RAF Ringway and the Birth of Britain's 3rd Busiest Airport
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- čas přidán 8. 06. 2024
- Before Manchester Airport became Britain's third busiest airport and acting as a gateway to half the world, it started off as a humble grassy landing strip, beside a couple of rudimentary hangars... in the tiny Cheshire parish of Ringway. Within a year of it opening in 1938, it was taken over by the Royal Air Force and quickly found its wartime use as both a parachute training school and an assembly site for major fighter and bomber aircraft.
But what came before it, what came after it, and how did this lead to the city-sized super site in place today?
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As a child we used to cycle to Ringway ,as it was called back then, and stand on the wooden fence as the planes took-off to try and touch one ? We nearly did on several occasions, heady days ❤❤
Wow
Same here BEA was still using Dakotas back then although there were regular flights of Viscounts. If you saw a transatlantic flight with a DC7 it was so unusual as to be exciting!
There was a royal Air Force Reserve Squadron there for a time in the 1950s and their twin engine bombers would be parked along the fence on the west side.
Part of the old A538 now within the airport boundary is still used as a light aircraft taxyway to the grass parking area in front of the Aviation Viewing Park. When I flew into Manchester Air[port some years ago in or group-owned dH Chipmunk aeroplane we were directed to use it to park on the grass by the AVP.
So I found myself taxying an aeroplane along a length of road I used to cycle down as a lad!
Today the Manchester Airport is very complex in some areas
You need walk like 15 minutes to arrive at some point 😂
Does anyone else remember having to wait on Winslow Old Road while planes took off or landed. A 'bobby' would drag a barrier across the road. We were stopped on our way to Castle Mills open air baths.
During the war,my father was a P.T.I parachute instructor at RAF Ringway.He helped train a countless number of these Heros' from all corners of the commonwealth. Dad made 168 descents without serious injury,although in the late 50's he suffered from chronic back pain.
Wow that's very interesting. Sounds like a very intense period for him.
He probably trained my Dad💗
My grandfather Charles Agate AFC tested parachutes and was an instructor/jump master at Ringway.
In the 1960’s. My Dad used to drive me, every couple of weeks or so, from Urmston to Ringway to watch the aeroplanes. I later became a B.O.A.C. Engineer Apprentice. ✈️
Thats great, thanks for sharing.
Thank you,I have just found your video,My grandfather flew the Whitley flying the trainee paras back in 1941.
I've never flown Ollie, but I found this film very interesting indeed. From just fields, I never realised how huge the airport complex is and how many people are employed there. Well researched and filmed. Many thanks, mate, for producing this.
My father was one of this paratroopers, prior to going in action in Italy as part of X Platoon SAS.
After saving up for a year, I bought a bike. Two of the places I went to, were Ringway airport. In those days, passengers either walked to the plane or went in a small bus. If I waited long enough, I actually saw a plane take off, or land.
Never knew about the historic site. Thanx. Will check it out tomorrow. Great vid.
Ringway is a fascinating subject.
Ive studied google msps vs NLS to see whats still visable from pre-runway days.
Not much atall thats for sure.
And the houses and farms removed to house the runways were beautiful too.
Pity they had to go
My grandparents lived near the end of Ringway Road closest to the airport. I went to Shadow Moss school when younger and then transferred to St. Wilfred’s in Northenden as the planes were too close to the school when landing so it had to close. I could see the runway lights at night from the bedroom at my grandparents. My dad worked for BEA then BOAC at Manchester then promoted to cargo sales, lived in Yorkshire then New York. I was always plane spotting and at the airport. I do remember a plane crash as a young lad in the estate at the edge of Wythenshawe nearby. If I remember correctly it was a viscount and it hit the house of an airport fireman, Wally Wilding (correct me if wrong) and killed his wife and family. I saw first hand the airport grow. Thanks for a great video.
I think that's right it was a Viscount and it hit a house in Shadow Moss Road. We went on our bikes to have a look, when you're 11 years old you're not very sensitive about things.
Excellent video. Worth the wait. Liked the overlay of the old ordnance survey map with the modern airport
Many thanks!
Ollie, great watch -- love anything vintage steam or aviation. It's really something how St. Mary & All Saints Church and its cemetery beat the odd of being demolished and lost to time. Thank for your time, work and posting and helping to keep history alive and kicking.
Thanks mate. Much appreciated as always. 😁
@@BeeHereNowuk Ollie, I hate to nag a point over and over, but your channel is so enjoyable to watch, you include more back stories on the people and places than others do. The back stories help bring the video alive. Thanks again.........................
I grew up in Gatley and I remember seeing the first jumbo jet 747 land and take off. Saw also the Vickers Vimmy there too!
Excellent video. My mum started work there in the 1950’s and was still there until the late 80’s. I worked there in the early 80’s as did an aunt, an uncle and briefly my dad. Some great memories from Ringway 👍
Amazingly informative. Wow! So interesting.
Very interesting and informative, thanks.
Thanks mate. 😁
My uncle was trained at Ringway he was then involved in the air drop into North Africa in 1942
Thanx Ollie. I remember a treat in the 70s was to go down to Ringway as my dad called it and watch the plane takeoff and land. There was a viewing platform on top perhaps of the terminal, but I can’t remember for the life of me exactly where it was/is - maybe your listeners could help
If you look again at the promotional model seen in the video, you will see two 'piers' jutting out from the main building. One was used for domestic flights (that is, within the UK), the other for international flights. Spotters were allowed to walk along the roof of those piers and look down on the planes. Eventually, security concerns led to that facility being closed. When the third pier was built, at 90 degrees to the others, it was known as the Jumbo pier, as it could better cater for the wide-bodies. It is noticeable that A380's still stop at the end of the old international pier.
@@MD-tv5fp what time is that in the video? Thanks for the information. I knew I wasn’t imagining things
@@tremensdelirious Try the time around 7.43 .
Aha, thx. So with a full view of the left set of boarding gates. That vaguely ring(way)s a bell. Over 45 years ago. Realise now it was a cheapo day out cos Dad didn’t want to take us to Alton Towers
viewing platform! You were lucky up to about 1958 there was a fenced off cinder area where you could watch the aircraft and if you had a few pence get a choc ice from a machine
My grandad was an RAF warrant officer physical training instructor and did some tethered balloon jumps at Ringway, he said it was scary. His best friend was killed when his chute failed to open on one of these jumps.
As a child we used to walk or cycle from Altrincham occasionally got a lift . It was in the early 1960s I can remember the two buildings the had public viewing areas on the flat roves having to pay via a turnstile. The flights were well spaced out not being as busy as now . As far as I am concerned it’s still Ringway airport.
Brilliant video Olly. Have worked there (well, here, am currently on a nightshift!) for just over 30 year and was originally based in one of the old hangars used for parachute training!
Oh cool, cheers Isla. I bet it's so interesting working there.
I travelled from the Isle of Man to London via Manchester in 1962. The transfer area was in one of the huts shown at 7.32. The singer Anne Shelton was among the passengers waiting for the next flight. Pity it is not a good airport to pass through today.
3.24 the biplane you called a Hornet Moth was a Dragon Rapide! Hornet Moth had a single engine! - - - and you didn't mention that the public road used to cross the runway, a bit like at Gibraltar, but without the fences. All there was were a few hay bales marking the sides of the road which had to be removed every time an aircraft took off or landed. They have now been replaced by the tunnel.
I remember it well. They fitted drop-down barriers on the road but one day I was walking long, pushing my bike, when I got 'buzzed' by a bloody great aeroplane a few feet above my head. I didn't hear it until it was a few yards away. I think the old brick works has now been absorbed by the recent extensions (well recent to a 71 year old anyway).
Bee Here Now has uploaded a video, hooray
Woo hoo! Glad to be of service! 😁
My grandfather Charles Agate AFC tested parachutes and was an instructor/jump master at Ringway.
nice video, good to watch a video without thee "over the top music" as loud as the narrator. ✈
Judging by the state of the runways when I operated out of there I think they were the original ones 😂
The 1939 guardroom used by the Army is still there today albeit behind a fence and looking sorry for itself.
It’s outside of the Airports boundary but, by the side of the Britannia Hotel off Altrincham Rd, you can see the remains of Wilmslow Old Road with the classic Cheshire fencing still in situ but buried in the undergrowth.
Oh cool, what a great little bit of info. I'll have to take a look one day
Hey, great video with a lot of history love to see what the area was like before. You might find it very interesting to know about the runway 2 development? I would love a detailed video about as there isn’t one about it. did you know there were several 1700 year old houses that had to be removed to make way for the runway. Hill House being on the oldest with a huge garden and paddock, they were relocated and can still be seen today. even roads were cut off and the bloin river was diverted. It would make a great video.
Thanks very much. Yeah, that video's already on its way 😁
@@BeeHereNowuk hey Ollie I have send you a Facebook message with some information and photos & links regarding runway 2
In 1943 whilst in the Air Training Corps, flew here from Bircham Newton in a Warwick Aircraft, and feel sure they I seem to remember, seeing lots of Skua aircraft, but these were usually Navy" based.so my 95 year old memory might be at fault?
🙂 Your PNW Neighbor! Enjoy your days!
Pnw? Pacific North West?
@@BeeHereNowuk yes, your first try. Western Washington to be exact.
The other place was Woodford airfield.
Those multiple strips on Shadow Moss 🤔
Britannia Britannias 😊
Hi i just watch ur vidio and you missed out that the remains of hom de massy (william the conceror gavve the land to him in 1066 )motte bailey castle utterwood castle
Any connection with the old Castle Mills open air swimming baths? A regular haunt for youngsters in the 50s and 60s. Closed down along with Galleon Baths and Bramhall Baths when the corporation decided we should all be Olympic and built the giant glass walled bunkers to suit (only one of which is I think still open, in Altrincham, one of the later ones. Seems people preferred sitting on the grass in the sun to being Olympic)
Don't forget, it's the crappiest airport in England! Really is! I love Manchester for so many reasons, but as airports go, Manchester airport is the Piccadilly Garden of them all. Complete and utter crap.
Love from Sweden, from a Swede that loves the proper Manchester.
A fair point. It's my local airport so all-but-one of the times I've been abroad I've flown out of Manchester. After so long you just get used to it. 😂
Now Britain’s worst airport. A terrible experience repeatedly…
Barton is in Salford and was and remains an airfield. The first Mancheste airport was Alexandra Park Aerodrome. Google up.
I know, I did another video before this one all about that. Thanks though
I liked how the men and women on those early package holidays wore very formal clothes. Men in suits and women in elegant dresses. You don't get that now. It's all football shirts and skimpy tops.
And I suppose you wear your 3 piece suit every time you fly don’t you
The world would be a better place if Manchester was returned to farmland. Worst airport in the country.