Liverpool: Airport Nostalgia

[Silvercity]

Just come across this on Twitter :- )

1964...before I was born !

View attachment 16810

 

[Scottie Dog]

Liverpool Echo- Sunday 3rd October 2022

From a farmhouse to an international airport: the remarkable story of LJLA​

The airport has had a long and colourful history since it first opened in 1933

Porters John Rimmer (left) and George Kelly at the check in desks at Liverpoo Airport with hostess Miss Vicky Jones in 1971
Liverpool John Lennon Airport has welcomed back an increasing number of holidaymakers in recent months as travel restrictions were relaxed.
Last week alone, the airport saw over 43,000 passengers walk through its doors to board flights to popular holiday hotspots such as Malaga, Alicante, Palma and Portugal.
But many people who pass through the airport may not know the history it holds as one of the oldest operational airports in the UK, which first started out from a converted farmhouse in 1933.

Speke Airport, as it was originally known, was built in part of the grounds of Speke Hall, where Chapel House Farm acted as the terminal and control tower - with a state-of-the-art dormer window installed for extra visibility.

The first airport terminal - Chapel House farmhouse used between 1933 – 1937. (Image: Liverpool John Lennon Airport)
By the late 1930s, air traffic from Liverpool was beginning to take off, with increasing demand for Irish Sea crossings.

The airport played a significant role during the Second World war, when Liverpool was the most heavily bombed area outside of London.
Military aircraft construction took place on site at both the Rootes and Lockheed aircraft factories, while hard surface runways replaced the grass strips in order to cater for larger and heavier aircraft.

The viewing balcony of the old airport terminal for many, this was a very special place to enjoy the aircraft operating from Speke.
Speke Airport remained in government hands until midnight on January 1, 1962, when the city took control and prepared development plans.
The council's first move was to build a long-overdue new runway to the south of Speke Hall.
The new runway was opened by Prince Philip in 1966 and enabled Liverpool to become a 24 hour airport for the first time.

​

By this time, Manchester’s Ringway Airport was already much more advanced and by 1974 the future for Speke looked bleak, with the council voting to close it completely and use the land for housing.
That crisis was avoided by a deal with Merseyside County Council, which marked the start of a new era for the airport.
A new modern passenger terminal, adjacent to the runway on the Southern Airfield site, opened in 1986, following the closure of the 1930’s building.

The concourse in the former terminal (opened in 1986) during the late 1990’s. (Image: Liverpool John Lennon Airport)
In 1990, the airport was privatised, with British Aerospace taking a 76 per cent shareholding in the new company. Subsequently the airport has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Peel Holdings Ltd.
The year 2002 saw the airport being renamed in honour of John Lennon, 22 years after his death. A 7ft bronze statue stands overlooking the check-in hall.

The cafeteria at the airport with its views across the main apron in 1996. (Image: Liverpool John Lennon Airport)
In March 2016, Liverpool City Council acquired a stake in the airport in the form of shares with the investment used to further improve facilities for passengers and airlines.
More recently, in September 2019, Ancala Partners LLP completed the acquisition of a 45 per cent interest in the airport, with Peel and Liverpool City Council retaining 45 per cent and 10 per cent interests respectively.
Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, LJLA welcomed over five million passengers each year with flights to over 70 destinations in the UK and across Europe.
It's been a turbulent 18 months for the travel industry but changes to the traffic light system from October 4 will likely come as welcome news for airports and airlines across the country.
A master plan is in place for LJLA to be completed by 2030 which plans for the airport to grow significantly, by building new facilities and the introduction of permanent long-haul flights.

 

[Silvercity]

Liverpool Echo- Sunday 3rd October 2022

From a farmhouse to an international airport: the remarkable story of LJLA​

The airport has had a long and colourful history since it first opened in 1933

Porters John Rimmer (left) and George Kelly at the check in desks at Liverpoo Airport with hostess Miss Vicky Jones in 1971
Liverpool John Lennon Airport has welcomed back an increasing number of holidaymakers in recent months as travel restrictions were relaxed.
Last week alone, the airport saw over 43,000 passengers walk through its doors to board flights to popular holiday hotspots such as Malaga, Alicante, Palma and Portugal.
But many people who pass through the airport may not know the history it holds as one of the oldest operational airports in the UK, which first started out from a converted farmhouse in 1933.

Speke Airport, as it was originally known, was built in part of the grounds of Speke Hall, where Chapel House Farm acted as the terminal and control tower - with a state-of-the-art dormer window installed for extra visibility.

The first airport terminal - Chapel House farmhouse used between 1933 – 1937. (Image: Liverpool John Lennon Airport)
By the late 1930s, air traffic from Liverpool was beginning to take off, with increasing demand for Irish Sea crossings.

The airport played a significant role during the Second World war, when Liverpool was the most heavily bombed area outside of London.
Military aircraft construction took place on site at both the Rootes and Lockheed aircraft factories, while hard surface runways replaced the grass strips in order to cater for larger and heavier aircraft.

The viewing balcony of the old airport terminal for many, this was a very special place to enjoy the aircraft operating from Speke.
Speke Airport remained in government hands until midnight on January 1, 1962, when the city took control and prepared development plans.
The council's first move was to build a long-overdue new runway to the south of Speke Hall.
The new runway was opened by Prince Philip in 1966 and enabled Liverpool to become a 24 hour airport for the first time.

​

By this time, Manchester’s Ringway Airport was already much more advanced and by 1974 the future for Speke looked bleak, with the council voting to close it completely and use the land for housing.
That crisis was avoided by a deal with Merseyside County Council, which marked the start of a new era for the airport.
A new modern passenger terminal, adjacent to the runway on the Southern Airfield site, opened in 1986, following the closure of the 1930’s building.

The concourse in the former terminal (opened in 1986) during the late 1990’s. (Image: Liverpool John Lennon Airport)
In 1990, the airport was privatised, with British Aerospace taking a 76 per cent shareholding in the new company. Subsequently the airport has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Peel Holdings Ltd.
The year 2002 saw the airport being renamed in honour of John Lennon, 22 years after his death. A 7ft bronze statue stands overlooking the check-in hall.

The cafeteria at the airport with its views across the main apron in 1996. (Image: Liverpool John Lennon Airport)
In March 2016, Liverpool City Council acquired a stake in the airport in the form of shares with the investment used to further improve facilities for passengers and airlines.
More recently, in September 2019, Ancala Partners LLP completed the acquisition of a 45 per cent interest in the airport, with Peel and Liverpool City Council retaining 45 per cent and 10 per cent interests respectively.
Pri

or to the coronavirus pandemic, LJLA welcomed over five million passengers each year with flights to over 70 destinations in the UK and across Europe.
It's been a turbulent 18 months for the travel industry but changes to the traffic light system from October 4 will likely come as welcome news for airports and airlines across the country.
A master plan is in place for LJLA to be completed by 2030 which plans for the airport to grow significantly, by building new facilities and the introduction of permanent long-haul flights

.

Interesting account, i do remember h9w the terminal looked in the late 80s early 90s. Much smaller than today.

 

[Silvercity]

Having come to the IOM on Saturday for a few daya it reminded.me.of Manx Airlines and their network from the island. On their Liverpool route the operated a variety of aircraft, including J41 , Shorts 360., ATP.and BAe 146s. They also for a time operated LPL - LHR with A SAAB 340, it was notoriously unreliable ! After Manx Airllines there were carries like Euromanx and Emerald operating LPL - IOM. the route remains the islands busiest .Ronaldsway has a railway halt served by steam trains, this must be a unique way to reach an airport.

Today it's Loganair plying the route.

 

[lfc84]

And easyJet

 

[Silvercity]

Interesting bit of history about Ryanair launching from Liverpool. Nice photo of their BAC1-11. They were a full service airline in those days. I remember them using BAC1-11 , ATR42 and a leased HS 748 for extra capacity. This was all before they got a fleet of 737-200s. There was a time when Ryanair had the Liverpool - Dublin route to themselves, with Aer Lingus operating to Dublin from Manchester. This was dictated by the Irish Government, and neither airline was allowed to operate in the other airport at that time, i.e Aer Lingus was barred from Liverpool and Ryanair not allowed from Manchester .

Ryanair first launched in Liverpool with just one destination

This set of photographs has been unseen for years

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

I also recall Ryanair operated a coach connection from Central Manchester to Liverpool Airport to connect with Dublin flights.