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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 1950.PDF
FLIGHT, 2 July 1954 FERRYFIELD First Details of Silver City's New Cross-Channel Terminal "f LIGHT" Photographs FERRYFIELD is the crisp and appropriate name chosen by Silver City Airways for their privately built airport near Lydd, Kent. Although neither large nor expensive by today's standards, Ferryfield is unique in many respects. To our mind the most outstanding feature of the whole project is the speed and drive with which it has been carried through. The decision to build Ferryfield was announced last July, and the site was selected two months later. Final approval of plans for the terminal building and runways was given on December 14th, and Silver City's contractors (Richard Costain, Ltd.) began work on the site a few days later. Despite heavy rain which slowed-up runway construction, the airport was completed in all but a few details inside six months. Only finishing touches were required when we visited Ferryfield last week, and the airport was then expected to come into operation on Tuesday next, July 6th. The construction of Ferryfield represents a chapter in the remarkable success story of Silver City Airways, who are now (on the basis of ton-miles offered) among the world's 40 leading airlines. Silver City's air ferry between Lympne and Le Touquet began on a very modest scale just six years ago. Between July 14th, 1948, and the end of that year's An artist's impression of Ferryfield as it will be within the very near future. Services from the new airport are due to begin on July 6th. semi-experimental operation only 70 cars were flown across the Channel. As the service expanded fares were progres sively reduced, and traffic increased to the stage where—in 1953—-the airline was carrying about 23 per cent of all cross- Channel vehicle traffic. Last year's air-ferry figures were 39,041 vehicles and 96,625 passengers. But although 1953 was a most successful year from the traffic viewpoint, some operational problems developed. Lympne H a grass field with few aids, and is subject to bad flying weather with little warning. With as many as 170 crossings daily scheduled during busy weekends, the effect of a prolonged "clamp" can readily be visualized—queues of frustrated motorists building up on each side of the Channel. Silver City admit frankly that such delays took their toll of goodwill in 1953. But for Ferryfield 1954 would have brought further problems, as the year's traffic is expected to show an increase of some 20 per cent. Last year's operational difficulties were paralleled by a different problem with deeper roots—the question of the (Above) No. 2 runway, viewed from the north-west. The sea, £ mile distant, is visible on the horizon, with Dungeness Lighthouse on the right. Layout of Ferry field showing: (1) Terminal buildings; (2) car park (transit); (3) site for "motel"; (4) service station; (5) spectators' car park; (6) site for hangar; (7) workshops; (8) proposed runway extension; (9) private access road. E
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