Aintree
AINTREE: Civil aerodrome/airport (situated on AINTREE RACECOURSE, see below)
British airline user: Northern Air Lines
Flying Club: Late 1920s to ? Liverpool and District Aero Club
Period of operation: 1924 to?
NOTES: From April to June in 1924 it is reported that Northern Air Lines operated a regular service to MALONE near Belfast, calling in at SOUTHPORT SANDS and BARROW which were both in LANCASHIRE in those days. They then flew to MARYPORT in CUMBERLAND and on to PORTPATRICK (DUMFRIESSHIRE) before crossing the Irish Sea to MALONE.
As per usual conflicting reports are made. One report stated that Northern Air Lines used this location in 1923 using DH.50s and another stating that operations ceased in early 1925. As far as I can ascertain, it would appear that the service to MALONE only operated from April to June 1924?
AINTREE: Private airstrip?
Operated by: Mr H B Elwell?
Location: ?
Period of operation: 1925 to 1927?
NOTES: Somewhere along the line, in the early days of the research for this 'Guide', I made this note. Can anybody throw any light on this?
AINTREE RACECOURSE: Civil/military aerodrome and airport. Much later helipad mostly for race meetings
It would seem it was used as an airport for Liverpool, but only in the 1920s.
PRE-WW1 ACTIVITY
Apparently used by Samuel F Cody on the 15th November 1909. (See NOTES below)
Henry G Melly and A Dukinfield-Jones 1911
Note: On the 7th July 1911 Mr Melly and Mr Dukinfield-Jones took off in a Bleriot XI and successfully flew to Trafford Park golf course. Mr A V Roe made sure the landing area was well marked! This was it appears the very first flight between Liverpool and Manchester.
See below for an account of Mr Melly making another rather hasty visit in 1912.
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Note: The short article was published in The Aeroplane on the 19th September 1912. The area view is from my Google Earth © derived database.
WORLD WAR 1
Military users: It seems the military sometimes used AINTREE during WW1 especially during the earlier years on a casual basis presumably as a visiting point for various training exercises. It does seem it was also an “Examination Ground” for the RFC in 1916 for example. In 1917 National Aircraft Factory No.3 was built ‘next door’ on Stag Farm and a properly prepared aerodrome was laid out on the racecourse. The factory produced the Bristol F2B Fighter type and perhaps rather bizarrely was operated by the Cunard Steamship Company according to one source..
In 1919 the site became No.4 Aircraft Salvage Depot operated by the Aircraft Disposal Company.
POST WW1
FLYING CIRCUS VENUE
Alan Cobham’s 1933 No.1 Tour of the UK, Cobham’s 1934 Tour and Cobham’s 1935 No.1 Tour
Flying clubs: Pre 1940: Lancashire Aero Club, Liverpool & District Aero Club (the L&DAC I have found, is often referred to as the Lancashire & District Aero Club in this region)
Location: 5nm NNE of Liverpool city centre
Period of operation: From around mid November to 29th December 1909 certainly. Then briefly in July 1911. 1923/4 for airline ops. The Cobham tours visited on 23rd July 1933, 22nd July 1934 and the 11th September 1935.
NOTES: It appears that while Cody was making his preparations for the first ‘prize winning’ flight from Liverpool to Manchester in November 1909 a Reverend Sidney Swann arrived with a un-flown monoplane design. This only achieved a few short hops before ground looping and in fact Cody didn’t do so much better either when his first attempt on the 15th December reaching Maghull about three miles away, (but flying in the wrong direction surely?). His second attempt on the 29th landed at Valencia Farm, near Portico church in the vicinity of Prescot covering roughly six miles this time!
It must be remembered that these early aviators generally didn't have any idea as to how to navigate in even the most basic of terms. Plus, trying to use a map in a totally open aeroplane, (without a cockpit), wasn't an option - and having items like knee-pads had yet to be invented. You might think they'd have devised some means of making notes, but apparently not. Plus it appears they mostly didn't bother to study a map before taking-off. When the first London to Manchester race took place, sponsored by the Daily Mail, the railway companies very kindly painted the rail sleepers white along the route to be followed.
IN MORE RECENT YEARS
Generally speaking it appears that a helicopter landing area, especially for the Grand National, is situated in the SE corner of the course. This was/is operated by Rotorywing Ltd.
A VERY NICE ADDITION
In April 2024 Mr Keith Jones very kindly sent me these two pictures of a pictorial map he has dated 1924.
Graham Allen
This comment was written on: 2020-12-09 12:28:46I have found some B/W negatives which show aircraft at Aintree in 1927/8 are you interested?
Dick Flute
This comment was written on: 2020-12-09 18:40:16Hi Graham, Yes indeed. As jpg's please, up to 500kb. Have never done so, but there must be a way to convert them into positive images. Best regards, Dick
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