I recently obtained a second hand copy of the 1979 book “Epics of Aviation Archaeology” by Bruce Robertson which is an interesting read. I was intrigued to read in a chapter entitled “On the Surface Archaeology” a reference to aircraft being placed in an abandoned quarry at Siddal near Halifax in Yorkshire and soil being tipped on top. Whilst I take most of these stories with a pinch of salt, being relatively local I was non the less intrigued having not heard this rumour before. Could this simply be a mix up involving the very prolific scrapyard of J Shackleton (mentioned elsewhere in other posts) which was active in Siddal in the 1970s and 1980s and which processed many aircraft. Would welcome any information anyone has.
By: Arabella-Cox - 30th October 2011 at 18:05
Your’e right carnaby, it was indeed Bingley! Apologies for thread drift.
By: Arabella-Cox - 30th October 2011 at 18:05
Your’e right carnaby, it was indeed Bingley! Apologies for thread drift.
By: carnaby - 30th October 2011 at 17:36
Thought the yard the Vampire pods were in was Bingley rather than Brighouse? The Bingley yard (in Warren Lane) was certainly full of Seahawks and other naval scrap in the 1960s.
By: carnaby - 30th October 2011 at 17:36
Thought the yard the Vampire pods were in was Bingley rather than Brighouse? The Bingley yard (in Warren Lane) was certainly full of Seahawks and other naval scrap in the 1960s.
By: Arabella-Cox - 30th October 2011 at 16:57
I wonder if you mean the yard/quarry where i got Vampire NF10 WP255 from back in the early 80’s.
That yard was in a quarry in Brighouse, West Yorks, with the deepest area in the centre under several feet of water.
There were all kinds of aircraft parts around the place, including what may have been Spitfire engine bulkheads (we never confirmed it but they had Spitfire glycol tanks fitted), other very heavy bulkheads with arrestor type hooks attached, at least one Typhoon joystick, and the most impressive wheels with tyre still fitted which i think were Stirling.
Clearly the yard had broken some heavy duty aircraft.
The smaller items were saved and moved on, but the larger items i.e. wheels, bulkheads, and several NF10 Vampire pods, were all buried not long after we took WP255.
If we are talking the same yard then the area in the centre could have had lord knows what down there.
By: Arabella-Cox - 30th October 2011 at 16:57
I wonder if you mean the yard/quarry where i got Vampire NF10 WP255 from back in the early 80’s.
That yard was in a quarry in Brighouse, West Yorks, with the deepest area in the centre under several feet of water.
There were all kinds of aircraft parts around the place, including what may have been Spitfire engine bulkheads (we never confirmed it but they had Spitfire glycol tanks fitted), other very heavy bulkheads with arrestor type hooks attached, at least one Typhoon joystick, and the most impressive wheels with tyre still fitted which i think were Stirling.
Clearly the yard had broken some heavy duty aircraft.
The smaller items were saved and moved on, but the larger items i.e. wheels, bulkheads, and several NF10 Vampire pods, were all buried not long after we took WP255.
If we are talking the same yard then the area in the centre could have had lord knows what down there.
By: sopwith.7f1 - 30th October 2011 at 10:28
Wasn’t it supposed to have been the remains of a Hallifax that was burried there ?.
Bob T
By: sopwith.7f1 - 30th October 2011 at 10:28
Wasn’t it supposed to have been the remains of a Hallifax that was burried there ?.
Bob T
By: Atcham Tower - 29th October 2011 at 18:28
That book was a compendium of material edited by Bruce. I confess to having written that chapter but I can’t remember where the Siddal story came from. Suffice to say that I did not make it up!
DS
By: Atcham Tower - 29th October 2011 at 18:28
That book was a compendium of material edited by Bruce. I confess to having written that chapter but I can’t remember where the Siddal story came from. Suffice to say that I did not make it up!
DS
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October 29, 2011 at 5:38 pm