I'm planning a road trip this Summer which will include plenty of old Toom haunts. I'll be visiting family in Brunssum just down the road from Geilers and that leaved Wildenrath just too **** close not to pay a visit, I know it ain't what it used to be but I've gotta a go.
The road trip will involve a Hull - Rotterdam crossing, (last made in a MKIII Cortina), then the usual run down through Breda, Tilburg, then Eindhoven. No maps allowed as it's still lodged in my brain. Whilst we're in Brunssum we'll pop over to Wildenrath and see what's what, maybe have a pint in the 1st Post and perhaps even a Balkan platter at Victors. I think I'll give the Ponyhof a miss though. After leaving Brunssum we'll head down to Monschau for a ride on the toboggan. After that we'll head into Luxembourg to refuel the V8 as I believe they have the cheapest fuel in Europe. After spending a night there we'll head up to Waterloo to go poke old Boney in the eye then a return trip Hook - Harwich.
I'll see if I can't get some pictures of the old haunts and post them on the website.
Hey Tinman! Good to hear from you! Re your intended visit back to Wildenrath, I beat you to it - and I wished I hadn’t bothered! I took the opportunity to go over and look at the place while I was on 3sqn Harriers at Laarbruch back in about 1998 - just before we shut down Laarbruch as well. The place is nothing more than an Industrial estate and it was difficult all those years ago to recognise any specific buildings. The Guardroom was still there and barriers were open for anyone to drive in. I went looking for the Sgts Mess, the block that you all lived in, the Medical centre, the Mally and Naafi, rugby club etc etc etc. And I just found the whole place depressing compared to those fabulous days on 92Sqn in the early 80s.
I then went across and looked on the Airfield side and recognised parts of the old ASF Hanger (still painted in cam green) but much faded! I went round looking for the ring road round to 92Sqn. But everything was overgrown at the roadside so it was difficult to get any bearings!. There was no exit to the left in to the Sqn Site that I could find, so I stopped on the side of the road at a point where I remembered the site to be! After fighting my way through the undergrowth, I did come up against a fence and peered through, only to see one HAS which had been completely overgrown by nature!
So I came away thinking how ‘spooky and depressing’
But I was still pleased I made the effort. Go and spend some time there - it would be nice to hear something more positive about the place now! After all, it was 20 years ago I went back!
Hope you have a great trip! Watch this space for impending news about the last ever Phantomeers reunion taking place in late 2020 - before too many more of us follow big Chalky up to RAF Little Snoringππ