4 Squadron RAF disbanded, with No. 20 Squadron RAF re-badging as No 4 (Reserve) Squadron. The station became
2124-634: The left (former Swallow Hotel ), opposite Energy Alloys . The A630 ( Rotherway ) leaves to the right at the busy Rotherway Roundabout , over the River Rother, to junction 33 of the M1, with a large electrical substation to the right. The A631 used to continue to the east as a trunk single-carriageway, but was upgraded to dual carriage way to the A618, and is crosses by the Rotherham Roundwalk . The West Bawtry Road Improvement – Rotherway to Whiston Crossroads
2183-398: The left, and Plumtree Farm Industrial Estate on the right . The road enters Bawtry as Tickhill Road , with the Nottinghamshire boundary passing along the southern edge of the town. In Bawtry, next to Bawtry Hall , it meets the north-south A638, also a trunk road, the former A1. The road starts again slightly further south off the A638 and A614 , and heads east of Bawtry passing under
2242-547: The left. There is a right turn for Mattersey at the Sun Inn . Further on the B6045 joins from Blyth at Drakeholes , where the road has been diverted to the north, over the Chesterfield Canal and Cuckoo Way . The section was improved in 1960, west of Gringley, and later in 1965 as the 'East of Drakeholes' improvement; dual carriageway was proposed on the section in the 1960s. The £215,000 Drakeholes diversion started in August 1972, to finish in early 1973, being built by A.F. Budge . As Gainsborough Road it passes along
2301-413: The parish boundary between Brinsworth and Rotherham, and there is a crossroads, with the left for Balk Lane and the BOC Brinsworth Operations Centre , opposite Firth Rixson Aurora Sports Club, and the right for Bonet Lane (B6067) near The Fairway . There is a left turn for Phoenix Golf Club , a right turn for Brinsworth Lane near former The Atlas and the Esso Brinsworth Service Station ,
2360-425: The parish boundary between Osgodby (to the north) and West Rasen (to the south). At Kingerby Wood , the A1103 continues for four miles to the left as a trunk road to the A46, and the A631 leaves to the right as a non-trunk road. Most traffic will follow the A1103 for Grimsby . The road becomes more twisty and meets a roundabout at West Rasen , where it crosses the River Rase . As Gainsborough Road it meets
2419-405: The right. The A634 leaves to the south east for Blyth and Retford , and Braithwell Road (B6376) leaves to the left. It passes through the town centre as High Street , passing the fire station and library on the left. It then crosses the B6427 then heads east towards Tickhill , passing the Lumley Arms . The main landmark on the left hand side is Maltby Main Colliery , for which there
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2478-431: The south. It passes eastwards through Bramley with Wickersley library and the Wickersley School and Sports College on the right, next to the footbridge, meeting the B6093 from the left (for Sunnyside) near St Francis church . Rotherham Morrisons is on the right hand side , with access for the Rotherham East Ibis hotel . There is also the Sir Jack Roast Inn carvery and a McDonald's . The road crosses
2537-721: The southern half of England. As these never materialised, the Hampdens returned in the spring of 1940 and No. 185 Squadron became the Hampden operational training unit, No. 14 Operational Training Unit RAF . Cottesmore's Hampdens' first entry into hostile airspace was a leaflet dropping operation over northern France. In October 1940, 106 Squadron moved to RAF Finningley while No. 14 OTU remained training crews for Bomber Command, its Hampdens and Handley Page Herefords being replaced by Vickers Wellingtons in 1942. Training continued for three years and three months until August 1943 when No. 14 OTU moved to RAF Market Harborough . In May 1943, No. 34 Heavy Glider Maintenance Section arrived, and
2596-446: The station would close in 2013 as part of defence spending cuts, along with the retirement of the Harrier GR9 and the disbandment of Joint Force Harrier . The formal closing ceremony took place on 31 March 2011, and the airfield became a satellite of RAF Wittering until March 2012. In July 2011 Defence Secretary Liam Fox announced plans for it to be the airfield for one of five of the Army's Multi-Role Brigades . In April 2012 it
2655-462: The time the Station was a United States Army Air Force base; the inverted horseshoe is a traditional emblem of Oakham and the County of Rutland. The motto "We rise to our obstacles" is both a reference to the Cottesmore Hunt and was intended to convey the spirit with which the Royal Air Force confronts difficulties. The badge was granted in 1948. The badge appears on the nameplate of the LNER Peppercorn Class A1 60163 Tornado steam locomotive that
2714-407: The top of an escarpment (Cuckoo Hill to the south) near Prospect Hill Farm, and there is a right turn for Wiseton . It passes Park House Farm and climbs Mill Hill then becomes dual carriageway at Gringley on the Hill , which it bypasses to the south on the edge of the escarpment; the bypass was built in the late 1930s. On the bypass, Clayworth Road exits to the right and Beacon Hill Road (and
2773-411: The trunk road A46, from the right, at Middle Rasen where the A46 does not have priority. It follows the A46 for a half-mile, and the A46 continues to the left, with the A631 leaving at a right turn. It enters Market Rasen as Gainsborough Road then becomes King Street . It meets the B1202 (former A46) from the left, and as Queen Street passes under the Newark to Grimsby Line then is crosses by
2832-439: The unit came into existence on 29 January 1981 with Sir Michael Beetham in attendance. The first RAF Tornados arrived at the base on 1 July 1980; Luftwaffe Tornados arrived on 2 September 1980; and Italian Tornados arrived much later on 5 April 1982. Allocation of aircraft was Germany: 23, UK: 19, and Italy: 6. Flying training began on 5 January 1981. It was manned by personnel of all three participating nations, trained 300 crews
2891-424: The unit disbanded on 24 February 1999, with Tornado flying ending on 31 March 1999. After TTTE, Cottesmore became the base for Joint Force Harrier . The station housed all the operational Harrier GR9 squadrons in the Royal Air Force, and No. 122 Expeditionary Air Wing . In April 2012 RAF Cottesmore was transferred to the British Army and renamed Kendrew Barracks . While the Eurofighter project has followed
2950-412: Was built by Birse Civils of Barton-upon-Humber for £5 million. The A631 is now dual-carriageway between the M1 and M18 junctions. The A631 then continues round Rotherham crossing the A618 , becoming the dual-carriageway East Bawtry Road . Moorgate is to the left and Whiston is to the right – the road is the Rotherham-Whiston parish boundary. Ember Inns The Hind is on the right. It meets
3009-465: Was elsewhere. A.F. Budge were given the £725,301 contract for the Beckingham bypass in March 1973, to take 18 months from April 1973; the bypass was finished in January 1974, with soil from the Gainsborough relief road, eight months early. The road becomes dual carriageway again as the road follows the Beckingham Bypass, then reaches another roundabout with the A620 , from the south (and for Retford). The road continues as dual carriageway, crossing
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#17328449097653068-446: Was first shown to the British public on 14 August 1978 at RAF Boscombe Down . The RAF planned to buy 220 of them, and 165 of the ADV variant . 809 for all three countries had been ordered, with 212 for the German Air Force, 112 for the German Navy and 100 for the Italian Air Force. Cost at that time was £7.8 million (equivalent to £56,522,000 in 2023) for the GR1, and £9.4 million (equivalent to £68,116,000 in 2023) for
3127-408: Was found next to the A631 at Everton, Nottinghamshire . In the post- Cold War era and the growing differences in the aircraft variants, the three nations decided that they would be better served performing their own type training. There was also a need to find space for British aircraft returning to the UK from Royal Air Force Germany bases, such as RAF Bruggen , that were closing. Consequently,
3186-729: Was headed by a German, B-Squadron by a British and C-Squadron by an Italian squadron commander. Standardization Squadron (S-Squadron) was responsible for follow-on training, training of instructor pilots and conducting check flights. Theory lessons and simulator training was conducted by Ground School . Cost sharing followed the ratio of flown sorties: 40:40:20 (Germany/Great Britain/Italy). On Tuesday 9 August 1988, at 9.30pm, two Panavia Tornado aircraft collided at Blencarn , from RAF Cottesmore TTTE and 617 Sqn at RAF Marham . All were killed. The Cottesmore aircraft 'ZA329' had pilot Flt Lt John Watts, aged 32, from Castle Bytham in Lincolnshire , but originally from Surrey , an instructor who
3245-549: Was married , with a German trainee navigator Lt Ulrich Sayer, aged 23. In 1987 16 RAF pilots were killed. At Mattersey in north Nottinghamshire on 21 January 1999 at 11.35pm, a Cottesmore Tornado 'ZA330' had a mid air collision with a light aircraft Cessna 152 'G-BPZX' In the Tornado was Flt Lt Greg Hurst, aged 35, and Second Lt Matteo di Carlo, an Italian, who had been with the RAF since 4 December 1998, from Rieti , and he had his 25th birthday on 16 January 1999. The Tornado had left Cottesmore ten minutes earlier. The Tornado
3304-432: Was named by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall on 19 February 2009. RAF Cottesmore opened on 11 March 1938. The station was used mainly for training, and the first squadrons were equipped with Vickers Wellesley aircraft, but soon converted to Fairey Battles . Later RAF Bomber Command took over the airfield, again as a training station, flying Handley Page Hampdens . These units remained in residence until
3363-435: Was present between 1 March 1946 and 15 March 1947. In 1954 English Electric Canberras were moved in ( No. 44 Squadron RAF and No. 57 Squadron RAF ), the first time front-line combat aircraft had been based there, but all had left by the end of 1955. In 1957, Cottesmore became home to aircraft of the V bombers , the UK's strategic nuclear strike force. No. 10 Squadron RAF reformed at Cottesmore on 15 April 1958 flying
3422-571: Was present until March 1944. On 8 September 1943 the United States Army Air Forces took the facilities over, under the designation USAAF Station 489, flying troop transport aircraft. In anticipation of the station's future use by airborne forces , 32 Airspeed Horsa gliders were delivered for storage in July 1943. The 316th Troop Carrier Group began to arrive at Cottesmore on 15 February 1944 when 52 Douglas C-47 Skytrain and Douglas C-53 Skytrooper transports began flying in from Borizzo Airfield , Sicily . Flying squadrons and fuselage codes of
3481-399: Was renamed Kendrew Barracks after Major General Sir Douglas Kendrew . The badge of RAF Cottesmore consisted of a hunting horn , a five-pointed star and a horseshoe . The description is "in front of a horseshoe a mullet overall a hunting horn in bend ". The hunting horn symbolises the location in foxhunting country and the link with the Cottesmore Hunt ; the American Star recalls
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