J_L, plane-spotting, starting at Elmdon, was my life, and it was the grand base to my cycling feats. My bicycle being the only transport that I had meant that I had to cycle to airfields to do my spotting. When I started work at BSA, Small Heath, I would belt off on my bike to Elmdon during the 1 hour break, this gave me an extra 30 mins spotting per day!
As you say not much to see at Elmdon so I had to get to the spotter's dream, London airport. From the age of 13 I would cycle to London in 5 hours just to do a bit of spotting. Did most airfields within 100 miles and even got as far Thruxton, near Brighton, to see the 'new' Tiger Moth conversion, the Jackeroo. There was one gem at Elmdon, a gyro-plane. My first flight was from Elmdon in a DH Dragon Rapide, canvas & string era.
I did learn to fly in the ATC and was accepted as RAF apprentice, straight from school, but my mom wouldn't sign my papers! She had lost her dad and husband in two world wars and wasn't keen on losing her son, me.