mpprh
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Post by mpprh on Sept 2, 2009 12:46:05 GMT
During the war there were many airfields scattered around the country. I am sure I have read somewhere that there was also many landing sites where an aircraft could be landed in an emergency. The beach at Bare had anti aircraft landing poles installed during the war. Movement of the sand caused them to be uncovered again in the 1960's. Peter |
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trevnhil
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Post by trevnhil on Sept 2, 2009 14:01:54 GMT
Yes, I remember seeing those Peter. In the sand between Happy Mount park and Hest Bank .
Trev..
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trevnhil
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Post by trevnhil on Sept 9, 2009 14:59:38 GMT
I have just been looking at this project of Ian's. The coordinates that are give on websites put the airstrip between Morecambe road and the railway line. Just about opposite the College. The exact location is in the centre of the picture on 'Roeburn drive'.  How is your research at the library going Ian. |
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mpprh
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Post by mpprh on Sept 9, 2009 16:24:48 GMT
I think we can say that there was RAF admin and training somewhere in Morecambe during WW2, but almost certainly no airfield. The co-ordinates of WW2 RAF Morecambe put it in the sea off Hest Bank, but the "general view" puts it here : maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&view=map&q=54.064,+-2.878&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=54.064391,-2.878198&spn=0.000836,0.001725&z=19 which today looks like a school on Chatsworth Rd. And now, I'm beginning to think that the WW1 airfield and the munitions factory are not exactly on the same site. The fenced off area I penetrated was to the SW of the railway line. That railway line was one of the earliest experiments with electric trains, and was certainly there pre 1917.  This map shows the electrified rail line to the South of the airfield. Strange that it was still listed as existing in the 1933 AA book. The gravel pit on the other side of the rail line is probably the origins of the Salt Ayre land fill site. The date of the houses on Roeburn Drive could help. www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=t08xkbgrxrk4&style=b&lvl=2&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&scene=11740757&where1=morecambe%20&encType=1From this, they look to have been built recently - 80's or later. What was previously on Roeburn drive ? I have a vague memory of farmland on that stretch of Morecambe Rd with Sunnyfield School being the only building in the 1960's. Peter |
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trevnhil
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Post by trevnhil on Sept 9, 2009 16:53:10 GMT
Roeburn Drive was just fields in the 1960s with some round roof huts to the right of the 'X'  THIS, AND THE LAST TWO PICS SEEM TO BE THE SAME AREA Trev.. |
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mpprh
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Post by mpprh on Sept 9, 2009 17:48:53 GMT
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Post by ukuleleron on Sept 10, 2009 12:20:21 GMT
A chap who I knew from the metal detector club told me that the field opposite the college was once a race course and a great many coins were to be found there. Sadly he`s passed on so I can`t ask him for any more information regarding possible airfields. Metal detectorists are often a great source of local historical knowledge.
Ron
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mpprh
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Post by mpprh on Sept 12, 2010 6:57:43 GMT
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Post by WillowTheWhisp on Sept 13, 2010 20:24:35 GMT
Would there be a suitable place in Morecambe to hold the Morecambe related material ? It would be brilliant if there was. Perhaps it could be a new attraction. I don't really hold out much hope for the idea though.  |
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mpprh
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Post by mpprh on Oct 15, 2010 20:36:06 GMT
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Post by walbag on Nov 3, 2010 22:54:41 GMT
hi i,m new to this site,i live in lancaster,i will state what i know about the[ lost airfield], the landing strip used to run down the right hand side of the main road onto white lund estate,following the old railway line,opposite the old lingerie factory there are 2 original buildings,i remember going to morecambe on the train from lancaster about 1955 and i saw an aircraft roughly where lancaster honda is now i was with my parents and i remember my father saying it was an avro anson,i have spent many years trying to find out details about this site,i have heard it was a ground aircraft handling school,one of the bloggers mentioned meeco i used to work there in the 1960s and i remember exploring the whole site,it was concrete all the way up to what is now opposite the entrance to asda,i have spent about the last 45 years working on white lund off and on and have always found the site interesting
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trevnhil
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Post by trevnhil on Nov 4, 2010 16:16:25 GMT
Hi Walbag, welcome to the Forum.
I too lived in the Morecambe area all my life and I was interested in what you had to say. One word rang a bell.... 'Meeco' I remember the name but cannot remember what firm it was or what they did. Perhaps you can refresh my memory please.
Regards. Trev..
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mpprh
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Post by mpprh on Nov 4, 2010 17:33:16 GMT
Hi Walbag, welcome to the Forum. I too lived in the Morecambe area all my life and I was interested in what you had to say. One word rang a bell.... 'Meeco' I remember the name but cannot remember what firm it was or what they did. Perhaps you can refresh my memory please. Regards. Trev.. Morecambe Electric Equipment Co ... Turn left off Westgate onto White Lund, then left again. Building was on the corner. Not sure, but it may be this building : maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=morecambe&safe=off&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Morecambe,+United+Kingdom&ll=54.062701,-2.843964&spn=0.000828,0.001725&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=54.062701,-2.843964&panoid=aiurRmT4AdE2uOMU_sWXlA&cbp=12,136.59,,0,5 I knew people at Meeco in the 60's Peter |
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trevnhil
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Post by trevnhil on Nov 5, 2010 8:48:57 GMT
Thanks for the info Peter. Yes I remember it now, and of course I have been in the present place myself for electrical items.
The picture gave me a laugh. The (very short) van that is in the foreground is from the firm that I worked for at Heysham...Altham ships chandlers.
Cheers. Trev..
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Post by ukuleleron on Nov 5, 2010 11:16:13 GMT
Thanks for the info Peter. Yes I remember it now, and of course I have been in the present place myself for electrical items. The picture gave me a laugh. The (very short) van that is in the foreground is from the firm that I worked for at Heysham...Altham ships chandlers. Cheers. Trev.. No, that building was built by Clarksons Electrical when they moved from the old Union Hall in Union Street, off Victoria Street. The MEECO Building is on Westgate itself, just as you turn into Northgate. It's now a discount carpet place. Morecambe Car Club used to hold social meetings there in the 60,s |
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I had been telling my hubby about the time I was in Morecombe when the Moby Dick and Hotel was hit by lightening and burnt down. My parents, sister and myself had just come off the Moby Dick when lightening stuck