History of Manchester Airport

Last updated

Ringway Airport in September 1939. Pictured are the terminal building and control tower (= hangar 1), and hangars 2 and 3 (in order from left) with a De Havilland Dragon Rapide of Great Western and Southern Airlines. Image taken from a little south of west. (After World War II they were renumbered 2,3,4.) Ringway Airport 1938.jpg
Ringway Airport in September 1939. Pictured are the terminal building and control tower (= hangar 1), and hangars 2 and 3 (in order from left) with a De Havilland Dragon Rapide of Great Western and Southern Airlines. Image taken from a little south of west. (After World War II they were renumbered 2,3,4.)

The origins of Manchester Airport in England, UK, date back to the 1930s. Construction started on Ringway on 28 November 1935 and it opened partly in June 1937 and completely on 25 June 1938, in Ringway parish north of Wilmslow, from which it derived its original name Manchester (Ringway) Airport. Its north border was Yewtree Lane. Its southeast border was a little northwest of Altrincham Road (Styal).

Contents

In World War II, it was the location of RAF Ringway, and was important in the production and repair of military aircraft and training parachutists.[ citation needed ]

After World War II, it gradually expanded to its present size, including massive expansion of aprons, runways, and car parking areas. Among the first expansions were car parking and service buildings north of Yewtree Lane.[ citation needed ]

From 1958 to late 1962, Terminal 1 was built: this was the first of Ringway's modern large terminals and the first major public building north of Yewtree Lane.[ citation needed ]

In 1997, the second runway was planned and construction on it started, with protests about it intruding on woodland in the Styal area.[ citation needed ]

Local airfield history

Manchester, England, has been served since 1911 by the following airfields:

Area where Manchester Airport and Wythenshawe are now, as around 1925 Aa oldwythenshawe 00.jpg
Area where Manchester Airport and Wythenshawe are now, as around 1925

Origins of Manchester Airport

World War II

General Sir John Dill, Chief of the Imperial General Staff inspects gliders at the Central Landing Establishment at RAF Ringway, December 1940. The British Army in the United Kingdom 1939-45 H6215.jpg
General Sir John Dill, Chief of the Imperial General Staff inspects gliders at the Central Landing Establishment at RAF Ringway, December 1940.
No. 613 Squadron RAF Spitfires at RAF Ringway in 1947 613 Squadron Spitfire F.14s at RAF Ringway in 1947.jpg
No. 613 Squadron RAF Spitfires at RAF Ringway in 1947

In World War II, aircraft dispersal and work areas with hard standings were built outside the old airfield area: north of Yewtree Lane by Fairey's area, and southeast of Altrincham Road (Styal) by the three southeast hangars.[ citation needed ] These were linked to by "level crossings" across those two roads, which were closed to the public except to those with a local resident's pass from early 1940 to mid-1945. After the war, these hard standings were removed and the land was returned to farming, and the two roads became public again.

Airfield buildings as at end of World War II

At the end of the war, the airfield had these buildings (in the pairs of hangar numbers, the first number is the hangar's original number and the second is its later renumbering):

After World War II: back to civilian use

After WWII, the airport returned to civilian use; a Swissair Douglas DC-6B pictured at Ringway Ringway in July 1954 Douglas DC-6B HB-IBE Swissair Ringway 30.07.54 edited-2.jpg
After WWII, the airport returned to civilian use; a Swissair Douglas DC-6B pictured at Ringway Ringway in July 1954
Wreckage of the Douglas Dakota cargo aircraft involved in the 1951 Ringway Dakota crash Douglas C-47A G-AJVZ Air Tpt Charter RWY 27.03.51.jpg
Wreckage of the Douglas Dakota cargo aircraft involved in the 1951 Ringway Dakota crash

After World War II the airport grew massively.

Start of the modern terminals

The main passenger terminal designed by Stefan Buzas opened in 1968 featured a spacious modern departure hall with noted Venetian glass chandeliers by Bruno Zanetti Manchester Airport chandeliers.jpg
The main passenger terminal designed by Stefan Buzás opened in 1968 featured a spacious modern departure hall with noted Venetian glass chandeliers by Bruno Zanetti
Pier B of the 1962 Terminal (now Terminal 1) in summer 1964 showing the angled parking then used and a Dan-Air Douglas Dakota, KLM Vickers Viscount and Dan-Air Airspeed Ambassador. The public viewing terrace on the pier is visible Manchester Airport 1964.jpg
Pier B of the 1962 Terminal (now Terminal 1) in summer 1964 showing the angled parking then used and a Dan-Air Douglas Dakota, KLM Vickers Viscount and Dan-Air Airspeed Ambassador. The public viewing terrace on the pier is visible

The widebody era and further expansion

This BOAC Boeing 747 was the first widebody airliner to arrive at the airport on 17 August 1970 Boeing 747-136 G-AWNC BOAC RWY 17.08.70 edited-3.jpg
This BOAC Boeing 747 was the first widebody airliner to arrive at the airport on 17 August 1970
The burned wreckage of British Airtours Flight 28M on runway 24 at Manchester International Airport in August 1985 BrAirtours 28M 8-1988 A.jpg
The burned wreckage of British Airtours Flight 28M on runway 24 at Manchester International Airport in August 1985

3 terminals

Railway station

Second runway

Aircraft stands at Terminal 3 Manchester T3 043.JPG
Aircraft stands at Terminal 3

21st century

One of the Manchester Airport chandeliers is now displayed at World of Glass, St Helens Manchester Airport Chandelier.jpg
One of the Manchester Airport chandeliers is now displayed at World of Glass, St Helens
Manchester Airport railway and tram station Tram 3074 at Manchester Airport (2).jpg
Manchester Airport railway and tram station

References

  1. "History of Manchester Airport UK". The Airport Guides. 2005. Retrieved 3 November 2007.
  2. Scholefield 1998 , p. 9
  3. "River Mersey". Salecommunityweb.co.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
  4. 1 2 BBC TV channel 1 news 6.30 to 7.00 pm 17 May 2012; ; ; "Manchester Airport celebrating 'unofficial' birthday - ITV News". Archived from the original on 17 May 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  5. Darlington, Neil (2024). "New Hanger and Superintendents House. Ringway Airport". A Biographical Dictionary of the Architects of Greater Manchester, 1800–1940. The Victorian Society . Retrieved 30 December 2024.
  6. Scholefield, 1998, p. 35
  7. Scholefield, 1998, p. 10
  8. Kidd, Alan (2006). Manchester – A History. Carnegie Publishing. p. 199. ISBN   1-85936-128-5.
  9. Scholefield 1998 , pp. 10, 11, 16
  10. Scholefield 1998 , p. 156
  11. Scholefield 1998 , pp. 17–23
  12. 1 2 Scholefield 1998 , pp. 49–51
  13. Scholefield 1998 , pp. 35–37
  14. Scholefield 1998 , pp. 17–18
  15. Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Douglas C-47A-75-DL Dakota 3 G-AJVZ Manchester-Ringway Airport (MAN)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  16. Swettenham, Lee (14 March 2017). "The day a plane crashed into a Wythenshawe estate". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  17. Scholefield 1998 , pp. 88
  18. Scholefield, 1998, p. 156
  19. Scholefield 1998 , p. 73
  20. 1 2 3 Britton, Paul (26 June 2023). "Iconic Manchester Airport chandelier to return". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 27 June 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  21. "Our history". Manchester Airport. Archived from the original on 21 June 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  22. Goldman, Lawrence (7 March 2013). "v, Stefan". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2005-2008. OUP Oxford. p. 162. ISBN   978-0-19-967154-0 . Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  23. Scholefield, 1998, p.93
  24. Manchester and Surrounding Area Landranger 109. Ordnance Survey. 1983.
  25. "Airports, Ports and Waterways". Archived from the original on 27 March 2009. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
  26. "Live Search Maps". Microsoft.
  27. Scholefield, 1998, p. 94
  28. Scholefield 1998 , p. 119
  29. "masterplan – jan – new" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2009. Retrieved 4 April 2010.
  30. Scholefield, 1998, p. 133
  31. "Manchester's second runway ready for take-off". 12 December 2000.
  32. "Runway Designation". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 4 November 2007.
  33. "MA Appoints New Airfield General Manager". Manchester Airport. Archived from the original on 26 October 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
  34. "NATS online NOTAMs" . Retrieved 23 January 2009.
  35. "Trams to Manchester Airport to arrive more than A YEAR early". Transport for Greater Manchester. Archived from the original on 30 June 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  36. "New Metrolink line to Wythenshawe and Manchester Airport to open on November 3 – a year ahead of schedule". Manchester Evening News . 13 October 2014. Archived from the original on 18 October 2014.
  37. "PremiAir VIP Terminal". Civils & Groundworks. 25 March 2019. Archived from the original on 6 June 2019. Retrieved 6 June 2019.

Bibliography

Commons-logo.svg Media related to History of Manchester Airport at Wikimedia Commons

53°21′14″N002°16′30″W / 53.35389°N 2.27500°W / 53.35389; -2.27500