Liverpool Based operators, 1940s & 1950s

[Beemer]

Another Kenny Airbus photo.
G-AMBE Anson of Federated Fruit at Speke.

[johnoakes]

Wonderful photos--brings back memories of cycle rides from St.Helens to look at these
fascinating old friends.
Such carefree happy days--so few cars on the roads in those days too.
brings a tear to the eye.LOL

[ronturner]

Fantastic articles with photos to boot. There was me thinking I knew more or less everything about the "old times" only to find out I did not know half of it. Like garstonboy, I too shall be ever grateful to those who inspired me into flying.

[viscount]

One I missed earlier, so is a little out of sequence, but still belongs on this thread, another short-lived operator culled from the pages of 'British Independent Airlines'.

Wirral Airways Ltd, 1946-1950

In March 1946, Lieutenant Commander R.Edgar Bibby purchased a Percival Q.6 aircraft for use as his personal transport. Based at Liverpool Airport, this aircraft completed a number of flights on behalf of its owner, and by 1948 Bibby was chartering this aircraft out commercially. On of this aircraft’s early flights was a charter to Corsica via Croydon. Consequently, he decided to form his own charter company and on 19th May 1949 Wirral Airways was registered as a private airline company. The share capital of this company consisted of £6,000 subscribed jointly by Lt Cdr Bibby and a Cheshire farmer, Mr John Costain. Lt Cdr Bibby became the airline’s Managing Director, and in May 1949 a Miles Gemini joined the Percival Q.6 to form Wirral Airways’ initial fleet. However, the Q.6 was damaged beyond repair in a landing accident on 18th June 1949, and by the end of the month Wirral had found a Consul to replace this aircraft.

From Liverpool, this Consul undertook the operation of a number of passenger and freight charter flights to other parts of the British Isles and into Europe. The Gemini, meanwhile, spent much of its time at Broomhall Aerodrome, near Pwllheli, with a good deal of pleasure flying being undertaken during the summer of 1950. Both the Consul and the Gemini remained in service with Wirral throughout 1950, but at the end of the year the company stopped flying and the aircraft were sold.

Fleet

G-AFIW Percival P.16 Q.Six    rd 3.46  18.06.49 when written off, scrapped at Luton
G-AKHB Miles M.65 Gemini 1A   dd 5.49  ISOC end 1950
G-AIKT Airspeed AS.65 Consul  dd 6.49  ISOC end 1950

Subsequent to this post regarding Wirral Airways using information direct from 'British Independent Airlines since 1976 Volume 4', Tony Merton Jones, pub jointly by MAS & LAASI 1977, I am informed by Phil Butler that almost certainly the BIAL entry is erroneous, and that all reference to Liverpool Airport, should more correctly be Hooton Park - which given the operation's name would be far more more likely as home base. The decision to cease operations being at the time Hooton Park was becoming a R.Aux.A.F. station and civilian operators were being requested to leave (also see the Liverpool Flying School entry elsewhere on this section of the forum as they also had to leave Hooton Park).

Although beyond the history of Wirral Airways, PHB also notes that Robert Edgar Bibby later in life moved to Lancashire and purchased a Cessna 182F, G-ASNN, which was registered to him from April 1964 until May 1976. Purchased from Glos Air at Staverton, it appears to have been demonstated at Liverpool, from and to Staverton on 27th January 1964, then arrived from Blackpool 15th February, and was based at Liverpool, before moving up to Blackpool probably during 1968. So the Wirral Airways story does have a tenuous Liverpool Airport connection after all, even if long after the company failed!

Having posted an entry for Wirral Airways, I'll leave it here on this thread, along with the correction and comment!

[viscount]

Although Dragon Airways was covered way back on post #1, two photographs of their aircraft at Liverpool have been made available by Alan Pritchard.

DH.89 Dragon Rapide G-AKOB 'Oboe Baker' with Dragon titles at Speke. This photo would be sometime between 9.53 and 11.55.



DH.114 Heron 2, G-ANYJ in Dragon colours, sometime 5.55 to 2.57, again clearly at Liverpool.