PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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Plymouth to Manchester and Belfast (Air Mails only)(1923) Further experimental air mail flights were carried out on Thursday September 28th 1923. At 10am Mr & Mrs Cobham left the Roborough Polo Ground in a de Havilland DH 50 for Manchester. They returned to Plymouth at 5pm. Another pilot, Captain Hope, left Manchester at 2pm for Belfast, which was reached at 4.50pm. Meanwhile a third pilot, Mr Broad, flew from Manchester to Plymouth with one passenger, a Mr Gillett, and some motor parts which had been ordered from a factory in Birmingham. [1] Plymouth to Haldon and Cardiff (1933) Following an inaugural flight on Tuesday April 11th, between Wednesday April 12th and Saturday May 20th 1933, the Great Western Railway provided an air service from Plymouth's Roborough Aerodrome to Haldon, for passengers to and from the Torbay area, and thence to Cardiff. There were two flights in each direction, leaving Plymouth at 11.25am and 3.55pm. The fare to Cardiff was either £3 10s single or £6 return. The journey could be done in a day but with only 55 minutes break at Cardiff, reaching Plymouth again at 5.20pm. Plymouth to Haldon, Cardiff and Birmingham (1933) As from Monday May 22nd 1933 the service was extended to Birmingham's Castle Bromwich Aerodrome. The incoming flight from Birmingham arrived at Roborough at 12.20pm, where passengers boarded a bus to take them to North Road Station. The only outward trip started at North Road at 3.30pm, departing from the Aerodrome at 4pm. The flight was due to reach Castle Bromwich at 6.50pm, where a bus was provided to get passengers to Snow Hill Station by 7.20pm. It was claimed that the air journey from Birmingham to Plymouth would take 170 minutes as compared with a rail journey of 320 minutes. The fare Plymouth to Birmingham was £3 single or £5 10s return. Each passenger was allowed to have up to 35 lbs of hand luggage, with every excess pound costing 6d. Heavier luggage up to a maximum of 150 lbs would be conveyed free of charge by rail to the passenger's destination. Air mails would also be carried but this was a private arrangement and not in co-operation with the Royal Mail. It cost three-pence on top of the normal postage charge. The service closed for the winter period on September 30th 1933. During the first season 714 passengers, 104 lbs of freight and 454 lbs of mail had been carried and 62,400 miles were flown. Plymouth to Southampton, Portsmouth and Croydon (1933) Started in August 1933. International Airlines Ltd using the brand Western Air Express. [3] Plymouth to Haldon, Southampton and Croydon (1933) In November 1933 West Country Air Services started flights between Plymouth, Haldon, Southampton and Croydon. The service ceased at the end of 1934. [3] Plymouth to Haldon, Cardiff, Birmingham and Liverpool (1934) Between May 7th 1934 and September 10th 1938, the Railway Air Services provided the air service from Plymouth's Roborough Airport. They extended the service from Castle Bromwich to Speke Airport at Liverpool, using an eight-seat De Havilland Dragon. [2] Starting at North Road Station, the passenger first travelled by car to Roborough Aerodrome in readiness for the 8.50am departure. The service called at Haldon, Cardiff, and Castle Bromwich and was due to arrive at Liverpool's Speke Aerodrome 12 Noon The return fare to Liverpool was £6.. [2] Connections were provided at Cardiff to Bristol Whitchurch and Bournemouth; and at Liverpool to Hull and Amsterdam. [2] Tickets could be obtained form the Railway Air Services office at North Road Station, or Messrs Thomas Cook & Son Ltd, 17 George Street; Messrs Pickford's Ltd, 10 Whimple Street; Messrs Travellers Ltd, Drake Circus; of the Western National Omnibus Company, 18 Whimple Street. [2] The return journey left Liverpool Lime Street Station at 3.05pm to catch the 3.30pm flight from Speke Aerodrome. The flight was due to arrive at Roborough at 6.40pm, where a car would take the passenger back to North Road Station by 7pm. [2] As usual the air service closed in September 1934. [2] Plymouth to Denbury, Cardiff, Birmingham and Nottingham (1935) When the air service was re-started again on Monday May 27th 1935 it ran to Nottingham instead of Liverpool but had a much wider range of connections. The main flight left Roborough at 9am and arrived at Nottingham's Tollerton Airport at 11.55am. By changing flights it was now possible to fly from Plymouth to Bristol Whitchurch; Southampton; Cowes Somerton; Sandown and Shanklin; Portsmouth & Southsea; Brighton, Hove & Worthing Airport; and Liverpool Speke. [4] From May 31st 1935 it became possible to fly to Blackpool Squire's Gate and to Ronaldsway on the Isle of Man (1.35pm). At each landing site special motor cars ran to and from the local railway station. [4] Obviously the Isle of Man was the most expensive of the destinations, the return fare being £8 5s. [4] The air service ceased for the winter on Saturday September 14th 1935. [2] Plymouth to Haldon (on request only), Cardiff, Weston-super-Mare and Bristol (1936-38) May 25th 1936. RAS. Once a day to Cardiff and twice a day from there to Bristol. Ceased September 12th 1936. [2] Reopened May 10th 1937. From June 1st 1937 called on request at new Exeter Airport. Service closed September 25th 1937. [2] Service resumed on May 23rd 1938. From August 1st 1938 alternate days were operated by RAS and Channel Air Ferries Ltd, a subsidiary of Olley Air Service. Service extended from Plymouth to Land's End upon demand. Channel already operated from there to the Isles of Scilly. Service ceased September 30th 1938. [2] Plymouth to Jersey (1936) 1936 Jersey Air Lines. In 1937 this service was moved to Exeter. [3] Plymouth to Haldon, Exeter (on request only) and Cardiff (1936) 1936 Western Airways Ltd [3] Plymouth to Haldon, Portsmouth and Croydon (1936) 1936 Air Dispatch [3] Land's End and Plymouth to Exeter (on request only), and Bristol (1939) Great Western and Southern Air Lines from May 5th or May 8th 1939. Ceased September 3rd 1939. [2] Plymouth to Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool and Newcastle (1960s) 1960 Dan-Air. Plymouth to Gatwick (1960s) 1960s Dan-Air. Sources:
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