I bet not many of you knew that Bidston had an old aerodrome did you ! - Im helping my mate with his website which is about the history of Wirral. I though i would share some of our info with you as there seems to be a lot of interest about the History of Bidston :


"Easter 1920 – Bidston Aerodrome opened
Great Northern Aerial Company of Liverpool acquired 35 acres of land near Bidston railway
station in September 1919, for an aerodrome to be used as headquarters for their proposed
services linking numerous cities around the country to “health & leisure” resorts. During
the 1920 Easter holiday, between Wednesday 31st March and Saturday 10th April, they organised
an Aerial Gala, to mark the opening of the aerodrome, it would then close until Whitson,
then reopen and continue throughout the summer. Admission to the Gala was 1/- (5p),
with a three-penny tax. Unfortunately they had not managed to put the finishing touches
to the aerodrome before it was opened, three hangars had almost been completed. It was
intended that the field would become permanent, and eventual be properly levelled, and made dry.

---------------------------//-----------------------------

Great things were being promised with the establishment of the aerodrome. Flights to London,
departing Bidston at 8.45am and arriving at the London aerodrome of Cricklewood at 10.45am,
this would allow “almost a full day of business”. The return journey it was suggested could
be made on the same day. This service was to link up with the London to Paris flight. This
started from Cricklewood at 11.30am and cost about £15. Enquires had been received from various
interested parties. One Liverpool business man, wanted to booked four trips each week to
London at £15 15s a journey, and a prominent medical men enquired as to the possibility of
undertaking long trips at short notice for urgent consultations or operations.
For the Gala, it was intended to get about twenty aircraft to the aerodrome, but the weather
interfered with the arrival of a number of aircraft from Blackpool and London. The weather
not only restricted flights but also decreased the attendance. How popular the Gala might have been,
is shown by the fact that on the Good Friday when the weather cleared up, 800 people paid
for admission and 51 passengers were carried for short trips.

---------------------------//-----------------------------

A full programme had been planned including “long flights”, with Blackpool as a favoured
destination at five guineas (£5.25) single and seven guineas (£7.35) return. Guinea (£1.05)
flights over the River Mersey would be available, and for those not minded to venture so far
a field, the thrills and sensation of flight would be provided by short “flips”. There were
also free flights to holders of lucky numbered admission tickets purchased in advanced.
Flying was of course the chief attraction, but to give the aerodrome the character of a
pleasure haunt, there were refreshments, dancing and music by the military band of the
Comrades of the Great War, all held in a large pavilion which had been erected.

---------------------------//-----------------------------

Opening Ceremony
At the opening ceremony, Mr. J.J. Beasley, the chairman of the Great Northern Aerial Company,
said that the company was trying to create popular interest in flying, and had established a
number of aerodromes throughout the country. They were conscious of the tremendous sacrifice,
which the flying man had made for their country during the Great War. He sincerely hoped
that the Government would back up the efforts of the civilian flying companies. He than asked the Mayor of
Birkenhead, Alderman J.H. McGaul to open the aerodrome. Alderman McGaul wished the company
every success and having expressed his, admiration for the airman went on to say. “I feel
that for certain purposes considering the great unrest and turmoil throughout the country,
that aviation is going to be our salvation. If we can come to a place of this description
when transport has been stopped between here, London, and Paris (There had been a good deal
of industrial unrest with a recent rail strike). If wires have been cut, and means of
communication are at the mercy of agitators who care not for the good of their country but
only for themselves. If we can come to loyal citizens at a place like this and book a passage
for a certain place, flying will have done a wonderful service on behalf of the rest of the Empire”.
He welcomed the construction of the aerodrome, because of it proximity to the borough over
which he presided and said he was sorry that their friends in Wallasey had prevented them
from including the aerodrome grounds in Birkenhead’s expansion scheme. He went on to say that
“The Government was perhaps not behaving as well as it might towards aviation, and it behoved
those interested to create such a feeling in the whole country that the value of aviation
would become apparent to every man in the street. If they did that, they would be doing a great
service, not only to aviation, but also to the nation. They would be doing something for
England as well as for themselves”. Mr J.S. Bumphrey of the International Aviation Company
in responding to a toast to the pilots described the obstacles placed by the Air Ministry
in the way of civilians who wished to purchase aircraft. He had set out to purchase one
with his naval gratuity. It took him six weeks to buy it and three months to obtain delivery.
The Air Ministry had refused to loan an aircraft to an aero club, but he had seen
500 machines being broken up at Aintree.

---------------------------//-----------------------------

Following the speeches, William Nichole attempted a flight, but days of continuous rain,
and a very heavy thunderstorm on the previous night, had made the ground so sodden, that,
although the aircraft could have taken off, it was considered advisable, not to risk the
possibility of a bad landing. Conditions did improve the next day to allow flying to commence.
On Thursday, Major H.S. Shields MC. of the Golden Eagle Aviation Co. Ltd. flew over from Blackpool
in a Bristol aircraft. Major Shields had been award the Military Cross (MC) for bringing down
the first Germany two seat Albatross aircraft behind British lines. He was twice mentioned
in dispatches and promoted to field rank in 1917 at the age of 21. He commanded a squadron,
which obtained 23 awards for gallantry. Since leaving the Royal Air Force in August 1919,
he had carried over 3,000 passengers in ex military De Havilland aircraft modified for carrying passengers.
On the Saturday, mist prevented any flying until 4.30pm when Lance Rimmer, took up two
passengers, a lady and gentleman who had motored up from Chester. The longest flight of the
afternoon was one taken by an ex-officer who having a badly damaged foot, hobbled to the aircraft
on crutches. Lance Rimmer took him for a “spin” over Wallasey and West Kirby, the passenger
voting it “A top hole stunt”. The pilots came from the International Aviation Company and
were all ex officers from the Royal Air Force, were they had been instructors and had amassed
over 1,100 hours of flying. They were G.S. Hughes, William Nichole, Norman Giroux, and Lance
Rimmer Norman Giroux later operated pleasure flights from the beach at Southport as Giro
Aviation and Lance Rimmer a local from Meols, would figure continuously in aviation activities
around The Wirral. Two of the aircraft used were ex-military Airco DH6, G-EARA
(ex-military serial C5527) and G-EARD (ex-military serial C7768). Bidston aerodrome, which
was overlooked by Bidston Hill, covered an area of some thirty-five acres of grassland lying
between Bidston railway station and the sand hills, a spot completely free from telegraph wires,
trees, and other obstacles. It was within two minutes walk from the railway station, and
was only a short distance from Hoylake Road, which was served by buses of Birkenhead
Corporation Transport, who had promised to transport the public to the aerodrome. There
are no records of the aerodrome reopening at Whit. The Bidston site would be considered
for possible use during the Second World War as a site for aircraft off loaded in Birkenhead
docks from ships that had transported them across the Atlantic from the USA."

---------------------------//-----------------------------

I have not been able to pin point the exact location of the aerodrome. Following an approach
to Bidston Golf club, I have established it was not located there, they had been in
existence since 1913. I think that it must have been located somewhere the near M53 and Bidston by-pass fly over


Regards

Doctor Frick

Never New any of that nor have i heard of it either?
I will read it again later, when i have more time.
Thanks.

Hmmm i wonder if the Aerodrome is where Tesco's is ? as the steel works which used to be there was dismantled piece by piece and shipped to hong kong.. Maybe the steel works brought the old Aerodrome and put it there for tempory??

done a little digging and there are references to the aerodrome being sited adjacent to bidston station ,now taking in to account the fact that there were no motorway or link roads then and the condition of the ground around the station the now tesco's site is quite possible

The docs piece says the field was between bidston hill and the sandhills. IMO Tescos is in the wrong direction. Towards the sandhils 2 minutes walk does put it squarely on the golf course.

I found these two links suggesting the same but theres is not supporting evidence.

http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/Bidston.html

http://www.abct.org.uk/page_498.html

I do play with a member at Bidston (golf that is) and he told me why the fairways all have deep furrows. Apparently in WWII it was done to prevent German places from landing in the area. So the ground was deemed suitable for aircraft in the 1940's. If the golf club are saying it wasn't there, I'd put it closer to Leaswoe road. With leasow road being so straight....could it have been the runway?

.

Couldnt have been Leasowe Road as the Council started a bus service down the road to Leasowe and Morteon Cross in 1920(see wallasey news charter post)but there are a lot of flat fields behind what is now the solar campus and as the motorway wasnt there then this land would of ran towards bidston station :>

This airfield started operating in April 1920. It was probably located where
Bidston golf course now is. I would be interested to hear from anyone who
has any information or photographs of it or who can exactly locate it.
A question asked on some other forum whilst searching..

Another airfield operated nearby in the 1930s. This was owned by E D Ward
Ltd who had a garage on Leasowe Road somewhere near where Longacre Close now
is. This airfield was behind the garage. E D Ward was Eric Darwent Ward who
was born in Welshpool in 1900 and retired there. Also interested to hear
from anyone who has information on this airfield.

and an answer sort of...
Some details of Bidston Airfield were published recently in a local
magazine. The publication is named "Rapide" and subtitled the "Magazine
for the North-West Vintage Aviation Enthusiast". Do a web search on those
words and you will find details of the publisher. You may be able to
obtain a back issue. Unfortunately I forget which issue.

its issue seven:>

http://www.raf-millom.co.uk/Rapide.htm
The above is a link were you can purchase the magazine for £3.00

That's one pint of lager, albeit an expensive one

expensive ?> you havent been to town for a while have you > ???

every weekend, I choose the classy establishments.

I can't really contribute much, but looking through what has been posted so far, and assuming that the denial that DoctorFrick got from the Golf Club is fact, it's a bit of a puzzle. The grid reference given in a later link: SJ280910, does put it on the golf course, just South of the clubhouse & where the Birket is crossed by a bridge. Because of the presence of the stream, it seems a bit of an unlikely location for an airfield. Another question (DoctorFrick)? is the bit of the Golf Course South of the Birket original, or a later addition? If later, that could be the old airfield. Bearing in mind the info. "2 minutes from Bidston Station & short distance from Hoylake Rd."
I've attached a scan showing the location, with the Grid Reference & Bidston Station marked. Also, a ROUGH idea of what 35 acres looks like. It seems to me that there's just room between the railway line & rivers Fender & Birket (although I wouldn't like to overshoot on a landing!!).
This location seems to fulfil all the info. given in the original which DoctorFrick quoted.
Could be wrong, but might just be worth another approach to the Golf Club. (Brocks?)
Cheers, Chris.

been trying to find more on this but can only find what has already been posted....

Looks about right to me but i dont know if its a practical landing spot !! - Just to clarify i rang up the Golf Club and asked them about it. But they didnt know anything about a previous airfeild ?

Just found a bit of info. on the website of Bidston Golf Club which seems to reinforce my idea of the location: see my previous post with map.

Quote from Bidston Golf Club website

"The Early Years

Bidston Golf Club, founded in 1913, was an amalgamation of Golfing Societies who had previously been playing on the Wallasey Corporation Municipal Course, The Warren. A lease was secured and a nine hole course was created on the site of the present eighth to eighteenth holes. Further ground was leased in 1925 between the railway and the River Fender to provide an eighteen hole Golf Course." End quote

The piece of land acquired in 1925 is about 35 acres, between the railway & the river Fender/Birket & now contains holes 2-7. From the original reports of Bidston aerodrome, there's no indication that it survived very long after the gala opening at Easter 1920, in fact, (from the original post), "there is no record of it re-opening at Whit".

I think there's now strong evidence that this land, leased in 1925 by the Club, is the site of the airfield. Opinions please.

Cheers, Chris.

The amount of places it can be is very limited, and this is the strongest evidence yet to support the whereabouts.

Doctor Frick Says .... Thumbs Up

That is very intruiging evidence Chris, and seems to tie in with the aerodrome covering "35 acre's of land near Bidston Railway station".

However this information leaves a question in my mind, was it more towards the bidston village side of the railway station:


It does seem to suggest to me that it may have been nearer Bidston Hill then the train station is and still very close to the train station is, maybe where the Fender flyover is nowadays, around that area and into the fields towards Bidston Village, overlooked very closely by Bidston Hill.

However, to be honest, I am inclined to prefer you're placement as to where it actually was. The docks bit from the above quote also seem's to backup this theory.

This map seems to suggest it was on part of the golf course also:

http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/Bidston.html

Matt; I think that the original description, part of which you quoted above, of it being "between Bidston station & the sandhills" rules out the direction of the hill or Bidston village.

Cheers, Chris.

Put point to call.. The aerodrome was not a Runway of tarmac it was just a Piece of gras... If you look at the map matty posted and look at where the Tesco's is go back before the steel works and look how Stright that piece of field is if Tesco's wasnt there Remember it was an Aerodrome not Airport..

http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/CHESHIRE/2004-07/1090344343


Interesting...

@Matt; yes, I came across that too.
@Soundlad; you're right, of course, about it being a grass field. What you also need to bear in mind though, is that in those days, what was needed was not a nice straight piece of land. Before the days of powerful jet aircraft, it was necessary, to achieve flying speed, to take off into the wind, so you needed a site which had room to take off in any direction. Planes also landed into the wind to minimise groundspeed at touchdown.(This is, of course, why all airfields had a windsock). In the 1939-45 war, when planes were heavier & needed a tarmac runway, the standard configuration was to have 3 runways in a triangle, 60 degrees apart.

Cheers, Chris.

@ Chris

A fly in the ointment guys..I'm reading a book at present called Wirral gleanings ,although it makes no reference to the Aerodrome it does say and there is a map from 1909 and the land where the golf course and the station are was all salt marshes .I suppose things might of changed in the eleven years before it opened but wouldn't that have been a major engineering task to drain them..
I am in the process of trying to get an appointment at the archives to do a little more research

an aerodrome, well blow me over with a feather, bloody easyjet are everywhere arn't they

Okay asking around i got a reference to a RAF Station off Leasowe Road. It wasnt a big affair it stored the barrarge balloons "Deflated Ones" in the Building. Like i say it was only small,
but an RAF Station in its own rights, as it had security etc.
And one of them barriers that counter balance and you send it
up in the air with the minimum of effort.

Anyways.
This is where it was.

There are several references to theses barrage balloon sites,there were quite a few on the Wirral ,even a couple on bidston hill.They also used to set huge oil fires close to these sites so as to dis-orientate the German bombers(slightly off thread)

It was a storage site.

Yeh there was on in the river streets, where that underground pub is, don't know its name.

That's interesting, Mark. I remember seeing lots of barrage balloons being used around the docks during the war.

That's a surprise, Jonno. The Golf Club was established in 1913, at least as a 9 hole course, on the land to the seaward side of the Fender/Birket. Also, the railway pre-dates 1909 by several decades, including Bidston station. See extract below from "Railway Stations of Wirral"
It's quite clear looking at pictures & maps of the area that the rivers Fender & Birket have been artificially channelled; On an Ordnance Survey map of 1904, the Birket has clearly been channelled by then, but the Fender, which now joins the Birket at right angles (ignoring the final kink) at that time cut straight across what is now the later addition to the Golf Course & joined the Birket about 1/4 mile further downstream. So, it looks as if a start had been made on drainage of the marshes by 1904. Jonno: if you go to the archives, could you see if there's any reference to the building of a sea wall? I would have thought that it would have been necessary. My 1904 map does show an embankment between Leasowe lighthouse & Leasowe Castle.

Cheers, Chris.

The railway is on the map and the station is where it is today .I will check on the sea wall for you no probs Chris.I think the wall from the castle to the lighthouse would of been constructed in some way when they built the castle or they would of been trapped on high tides,this is just speculation on my behalf....:>

Yep they were built along with the pill boxes on the shore line as part of Britains defences against the damned Bosh !

I've just been looking at the area on Google Earth. Looking at elevations above Mean Sea Level, most of the area is lower than the ridge of higher ground running along the shoreline, which is on average between 20 + 30 feet. In particular, Bidston station is only about 6 Ft. & most of the Golf Course is between 2 & 12 Ft. I can see now why it was salt marsh. Fascinating.
Jonno; If you make an appointment with the archives,I wouldn't mind coming up if you fancy some company.

Cheers, Chris.

not at all if you can let me know whens best for you(rough window of opportunity)and what you would be interested in looking at i will book us in.you have to let them know what you are looking for incase it has to be brought from archives..:>

Me and Chriskay have scoured the archives and spoke to the experts in the Wirral Museum and there is no record what so ever about the aerodrome ,there were only two recorded aerodromes on the Wirral ,the private one on Leasowe road and Hooton park which was on the site of what is now vauxhall's

so what about the poster/flyer that there is a picture of ?

To me, there's no doubt that it existed, witness the poster, although someone at the museum suggested it might have been a hoax. This I absolutely do not believe. My suspicion is that the first event at Easter 1920 was not a great success & it didn't re-open.

Cheers, Chris.

The Plot Thickens

Heres a Picture taken from Bidston Station around 1888 look how dense it was fields etc. maybe the aerodrome was around here..

I wonder what the rail on the far right could be??

According to the Book mate The Seacombe Branch.. Never knew that there was trains to seacombe ?????? It closed to passengers in 1960... The line was removed for the Steel works..

Reason i posted the picture cause there was loads of feilds near the station etc..

Aye there sure was matey - http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/s/seacombe/index.shtml

Wonderful site for the history of Britain's lost railway's.

Good site that used it before but never knew about Seacome untill i just looked at the book for mark hehe nice...

Anyway back on topic LOL

The seacombe line ran down the cutting that the motorway approach to the tunnel uses now,behind Rosthern Ave in Wallasey.
My Dad lived there and watched the steam trains from the end of the garden.If you look at the cutting walls (probably best if your not driving) you can still see remains of a station, as they lowered the cutting for the motorway.

Hello folks.... Mr Smartarse here. The picture shows the branch veering left to Seacombe. The "main line" heads towards B'head North. Taken from the footbridge at Bidston Station.

The pic. shows 3rd rail. These lines weren't electrified by the LMS until 1938. Probably a typo in the book. Timber ramps are seen at the nearest set of points. These were to stop any loose 4th rail (Mersey Section) collector shoes clattering the running rails. The 4th rail system was scrapped in 1956/57, so the pic. is prior to then.

As the white painted ends of the conductor rail ramps are freshly painted, I would guess that this pic. was taken straight after electrification.

The branch to the left was only used normally by the steam trains (passenger to Seacombe and Ore trains to Bidston Dock). It was electrified for emergency use only by the electric stock and the odd Sunday working. Being part of the "Bidston Triangle", it was the only place electric units could be turned end for end - until the "Loop" was built in the 70's.

As the conductor rail was always covered in rust on this short section, the odd electric train that ventured onto it made Blackpool illuminations look pretty dull by comparison !

MMmmm..... maybe I should get out more ??

Morning History buffs.Could we please stay on topic

Sorry !

If you look in one of the photos you can see the two towers of the church on St Hillarys Brow. I have looked at the gap between the two and tried to line it up with what we have got today. The only place which I can get close to this, is on the top of the bridge of the Bidston bypass that passes over the M53 ?

I am pretty sure there was a racetrack where the photo processors is/was beside the link road - an old airport and a racetrack are very similar - will check it out later.

If the golf clubhouse is still in the same place then this would have been a ready made road to approach the airport if the grid reference above is correct.

Ah, the racetrack was on a 1948 map.

AND the wartime one at West Kirby (strictly Saughall Massie I suppose)

Loads about RAF West Kirby
HERE
Here is a pic I took of the memorial by the old main gate recently

good topic guys Never new about this.very interestin

Yes, I remember RAF West Kirby, although I was never posted there. I seem to remember the nearest station was Meols.

Post war there WAS a plan to convert the West Kirby site to be a "Wirral Airport". In a Birkenhead Development book I have shown to Mark there is a very brief mention of that plan and of it being 'passed to a committee' for further consideration. I KNOW that once upon a time (15+ years ago) I had another book that was probably produced as a result of the output from that committee. The book contained artist's impressions of how such a Wirral Airport would look and contained a lot of guestimates/ wishful thinking about what such a facility would do for the loacl economy.

I have searched and searched for that book, but with no resuolt. I never throw anything away (as my wife will tell you!) so one day it will turn up.

Snod

keep up the investigation....i have searched for info on the aerodrome on numerous occasions, but to no avail.

When me and chriskay went to the archives there was no evidence to be found of the aerodrome.the only evidence that we have come across is the poster advertising flights from there to blackpool.there is evidence of a private air field close to leasowe road /cross lane... Good hunting

iv found abit of info on the bidston aerodrome on this website below

Click here

Yes the private airfield was owned by Eric Ward and was on Leasowe road but that was later on and is completely seperate.

Looking at the tithe map of Wallasey from 1851 there is a plot of land suspiciously in the shape of an airfield. It is in the place where we are almost sure the aerodrome would be and which today is Bidston moss between the fender and birkett and within view of st hilarys

The only problem is that the aerodrome doesn't open for another 60-70 years. My only thought is that maybe the area was being used for a similar function before hand ? I have attached a picture which is the tithe map of 1851 and today map side by side.

Let me know what you think.

A couple of articles concerning the Bidston Aerodrome and the relevant ventures have surfaced ....

July 1919
"GREAT NORTHERN AERIAL SYNDICATE, LTD., 25, Lord Street,Liverpool. Capital £10,000 in 5s. shares. Organisers, etc., especially in the business of commercial aviation manufacturers and designers of aircraft, proprietors of schools of aviation, etc. First directors ;C. Sutherland, C. H. Bullen, R. H. Taylor, W. J. Todd, W. E. Cooke, E. G. Noakes, L. E. Stephens"

September 1919 in relation to the Government sell-off of the R-36, R-37, R-39, R-80, Airships
"It is expected that the Great Northern Aerial Syndicate, which purposes to establish air service between Liverpool and Australia, and Liverpool and New York will bid for some of these airships. It is estimated that six huge vessels will be necessary to maintain these two services with any degree of regularity. The total financial backing necessary forsuch an undertaking is somewhere in the neighbourhood of £2,500,000"

December 1921
"Great Northern Aerial Syndicate, Ltd. An application in connection with the affairs of the Great Northern Aerial Syndicate, Ltd., which opened an aviation centre near Bidston Station a couple of years ago, came before his Honour Judge Parsons, K.C., at the Birkenhead County Court on December 14.
Mr. J. Fraser Harrison, barrister, applied for authority to enable the liquidator of the company (Mr. F. M. W. Wilson, Cook Street, Liverpool) to sue as for a contract debt for the amounts of unpaid calls in arrears, together with interest, for the purpose of paying the general creditors of the company the admitted amounts of their respective debts.
The company, it was mentioned, was wound up this year, and the unpaid calls, with interest, amounted to £5,633 10s. 9d.
The syndicate was incorporated in 1919 with a nominal capital of £10,000, divided into 40,000 shares of 5s. each. There was a sum of upwards of £4,000 uncalled capital due in respect of the issued shares. Mr. T. G. Heninghem, representing a number of the contributaries, said his clients had no desire to hinder the liquidator. When the resolution to wind up the company was passed his clients thought it was with a view to reconstruction. No money had been received by his clients, and the whole of the expenses had been paid out of capital. The object of the company was to run airships for civil purposes. It had a landing place in Birkenhead, be believed, for nights to America. It was intimated by Mr. Heninghem that some of his clients had paid the first and second, and even the third and fourth calls. He suggested if an order were made empowering the liquidator to sue those who had not so paid there would be no need for further action.
The liquidator's application was granted."

You talk about land in the shape of an aerodrome on the tithe map of 1851. surley the only things that could fly then where birds. amd i mean the feathered kind

Good point bob, maybe its an aerodrome for birds !

i think this picture is taken from roughly where the footbridge is looking toward tesco site - the lines on the right being the goods yard on the steelworks site.. thus the site in front of the camera is where bidston tip is now. I'm convinced the airfield would have straddled the golf course and nature reserve sites..obviously no m530 to worry about!

Baz

There's a detailed article on Bidston aerodrome in the current issue of "Wirral Journal" - available from all good newsagents.

The pictures in the Wirral Journal show a number of buildings at the aerodrome.

I am wondering if Bidston Golf Club started in 1913 but at the West Cheshire Golf Course which is where the tip is/was now. This would allow the aerodrome to be based where the Bidston Club House is now, and the golf club possibly moved there later.

All conjecture, but having seen the number of aerodrome buildings, it is now just a relatively simple hunt through the old maps in the library. The chances of the buildings being destroyed straight after the aerodrome closed has got to be minimal.

Agreed DD

Did a bit of research on this today and got nowhere, but the following info may be useful.

1911 map has no horse racecourse and no Bidston GolfCourse
1936 map has the horse racecourse and Bidston GolfCourse adjacent, no sign of the group of hangers.

I came across this info while looking for something else. As a kid growing up in the avenues we often went over to the AF site. It closed about 1960. It was still used as a some sort of training base as there was always staff there. I recall one year going into the base with other kids to watch their sports day. It was a sweltering hot day and we got very sunburnt. The Tesco down there w=is on the site of the steel mill which was on the site of Bidston railway marshalling yard.

The RAF site was before you came to Bidston staion going down the lane to the station. oIt was on the opposite side to the golf course. It is now all marshy fields that can be seen from the flyover over the motorway coming from Moreton on Hoylake road. When it closed we used to go and play around there as there was a shed and a very large and deep concrete tank that had once been full of water. I presume that it was to train pilots on how to get out of a plane when it ditched. Eventually the whole site was cleared of any sign of it being an RAF base and now you wouldn't know it had ever been there.

The foundations you have found are the remains of a haa gunsite which later became a motor workshops. This is all ww2 stuff.

There are pictures of aeroplanes at bidston and a commercial service was run from there. So your theory of airships is also blown.

Are you two related DD?

This other guy is dd jnr...

Well, if he is DD's son, he wasn't taught grammar and spelling like wot his dad woz.
BTW, pddjnr; text speak is not encouraged, especially on the History forum. Also, it isn't polite to jump in and rubbish other people's serious work.

Actually its my great great grandfather

Ah, before the days of compulsory schooling; that explains it.

You, and your information, might get a better reception if you weren't so aggressive.

Airships? Why would we have airships here? It was a gun site, plus a number of pill boxes and other emplacements. Some of us are old enough to remember them. The troops toilets were left after the war for the use of trippers for a while. Re your time team theory, before it was anything, part of it was a race course. Leasowe castle allegedly being built for the viewing of! Certainly the Duke of Monmouth came here to watch the races whilst his army were attacking Chester during the civil war.

I personally don't care what's in the dictionary, there is no excuse for bad spelling and grammar. If one must use text speak then one should stick to texting.

I think people using ipads with predictive text etc, also plays a part in some of the grammatically poor posts we get on Wiki nowadays.

As for the aerodrome, I can't say I know much about either its history or it's original location but it crossed my mind that if we were talking about it having been located near the Docks Station (rather than Bidston Station) perhaps the disused Wirral Agricultural Showground may have been a potential site. Or would that have been far too small?

Airships were going to be the big thing for long distance travel. The old man told me about a Zeppelin in the 30's cruising along the line of Birkenhead docks and Liverpool afterwards, apparently they took lots of intelligence pics, some goodwill visit I don't think. They obviously had plans about WWII. If my dad wanted to show me aircraft in the 40's/early 50's we had to go to Hooton, vaguely remember Pussmoths from that time.

The aerodrome location is well documented including actual posters that it was by Bidston station.

The gun emplacements are still there and pictured elsewhere on this site as are many other ww2 structures on the Wirral and beyond.

I once saw the 101 in Birkenhead some years ago.

Well, okay, I was at Woodside Bus Terminal waiting for a number 10 to New Brighton when up pulled this bus with 101 on the front. I was just wondering to myself whether or not it was actually the bus I wanted, when one of the inspectors ran over from the office and shouted to the driver "Oi, Bill. Fix your number mate, that's a bus you're in charge of not a bleedin' Zeppelin!"

This is a great piece of work. Well done lads! I just wish it had come to a concrete conclusion (no pun intended).

I asked mum (now 94 and very alert) about an airfield at Bidston, and especially about airships. She laughed very loud at the suggestion of airships, saying that as children ANY such thing seen in the area would have made a lasting impression. NO AIRSHIPS - other than the R101 which she does clearly remember.

As for an airfield with prop driven aircraft - there she has just a vague memory tempered with some confusion because she (and all the other kids) knew that Ward used to fly planes and they were used to that. However, sometimes "different" planes were seen - and they simply presumed it was Ward or his friends. Hence, no specific knowledge of a Bidston site.

Snod

Bidston Airfield was a permanent camp during World War 1 . Has anyone thought
to look in Wartime editions of Birkenhead News or other papers of the time?
I have a long newspaper cutting about the death of Corporal Quayle-originally
of Douglas I.O.M. He was wounded in the arm by another Serviceman at the camp.
Corporal Quayle had his arm amputated but unfortunately an infection set in
and he died about 2 weeks later. This was in either 1916 or 1918 -can,t remember
exactly when and the NEWS cutting is somewhere in my collection !!

There was a little on this in the wallasey memories facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...=o.146671052051601&type=1&ref=nf