Birmingham: Elmdon Building & Old Tower

[wolfheze]

Your not a fan then Wolf ?

Your not a fan then Wolf ?

It was really tongue in cheek. While modern airliners don't have the same attraction for me now if I was 13 again (I wish!) I'm sure they would.

 

[58terminus]

It was really tongue in cheek. While modern airliners don't have the same attraction for me now if I was 13 again (I wish!) I'm sure they would.

But would you have got bored by 16 and your enthusiasm for aviation been lost?
Back in the day even the different sounds of the aircraft engines kept your interest on a quite day.

 

[wolfheze]

But would you have got bored by 16 and your enthusiasm for aviation been lost?
Back in the day even the different sounds of the aircraft engines kept your interest on a quite day.

I guess you move on and find other interests, some go forever, some return and others remain albeit in perhaps a different form. I was interested in aviation from a very young age mainly due to my father's interest and that has never left me so don't think its likely to now.

 

[rollo]

But would you have got bored by 16 and your enthusiasm for aviation been lost?
Back in the day even the different sounds of the aircraft engines kept your interest on a quite day.

I distinctly remember the whine of the dart engines by Viscounts of BEA and F27 Freindships of Aer Lingus you could even hear them taxiing on a still day from our house by Solihull ice rink.
Also the KLM Lockheed Electra made a lovely deep growl when on the move.

P.S. great news about Historic England getting hold of the Elmdon terminal.

 

[mullion]

Oh that is good news as it is a loveley building and not too many left of the old era like the tower at Barton and
the old terminal at Liverpool. I remember a friend of mine owned a Cessna C172 and we flew in back in the 70s
can just wandered in to pay our landing fee no security.

 

[Ianbutty]

Dadjet must surely get a ton of bonus points from us all for his campaign. Fantastic news.

What now? Well makes it darn difficult for the Airport to get rid of it or modify it. The listing will allow changes which enhance the building and in doing so provide a sustaianble use...what cannot be allowed to happen is no investment and it ends up in the heritage at risk register. But with the airports shareholders including local authourities who are required to investigate breaches in planning law including harm to heritage assets they will not want to be seen to be promoting a do nothing response.

Good news all round but just the first step. And again Congrats to Chris.

 

[smithy108]

Very positive news and congratulations to those who have made the effort to get this far. The next step must be to put together a coherent and costed plan for its use as the worse position would be to allow the building to fall into disrepair while the powers that be thrash around for a solution. It needs some clear informed thinking and hopefully various interest groups will be asked for their ideas and opinions.

 

[CoalPowered]

Just saw this on the BBC local news. Well done Dadjet it's great to see that this superb piece of art deco architecture will remain. I'd love to see it as an interactive museum of something linked to aviation. A top class restaurant or even Tim Martin may have an interest, he seems to like converting old buildings and giving them a new lease of life.

Either way, well done once again.

 

[58terminus]

I distinctly remember the whine of the dart engines by Viscounts of BEA

And i bet even from your house you knew if it was a Viscount or a Vanguard starting up .

 

[JENNYJET]

........and who smashed the control tower Windows? With water incursion the state of the building cannot be good!

 

[58terminus]

........and who smashed the control tower Windows? With water incursion the state of the building cannot be good!

Had a look last weekend and from the barriers and plant scattered around it did appear that some work is being done presumably internally as no sign of any external work. Anybody now what this work is? Presumably damage repair which is at least a start.

 

[wolfheze]

Just saw this on the BBC local news. Well done Dadjet it's great to see that this superb piece of art deco architecture will remain. I'd love to see it as an interactive museum of something linked to aviation. A top class restaurant or even Tim Martin may have an interest, he seems to like converting old buildings and giving them a new lease of life.

Either way, well done once again.

That's exactly what I would like to see, concourse turned into heritage centre + owing to it's links at Castle Bromwich a Spitfire put on display, restaurant on the ground floor, viewing gallery on the first and limited numbers access to the tower. Probably sounds a bit pie in the sky but given the investment (horrible word I know) don't see why it couldn't be viable.

 

[wolfheze]

And i bet even from your house you knew if it was a Viscount or a Vanguard starting up .

Didn't ever manage to see a vanguard at Elmdon so never got to hear a Tyne, seem to remember the only vanguards/merchantmen we ever saw were parked over at the British airways cargo hanger at Heathrow

 

[Dadjet]

Thank you everyone for your support!

https://www.change.org/p/birmingham...nal-building-at-birmingham-airport/u/23173049

 

[58terminus]

Thank you everyone for your support!

Thank YOU!

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Thank you everyone for your support!

https://www.change.org/p/birmingham...nal-building-at-birmingham-airport/u/23173049

A huge 'Thank You', to you Chris !!!

You've made a difference!
You didn't sit back and watch the old building deteriorate until it's eventual demise. Instead, you made a stand. You galvanised aviation enthusiasts ,those who love historic buildings and local residients to petition to save such a wonderful building.
I eagerly signed the petition, but was dubious about the outcome. Needless to say, I was jubilant on readng Ray's post.
I can only echo what others have said, regarding the amount of effort you have put in to this project. If a civic award was to come your way, it wouldn't be out of place.
Good to hear from you again.

Kevin

 

[superking]

I cant find this any where. I see the old control tower and terminal has had a presavation order put on it.Am I right in saying it was opened in the late 50s early 60s.

 

[Ray Finkle]

I hope that they can come up with something good (and viable) as it's stuck right in the middle of an area that could eventually be prime for expansion.


Birmingham Airport needs to come up with a plan for the buildings future.

It won’t be 'plane' sailing. There are difficulties with any of the suggestions put forward – few would want to stay at a hotel next to the runway, a restaurant and conference centre might be possible, an aviation related business might like an iconic office or perhaps some sort of visitor attraction could be housed there.

The statement from Birmingham Airport welcoming the listing suggests they are open to ideas.

Now it is time to come up with a sustainable plan for its future.

 

[Hassaan]

I thought I should use this but me and someone else have come up with the idea of possibly re-purposing the building to be a viewing area/visitor centre type thing.

Now it's just a case of making it work.

 

[Brum X]

I thought I should use this but me and someone else have come up with the idea of possibly re-purposing the building to be a viewing area/visitor centre type thing.

Now it's just a case of making it work.

That would be an awesome idea Hassan13 and gets my full support 👍