A FORMER Concorde test flight technician has succeeded in his campaign, spanning several years, to have a Fairford street named after the famous aeroplane.

Doug Newton, a resident in the town, was proud to see the street in new Bloor Homes housing development Fairford Gate named ‘Concorde Crescent’ earlier this month.

Fairford was chosen in 1969 as the British test centre for the Concorde aircraft while Mr Newton, 77, worked as an armament technician at the RAF base for 15 years, leaving in 1977 just months before the aircraft and test team were moved to Bristol.

He said: “We were the best of best flight testing and ground crew. We were so grateful to have the home base in Fairford. I was part of the flight test team and looked after the air crew.”

Mr Newton said he contacted Cotswold District Council a few of years ago to see if he could get a street in the town named after the airliner – around the time of its 40th anniversary – but was told to come back in 10 years for the 50th.

Undeterred, Mr Newton persisted and found out last month that his campaign had been a success and the road sign has since been installed.

He said: “I had to do a bit of pushing and prodding to make it happen. It’s very much a tribute to everybody [who worked with Concorde], on behalf of the whole team because we had a lot of fun. You worked hard and played hard.

“It was a marvellous, pioneering set up and working on that supersonic airliner was just a pleasure. Those planes could do everything bar turn inside out.

“You didn’t get much of a home life working there. It was non-stop.”

On hearing that the street sign had been installed he said he went down to the housing development on Saturday with his son in his old work overalls to get a photo.

Following his retirement from the RAF, Mr Newton then worked at Farmor’s School in Fairford for some years as a Reprographics engineer and caretaker.