Vulcan Restoration Trust

Vulcan Restoration Trust Welcome to the official page of the Vulcan Restoration Trust, the registered charity that cares for Avro Vulcan B2 serial number XL426 at Southend
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Welcome to the official page of the Vulcan Restoration Trust, the registered charity that cares for Avro Vulcan B2 XL426 at London Southend Airport, Essex, known as the 'Southend Vulcan'.

01/09/2026

40s & 50s Vulcan Hangar Dance 💃🕺
📅 Saturday 3rd October | 6pm - 10:30pm
📌London Southend Airport,
💲 Adults £21 | VRT Member £17. Booking fees apply
👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/40s-50s-hangar-dance-at-the-vulcan-tickets-1976182832048?aff=oddtdtcreator

The fantastic Sid Bolan Big Band, joined by a VRT favourite, Ruby Robinson return once again another exciting evening at our '40s & '50s Vulcan Hangar Dance

Dance the night away beneath Vulcan XL426's giant delta wings with the Sid Bolan 18-piece band & Singer Ruby Robinson for a selection of dance hits from the wartime and post-war years. If you're a beginner, or your dancing skills are in need of a refresh, the Air Raid Jive Dance School will be on hand with a 30 minute fun 'tutorial' so everyone can hone their dance moves before the Sid Bolan Big Band takes to the stage!

The hangar doors will open at 6.00 pm. DJ Dinger is back at the hangar and will get the evening underway shortly after doors open. The popular DJ will be playing sounds from the '40 & '50s to get everyone in the mood for the evening to come.

The Air Raid Jive Dance School will begin at 7.30 pm. The Sid Bolan Big Band & Ruby Robinson will start at 8.00 pm and will play until 10.30 pm.

We encourage everyone attending to dress vintage to give the evening an authentic '40s and '50s 'feel'. But please wrap-up as aircraft hangars aren't the warmest of places - and it will be October!

There will be a licensed pay bar. Refreshments, including hot and cold food, will be on sale throughout the evening.

A selection of souvenirs will be on sale from our Hangar Shop.

Come and join us for a fun evening of music & dancing.

Video, with thanks to Andy Lockwood

Engineering Update:We've been having a late spring clean over the last few weeks. One task has been to ensure all the sp...
30/08/2026

Engineering Update:

We've been having a late spring clean over the last few weeks. One task has been to ensure all the spare parts we have are logged correctly. Look at the dates we found on these labels!

We'd love to hear from you in the comments if you recognise the companies or even the "packed by" & "inspected by" stamps 😃

Can you spot the special label in these? A bonus point if you can tell us why it's different to the others! ✅

✈️August 23rd, 1962 — a very special day in the story of Avro Vulcan XL426.On this day, the skies above Avro’s Woodford ...
23/08/2026

✈️August 23rd, 1962 — a very special day in the story of Avro Vulcan XL426.

On this day, the skies above Avro’s Woodford airfield were filled with the unmistakable howl of four Olympus engines as XL426 lifted off for her very first flight. 🛫

The maiden flight lasted 95 minutes, before XL426 returned safely to Woodford. She would go on to complete four more test flights from Woodford before being collected by the RAF in September 1962.

Photo shows XL426 on deployment in the Far East in the early 1960s. Credit Group Captain John Slessor

20/08/2026

Throwback Thursday: to the future 👂🔊

With thanks to Andy Lockwood for the video

09/08/2026

Thank you to the easyJet Captain, we agree, our Vulcan XL426 is a beautiful sight 😍

The passengers on this EasyJet, landing at London Southend Airport from Almeria, were treated to the sight of XL426 ready for her practice taxi run 🙏

Let us know if you were on the flight &

Thanks to Clair for sending us the video from on the flight and Andy Lockwood for the editing.

09/08/2026

Rare cockpit footage of XL426 trundling around London Southend Airport yesterday.

She hadn't been out of the hangar for a month or so & the team felt she needed to stretch her wings. Apart from a bulb not working in the cockpit, she behaved herself on her outing, much to the relief of the Engineering team 🙏

40s & 50s Vulcan Hangar Dance 💃🕺 📅 Saturday 3rd October | 6pm - 10:30pm 📌London Southend Airport, 💲 Adults £21 | VRT M...
08/08/2026

40s & 50s Vulcan Hangar Dance 💃🕺
📅 Saturday 3rd October | 6pm - 10:30pm
📌London Southend Airport,
💲 Adults £21 | VRT Member £17. Booking fees apply
👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/40s-50s-hangar-dance-at-the-vulcan-tickets-1976182832048?aff=oddtdtcreator

The Sid Bolan Big Band, joined by a VRT favourite, Ruby Robinson return once again another exciting evening at our '40s & '50s Vulcan Hangar Dance

Dance the night away beneath Vulcan XL426's giant delta wings with the Sid Bolan 18-piece band & Singer Ruby Robinson for a selection of dance hits from the wartime and post-war years. If you're a beginner, or your dancing skills are in need of a refresh, the Air Raid Jive Dance School will be on hand with a 30 minute fun 'tutorial' so everyone can hone their dance moves before the Sid Bolan Big Band takes to the stage!

The hangar doors will open at 6.00 pm. DJ Dinger is back at the hangar and will get the evening underway shortly after doors open. The popular DJ will be playing sounds from the '40 & '50s to get everyone in the mood for the evening to come.

The Air Raid Jive Dance School will begin at 7.30 pm. The Sid Bolan Big Band & Ruby Robinson will start at 8.00 pm and will play until 10.30 pm.

We encourage everyone attending to dress vintage to give the evening an authentic '40s and '50s 'feel'. But please wrap-up as aircraft hangars aren't the warmest of places - and it will be October!

There will be a licensed pay bar. Refreshments, including hot and cold food, will be on sale throughout the evening.

A selection of souvenirs will be on sale from our Hangar Shop.

Come and join us for a fun evening of music & dancing.

Photos credit to Jason Gore Photography & Karen Butler Photography

VISIT THE VULCAN CLASSIC JETS DAY 📅 Sunday 16 August | 10am - 4pm 📍 London Southend Airport, 💲Adults £10 | Under 16 ...
06/08/2026

VISIT THE VULCAN CLASSIC JETS DAY

📅 Sunday 16 August | 10am - 4pm
📍 London Southend Airport,
💲Adults £10 | Under 16 FREE. pay in advance or on the gate.
👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/visit-the-vulcan-classic-jets-day-tickets-1980184282494?aff=VRT

See former Royal Air Force bomber Avro Vulcan XL426 ✈️ & much more at our Visit the Vulcan Day Classic Jets Day 👀. XL426 will be performing a system demo around lunchtime. You will see the bomb bay opening and closing and the airbrakes, rudder and elevons working. Vulcan Cockpit Visits are available on a first come first serve basis (additional charges apply).

The Westland Scout AH1 XV130 helicopter 🚁 will also be performing 2 engine runs throughout the day and Jet Provost XW324 🚀Viper Classic Jets will be on display.

Our Hangar Shop will be open selling a selection of Vulcan souvenirs, including models, badges, patches, jams, books and much more.

The weather is forecast to be lovely 🌞 and there's lots to do both inside and outside of the hangar*.

Here’s what you can do, see, hear, eat and drink on the day.
Cockpits to Visit: Jaguar, Hunter, Venom, Canberra, Meteor & Jet Provost (You are able to sit in some of these for a small donation)

Chelmsford Silver Band 🎼
East Anglia MG Classic Car Club 🚗
British Army Military Vehicle Group including tanks 🪖
Shoeburyness and South Essex Branch Royal Artillery Association Est. 1929
Rochford Fire Service - Fire Engine 🚒
Dennis 1970’s and 1980s - Fire Engine 🚒
240FLM Preservation Group - Fire Engine 🚒
LSA Fire Service - Fire Engine 🚒
Marval and Star Wars characters will be in attendance to ensure everything runs smoothly!
Biltong Burger 🍔🍟
Wrap Stars.
Chengs Doughnuts in Essex & Ice Cream 🍩🍦
Datum Attitude Brewing Co 🍻
Watts Face Painting

*Subject to availability
Images: Jason Gore Photography & Barry Williams

Address

London Southend Airport
Southend-on-Sea
SS26YF

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