Open Day – Liverpool (Speke) Airport – 30 June 2013

Thread reopened by request of organisers 🙂

The concrete base for the catapult was still in situ until recently and I photographed it in the late 1990s. From the aerial photo, it now seems to be covered by a new car park.

With reference to the comments by Anon about the Britannia being open on the day of the airfair at Speke. The answer is yes it will be open and any one wishing to visit the aircraft are most welcome. The management of the hotel, Crown Plaza will be delighted if we open it. The aircraft is insured for visits and we have a H&S policy in place as always. The trustees and volunteers along with students from the Macclesfield College (aviation section) who are involved in the project will be present.
We wish the airfair every success.
As you will know this is the 45th year since Eagle’s operation closed. More about this later

Pathe News reel (short) of opening day 1st July 1933.

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/great-seaport-now-great-airport/query/speke+airport

No indoor stalls for us ‘jumblers, like in past years?

Yup, it looks like the entire ground floor of the old terminal will be available 🙂

I understand that FoLA will be putting on some historic talks/displays etc and we should have the usual aerojumble/memorabilia stuff too.

Drop an email to Rob Taylor for vendor details. rob(at)spekeaero.org

Speke Britannia

I thought I’d mention that the Britannia Aircraft Preservation Trust website has just been updated with a progress report on the restoration of G-ANCF at Speke.

http://www.bristol-britannia.com

Andrew

Is the Catapult still there?

The catapult has long gone, and its site is now partly under a factory unit and its adjacent car park.
I’m pretty sure all trace of it had gone by the mid-1960s when I used to lurk at Liverpool as a teenage planespotter. It was just south of the old No 2 hangar (still standing, but now home to a call centre) and would, I imagine, have been removed as soon as commercial operations restarted post-war.
The site is just on the far left of WV903’s first picture, where the concrete apron comes to a point.

No indoor stalls for us ‘jumblers, like in past years?

Don’t mind going outside if you can guarantee the weather. 🙂

Nice to see an Event again.

Speke is such a great piece of WW2 and later Aviation History,that all forumites should consider a visit. Great atmosphere and the fine chaps there pull out all the stops on the Day to make it entertaining and interesting.
The Liverpool folk just love it and flock in to see everything,the queues to get in the C/pits were amazing when I last went. Well worth the effort to go.

I hope to be there myself,all dependant on Hernia repair operation about that time though.

Bill T.

Sounds to be a great do.

While you’re there, check out the MSFU story? It wasn’t always memorable aircraft. Is the Catapult still there?

To remind you……………

Sounds good. Never been upto Speke so all being well i’ll have a drive up there.

Rob

The Britannia is located on the apron so will certainly be visible though it will be roped off and, as far as we can say, will not be open for visitors.

However, as I have stated, it is nothing to do with the group organising the Open day. Britannia business is solely between the owner and the hotel.

Anon.

Shame the Britannia people can’t be included as I would love to see that and it would make the long trip worthwhile. I have no idea of its location and would like to know if it can be photographed from the area allocated to open day? This would be a very valuable PR and fund-raising exercise for the Brit.

Which type of Argosy are we talking about? :diablo:

Roger Smith.

The Brit

Bruce,

As you correctly state, the Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group have no connection to the Brit project. The owner(s) of the aircraft deal directly with the hotel regarding their activities and tenure arrangements.

Because of this we have no real idea what is happening regarding the Britannia. I cannot comment further except to say that it is not planned to be a part of the Open Day.

We hope to attract visitors from afar if only to re-acquaint themselves with the old balcony views and the general area. Argosies seem to figure quite prominently in people’s memories though, of course, very many commercial types have graced the old Liverpool airport apron including Dragon Rapides, DC-3’s, Ju-52’s, DC-4’s, DC-6’s, DC-7’s, Viscounts, 748’s through to the jets including BAC 111’s, Caravelles, 707’s – even 747’s on occasions, and Concorde too. Plus, of course, many other types.

A spotters dream, in its day – especially when there were important football matches on with visiting teams and fans from afar.

Anon.

I know you arent connected any more, but what’s happening with the Britannia these days?

Well, I’d like to pop along if I’m in the country. Spent hours/days on those terraces back in the day – looking at Argosys (amongst others)… happy days.

Are tickets to be purchased in advance?

Last time I was in that building I managed to sneak a look out at an Argosy on the pan – I guess thats a sign of old age!