Old
Photographs & Drawings of
Chester & Liverpool
| A
couple
of
photographs
taken
at
Speke
Airport
in
Liverpool
by
the
author's
grandfather
sometime
during
the
early
1960s. As the above picture of the author's mother shows, the airport at this time was popular among Liverpool families as a venue for a 'day out'. I certainly loved it- that's me behind my mother hanging eagerly over the rail and watching a DC3 arriving at the terminal! Below we see a Lockheed Super Constellation, also known as a 'Connie', being refuelled with the River Mersey behind. I wish I still had my 'Dinky Toy' versions of these vehicles- they've be worth a bit by now! Reader Hamish West has kindly sent us this link to an interesting website about these aircraft and tells us that the Super Constellation was- and is-"a very distinctive and beautiful aeroplane, it meets the test of 'If it looks right, it usually IS right'... according to my father, an RAF and airline pilot, it was one of the nicest aeroplanes he had ever flown". |
| Reader David Manning however, wrote the following, "Just a minor point, but the aircraft labelled a 'Super Constellation' is in fact a 'Constellation'. It is a type that you either loved or loathed. I was resident at Luton at the time they were operated by Euravia as in the photo, and I loathed the things. The Bristol Britannias which replaced them- Euravia becoming Britannia Airways at the same time- were much nicer aircraft. In itself , the photo is interesting in that I do not recall a reference to Euravia operating from Speke. I wonder if it was a SkyTours flight? The Dakota on the photo above, with you hanging over the railings, looks remarkably line a British Midland Airways one. Again I believe fairly unusual at Speke. My first flight was in one of these, and it put me off for life. Luckily I still love aircraft and avaitation." |
|
|
Old Pictures | B&W Picture Place | Chester Virtual Stroll | Site Front Door | Site Index | Contact us | Next picture
Liverpool is one of the UK's oldest operational airports, first thought of as an idea in 1928 with scheduled flights commencing in 1930 and an 'official' opening ceremony some 3 years later on 1 July 1933.
A further, longer, runway was added in 1966. A new modern passenger terminal was opened in 1986 and the 1930’s building (illustrated right) was renovated and expanded to become the Marriott Liverpool South Hotel, whilst the original hangars were converted into a leisure centre. A further new terminal building and control tower were added in 2002 and further expansion continues to the present.