9 March 2026
A historic interwar aircraft hangar at Bicester Motion has completed a £4 million restoration and is set to begin a new life as an electric karting venue.
Hangar 137, a Grade II-listed structure on the former RAF technical site in Oxfordshire, has undergone extensive refurbishment and retrofit work to preserve its historic character while preparing it for modern commercial use.
Exterior of Bicester restored Hangar 137
The 31,000 sq ft building, originally constructed in 1926 as a Type A aeroplane shed, was among the earliest permanent end-opening hangars developed for RAF stations during the interwar period. It is a different hangar to the one that burned down last May – that was Hangar 79 which is being demolished.
Developers adopted a ‘retrofit-first’ approach during the works, prioritising the repair and retention of the original structure wherever possible. Among the preserved features are historic graffiti on the internal walls.
TeamSport has leased the building and will begin building a new indoor electric karting facility with a two deck, 500-metre electric kart track.
Daniel Geoghegan, chief executive officer of Bicester Motion, described the completion as an important moment for the estate.
“The practical completion of Hangar 137 in its centenary year is a significant achievement for the estate and a powerful example of what heritage regeneration can deliver,” he said.
Bicester Airfield
“This 1926 Type A hangar was built at a defining moment in Britain’s aviation history, and our responsibility has been to protect that significance while ensuring the building can support a viable, modern commercial use.”
The Bicester Scramble on Sunday 26 April will mark 100 years of the former RAF Bicester with a celebratory display of wings and wheels inside Hangar 113.
