This week I've been staying at the Holiday Inn hotel near Birmingham International airport. The airport is at Elmdon, which was one of the places where Edith used to walk and make her observations for her Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady.
The Birmingham Airport Holiday Inn.
In September 1909, just 3 years after Edith wrote her famous diary, Alfred P Maxfield flew the first aeroplane in the Birmingham area. The History of Castle Bromwich for Young People site has a photo of this plane and explains the history of the aerodrome that was to develop there. It tells us about:
the early, hair-raising, fun days of flight
the serious business of WWI when the aerodrome developed to accommodate war planes and trainee pilots
the development of commercial flights in the early thirties
the move of non-military flights to Elmdon (now Birmingham International) airport just a few years later.
The old terminal - now used as offices.
The photo shows the original, 1939, terminal. It looks a little forlorn now as the passengers now leave from the big, new terminals on the North side of the airport. Here's a video from the glory days.
Britsh Pathé news - The opening of the airport in 1939 (advert at start)
The visitors to the hotel are a friendly bunch. On the shuttle bus (to the station/airport) and in the restaurant, there was much talk about the new Emirates Airbus A380. The Birmingham Mail tells us that it is starting regular trips to Dubai from today, Easter Sunday, 2016.
I could tell you about this huge plane but far better to watch @DMTaylor90's amazing video of it coming into Birmingham.
@DMTaylor90's video of the New Emirates Airbus coming into Birmingham.
A footnote ...
On 3rd February 2017, the Holiday Inn Birmingham published a post that said "Originally built as the Headquarters for the RAF, the Holiday Inn Birmingham Airport is celebrating it's 80th year."
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