Woodford Aerodrome
| Company type | Subsidiary (historically) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Aircraft manufacturing |
| Founded | 1924 |
| Founder | Alliott Verdon-Roe |
| Defunct | 2011 |
| Fate | Closed and sold by BAE Systems |
| Headquarters | Woodford, Greater Manchester , England, United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom |
Key people | Alliott Verdon-Roe (founder) |
| Products | Military and civilian aircraft (Avro Anson, Avro Lancaster, Avro Shackleton, Avro Vulcan, BAe 146, Hawker Siddeley Nimrod, etc.) |
| Parent | Avro (initially), Hawker Siddeley Aviation, British Aerospace, BAE Systems |
Woodford Aerodrome Template:Airport codes was an airfield and aircraft manufacturing facility located in Woodford, Greater Manchester, England, approximately 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) north of Macclesfield. Established by the Avro company following the First World War, it evolved into a significant production hub for military aircraft during the Second World War. Among the prominent aircraft produced there were the Avro Anson, Avro Lancaster, Avro Shackleton, and Avro Vulcan.
After nearly eight decades of aircraft manufacturing activity at this location, the site was closed and sold by BAE Systems in 2011.
Early years
The aerodrome began operations in 1924 when aviation pioneer Alliott Verdon-Roe acquired farmland to relocate his Avro company's assembly and test flight operations from Alexandra Park Aerodrome in south Manchester. Initially, the site featured a modest grass runway along with several temporary Bessonneau hangars. During the 1920s, the Lancashire Aero Club also briefly operated from Woodford before relocating to the newly established Barton Aerodrome. The club utilized a repurposed farm building as their clubhouse and made use of a steel-framed 'Dutch barn' style hangar constructed for A V Roe around 1927.
By the late 1930s, upgrades included installation of concrete runways with an extension added to the main runway towards the east. Expansion of factory facilities occurred primarily along the northern perimeter adjacent to Woodford village to accommodate large-scale aircraft production. During the Second World War, this site was responsible for manufacturing the Avro Lancaster bomber.
Post-war developments
In 1945, ownership changed as Hawker-Siddeley acquired a stake in Avro Canada. Although the Avro brand continued to be used at Woodford, it functioned as a subsidiary within the Hawker Siddeley Group primarily for trading purposes. The Avro name was discontinued in July 1963 when the company was fully integrated into Hawker Siddeley Aviation.
On 29 April 1977, control of Woodford passed to British Aerospace. This transition resulted from the nationalisation mandated by the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977 (c. 3), which consolidated Hawker Siddeley Aviation and Dynamics with British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) and Scottish Aviation.
Final years
Following the £7.7 billion merger in November 1999 between British Aerospace (BAe) and Marconi Electronic Systems (MES), Woodford became integrated into BAE Systems. The aerodrome and manufacturing facility were subsequently renamed BAE Systems Woodford until their sale in late 2011. Although the site was scheduled for closure in 2012 upon completion of the Nimrod project, the Woodford-assembled BAE Nimrod MRA4 program was cancelled in late 2010. Initially, it was anticipated that a portion of the workforce would relocate to BAE Systems' Military Air Solutions headquarters in Preston, Lancashire. However, after the British Government's Strategic Defence and Security Review led to the termination of aircraft orders, active operations at the airfield ceased on 25 August 2011.
On 20 December 2011, Jo Bamford, heir to the JCB enterprise, acquired the site for £100 million. Subsequently, the area was redeveloped into a residential neighborhood known as Woodford Garden Village.
Today, the former aerodrome fire station serves as the location for the Avro Heritage Museum.
Aircraft models
A variety of aircraft have been produced at Woodford, including the BAe 146, which also had its inaugural flight there. Other notable aircraft developed or assembled at this location include:Template:Fix/category[clarification needed]Template:Fix/category[citation needed]
References
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- Aircraft assembly plants in England
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- History of transport in Greater Manchester