Sheffield City Airport

[Lysanderix]

Now that the City and South Yorkshire no longer have a working civilian airport ,with the closure after just 17 years ,of the former RAF Finningley by Peel Airports….(is this some sort of a record…can a single company ever have closed two airports in a single region. ?)

.I wonder what memories we have ,not only of Doncaster Sheffield Airport but, perhaps, of our own short lived STOL airport built initially on exactly the same lines as the very successful London City Airport and closed by the same property developers and airport operators.

[Ponytail]

Mmm, hard one for me.. Never used it... but lived about 1 or 2miles away. Knew we'd hear it, living on top of a hill. The tannoy from Tinsley Marshalling Yards had woken me one of the first night's living there, with music and someone saying "I've mashed" The Yards closed years ago but we could, on occasion still hear the steel works especially at night, but we'd got used to it. 

Remember the first day of opening, the dignitaries must have been having a fly around as I was returning from shopping. Thought they were going to take my roof off and could see them looking out of the windows they were so low. Complaints from other residents, "Was this going to be the norm?" 

7am was the first allowed flight. Like a very noisy motorbike revving in the street, then could hear it rolling down the runway with me thinking "please don't crash," circled round over the house and on to its flight path. Got used to it, eventually. If you wanted to be up at 7am, that was your wake up call. 

Whether it was coincidence, not sure but for the first few weeks it seemed everytime one took off or landed, (bearing in mind it was near the M1)  there was a "hurry up wagon" with its sirens going... been an accident on the motorway. Probably folk watching the plane and not the road.

Not just because it affected me personally, seemed a crazy place to have an airport, M1 and Parkway close by, no room for expansion meant restrictions on size of aircraft able to use the short runway, risk with birds from Catcliffe Flash, housing estates and schools in close proximity were the main objections from residents. No doubt other people felt differently about it and I fully respect their opinions. 

Was at Don Valley Stadium (another story of built and demolished) a plane preparing to land seemed to line itself up on the ladder like structures of the canopy and came very low, too low for my liking, apparently it was a regular occurrence. 

Police helicopter was based at the airport with its headquarters on Letsby Avenue. 😂 They delighted in hovering over the house, watching the M1, Parkway, and Bawtry Road. It became reassuring at night when they returned from a shout as they'd fly over and be watching for the local miscreants sometimes with spotlight deployed. During the day I'd give them a friendly wave when they went over, didn't mind them at all. Funding cuts meant amalgamation with another areas force and it ceased having it's base there. 

Mixed feelings when the airport closed, seemed so sad, job opportunities lost. It's nearly 4 years since I left the area, the Control Tower was still there used as an office, Terminal buildings in use as offices, think part of runway or movement area had been built on. Probably more job opportunities now but not in the travel industry. 

Extremely sad to hear old Finningley (Doncaster Sheffield Airport) has closed, that was a perfect location with new roads and rail services planned, even talk of Supertram extending. Fingers crossed they find someone to take it on. 

[Unitedite Returns]

There used to be a daily service to and from Dublin. Outbound in the morning and returning in the afternoon. Service was operated by a twin-propeller aircraft with two seats one side and one seat the other side of the cabin. I think that it might have been a Fokker Friendship, but not being an aircraft expert, I can't confirm that. Used the service on quite a few occasions and it was convenient. The strangest thing was that on return, the luggage was collected from the aircraft on an electric milk float and on arrival at the terminal building, was passed through to you, by way of a hatch in the wall. All very basic, but great fun.

[Lysanderix]

The Fokker Friendship was used on the Amsterdam service. 

 If memory serves me correctly Aer Arran operated the flights to Dublin…using a Short SD360….twin turboprop…with fixed undercarriage,

 

[Unitedite Returns]

1 hour ago, Lysanderix said:

The Fokker Friendship was used on the Amsterdam service. 

 If memory serves me correctly Aer Arran operated the flights to Dublin…using a Short SD360….twin turboprop…with fixed undercarriage,

 

In all fairness, I did use both services, so I will take your word on the aircraft types used. However, I seem to think that the Dublin service was operated at some point by some subsidiary of British Airways. Will try and find one of my used tickets to verify.

[Lysanderix]

You are correct. The service was originally operated by British Regional Airways  using twin engined BAe Jetstream 41 aircraft. The service was pulled in a BA reorganisation and taken over by the Irish outfit.

[Unitedite Returns]

21 hours ago, Lysanderix said:

You are correct. The service was originally operated by British Regional Airways  using twin engined BAe Jetstream 41 aircraft. The service was pulled in a BA reorganisation and taken over by the Irish outfit.

I will still try and find the flight tickets, as it would be interesting to report the exact dates and the fares levied. Must have them somewhere. Cannot believe that I would have thrown them, as that would not be in my nature.

[Ponytail]

The Award winning Sheffield City Airport from p6 "Star Special" Tuesday 27th October 1998.

 "Sheffield Quotes" from Brendan Ingle, agreed he doesn't mention the airport, but how could I remove him from the article, singing the praises of our City?

 

[Lysanderix]

And all for naught.

 

[Lysanderix]

There is a strong rumour that TUI wish to restart services from Finningley now that the Council has a long term lease on the airport and our Regional Mayor, apparently, has found funds to pay for reopening.

iIf this comes to fruition I wonder what name the airport will use?

[Hopman]

On 22/04/2024 at 15:57, Lysanderix said:

if this comes to fruition I wonder what name the airport will use?

It will probably revert to the Robin Hood name, although in my opinion this was a ridiculous idea in the first place, especially as John Wesley was born a few miles across the fields (and there is documentation he existed)

[Lysanderix]

Wesley Airport has a nice ring to it…but, I wonder, how many of todays travellers will have heard of him.? My view is that the proud Burghers of the City of Doncaster will go for that name as a bit of an insult to its bigger neighbour.

Having for a few years worked in the Doncaster area ,I must confess amongst those I met Sheffield wasn’t liked…except for Meadowhall…..and locals couldn’t see why Sheffield was included in the name of their airport…

Sheffield appears to have washed its hands of aviation…becoming ,as was threatened in the 1950s by the then Chairman of BOAC...an Aviation Wilderness”……having closed its own City Airport after refusing to join other authorities .,years ago.,in creating East Midlands Airport and being very quiet over the desirability of re opening Finningley..