Croydon

[REF]

Just looking at Flashearth and came across this;
http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=51.350963&lon=-0.117803&z=18.2&r=0&src=msl

I didn't realise Croydon had a hard runway, at least I assume that is what this is. Can anyone confirm?

Cheers

[P Bellamy]

This might help:

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k227/ramc181/Croy1.jpg

I'm presuming a mid-late 40's date for this photo, the six fighter pens at the northern side of the airfield look to be disused.
There also appears to be some construction work ongoing in the area of your current image, with a dashed centre-line visible at both ends of that landing strip. It all gets a bit indistinct in the middle though.

And to keep certain individuals happy, the landing circle is just visible too. :lol:

All the best,
PB

[PNK]

The only hard bit was in the South East where there is a short stretch. The rest was grass. Not sure about the NW end though as there didn't seem to be any remains like the SE section.

[REF]

Tower taken on 27th Auust 2009
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/SURREY/Croydon/20090827Croydon28-1.jpg

[mawganmad]

A nice shot of some beautiful architecture, and surely the most iconic airfield building in the UK?

[PNK]

And White!!

[PETERTHEEATER]

Impressive. Thank goodness someone cares!

[Robin]

I think that the Air Terminal is now a hotel, as I seem to remember staying there in the early 80s.

Robin.

[REF]

The Terminal building is now offices and a visitor centre (open sundays only!) and the hotel is still a hotel adjacent to the terminal. I took photos of both and will put a few more up tonight.

[typhoons]

Lovely building, always reminds me of the old Metropolis film, for some strange reason ....:|

[mawganmad]

Looks more like grey or v.light stone to me. Anyhow whatever colour, just realy good to see these buildings cherished.
Does anyone know if the control room has been restored with any kit etc, I'm assuming the masts and ariels are recreations?

Should be remembered aswel that Croydon airport was pioneering in its air trafffic services and equipment, and some of its personnel where instrumental in helping with RAF wartime technology and proceedures.

[REF]

Taken from this website;
http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/latestnews/Fly-past-mark-50th-anniversary-Croydon-Airport/article-1308837-detail/article.html


By Neil Millard

neil.millard@essnmedia.co.uk

A fly past will mark the 50th anniversary of the closing of Croydon Airport this month.

The last plane to leave the aerodrome was a private flight which took off at 7.45pm on September 30, 1959.

Frank Anderson, chairman of the Croydon Airport Society, has revealed the anniversary will be marked on Sunday September 27 by a 12-plane fly past at 3pm which will include eight biplanes.

He added: "The last scheduled commercial flight left at about 6.15pm.

"We have 630 members of the society and I expect we will have a good crowd out there just to watch the fly by."

Croydon Airport, originally known as Croydon Aerodrome, opened on March 29, 1920 and initially operated routes to cities including Paris, Brussels and Berlin.

On September 19 and 20 Croydon Airport Visitor Centre will also be holding special open days.

For more information on both events go to www.croydonairport.org.uk

[buccaneer66]

I can remember seeing a documentary about Croydon & they showed the interior of the control room & demonstrated how the string lines where used to pin point an aircraft's approximate position by triangulation, can any on else remember this & what the programme was?

[ben1]

Seeing that 1945 aerial photo of Croydon Airport prompts a question - When did the Belfast truss GS sheds get demolished?
They would have been just East of the Wallington - Purley road (which is little more than a smudge in the aerial pic - running North to south across the airfield.

[A30yoyo]

Britain from Above has a set showing the 'new' terminal and hangars ca.1928 with the old Plough Lane buildings under demolition in the foreground
http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw025100?search=croydon%20&ref=44

[Peter-S]

I was Croydon way a couple of weekends back so went to look at the terminal buildings and what remains of the airfield

12088 12089

12090 12091

12092 12093

12094 12095

12096

[Another Number]

When I was last there, there was a Tiger Moth inside the terminal, what happened to it?

What was the TGI Fridays building originally used for?

[A30yoyo]

If I recall correctly the back part of it (facing the Heron) was the Airport Police Station/Gatehouse and is still called the 'Gatehouse'?

The Tiger was sold after the Landlord requested it be removed and it was trucked to Booker/High Wycombe in Oct 2010
http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1255807/
I think the large HP42 model is being restored for display in the Control-Tower/Museum section