Author Topic: Castle Bromwich airfield  (Read 94311 times)

Ian Dalziel

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Re: Castle Bromwich airfield
« Reply #242 on: August 06, 2019, 03:18:15 PM »
Peg.didnt Cas Vale come from the race track,and Chelmsly from the Airport.


Hi Edmund, I'm pretty sure that Castle Vale was built on the site of the old airfield and Chelmsley Wood was built by decimating most of the Wood that existed between Marston Green and Bacons End. It stretches as far as Birmingham Airport (previously known as Elmdon Airport) to Bickenhill Lane which we used to regularly cycle down in order to get to Knowle, Henley in Arden and the Cotswolds etc.


The Chelmsley Wood and Castle Vale Estates are now linked by Smiths Wood Estate which was built on the Wood behind the house where I grew up and where we played when I was a child. All this countryside gone in the name of progress!
Let's make the best out of a bad situation.

Phil

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Re: Castle Bromwich airfield
« Reply #243 on: August 06, 2019, 03:54:31 PM »
The Castle Vale Estate was build on land that was originally on Berwood Hall Estate, which later became mostly a sewage works and then part of it  became Castle Bromwich airfield. You can read the whole history here.


http://thewordsthething.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/History-of-Castle-Vale3.pdf
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

mike mancott

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Re: Castle Bromwich airfield
« Reply #244 on: August 06, 2019, 06:19:34 PM »
Phil, so much of interest to find out about our Brummie City.

GardenGerald

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Re: Castle Bromwich airfield
« Reply #245 on: August 06, 2019, 09:18:06 PM »
Hello Ian and Edmund
Bromford Estate was built on the Racecourse
Castle Vale  Was built on the Airfield
Chelmsley Wood started in Green Lane Castle Bromwich..Green lane was a lane on the right when you started to walk up to the Park Hall School.
Chelmsley Wood grew and grew and grew. All the surrounding areas started to suffer from vandals on a grand scale.
The Airfield was manned by the RAF and WRAF. The planes when pulled across the road to go to there destination were flown mostly by WRAC pilots. Had great times living in that area although we did as Chelmsley was being built have to back up the police. The damage being done was beyond belief.
If I can help I will.
Best wishes...Gerald

Ian Dalziel

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Re: Castle Bromwich airfield
« Reply #246 on: August 07, 2019, 05:08:31 PM »
Hello Ian and Edmund
Bromford Estate was built on the Racecourse
Castle Vale  Was built on the Airfield
Chelmsley Wood started in Green Lane Castle Bromwich..Green lane was a lane on the right when you started to walk up to the Park Hall School.
Chelmsley Wood grew and grew and grew. All the surrounding areas started to suffer from vandals on a grand scale.
The Airfield was manned by the RAF and WRAF. The planes when pulled across the road to go to there destination were flown mostly by WRAC pilots. Had great times living in that area although we did as Chelmsley was being built have to back up the police. The damage being done was beyond belief.
If I can help I will.


Sorry Gerald, I beg to differ. My recollection is that, following Shard End and then Kingshurst being built in the 1950s, Chelmsley was next, then Castle Vale and finally Smiths Wood which was built up to Green Lane where the M6 runs alongside https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith%27s_Wood[ .When I was a kid, I would walk through Smiths wood, across the fields to Green Lane and down to Water Orton to train-spot.


Regarding the planes, in the 1940s, I can remember them coming past our house on the Chester Road on long articulated lorries.   

Let's make the best out of a bad situation.

GardenGerald

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Re: Castle Bromwich airfield
« Reply #247 on: August 07, 2019, 09:29:40 PM »
Hello Ian
I'm not sure what you disagree with. I did not put anything in order just where they were located.
I fully accept that planes could have passed your house. If you lived in Castle Bromwich  its quite
likely you went to Green Lane Farm to buy eggs. we did. When they had the sale before leaving we bought the chicken drinker.
And that was our first point of contact with Chelmsley Wood so to us it was the start of Chelmsley Wood.
Did you ever go past the Railway station and down the road towards Minworth. Over the river bridge swing left and on the right
was an opening to the Sewerage Farm. A walk along that path was stunning. What a collection of trees and wild flowers. It was
a regular walk for Moms and Dads on a Sunday afternoon. The walk took you into Curdworth Village. No smell at all.
Phil was right that at the end of the airfield was a dried sewage dump. That was taken to and spread on farmland. Quite a lot
was also bagged up and sold as HUMUS the best fertiliser your garden will ever have.
That all changed after the building of Spag Junction.
Ian if you want any more info just let me know.  Bye the way used to see convoys of tanks going down Washwood Heath Road.
Best wishes...Gerald.

Ian Dalziel

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Re: Castle Bromwich airfield
« Reply #248 on: August 08, 2019, 05:23:02 PM »
No offence meant, Gerald, I'm probably 'nitpicking' and also in danger of straying off the topic of the airfield which lead to the building of Castle Vale and then we started discussing the surrounding estates. As I understand it, Chelmsley Wood Estate starts at Cooks Lane, Bacons End and then runs east to Bickenhill Lane. Green Lane is west of this and Smith's Wood was later built from Bacon's End and runs west to Green Lane.


Yes, although I never did the walk, I remember the lane past the sewerage farm which I cycled most Thursday nights to get to the CTC club meeting at Minworth village hall. Cycling alone down that lane on the dark winter nights could be a bit scary for a 14 year old.
Let's make the best out of a bad situation.

suemalings

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Re: Castle Bromwich airfield
« Reply #249 on: August 08, 2019, 08:09:17 PM »
I went to Cherrywood School in the early 60's (Cherrywood was in Bordesley Green).  We didn't have our own playing field so used to get the buses to Castle Vale air field.  I remember the changing rooms were old huts. 

GardenGerald

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Re: Castle Bromwich airfield
« Reply #250 on: August 10, 2019, 04:15:10 PM »
Hello Sue
Bromford was also used and Burney Lane. I played cricket at Parkhall School.
What else do you remember from the good old days.
Gerald.

townie

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Re: Castle Bromwich airfield
« Reply #251 on: August 10, 2019, 06:28:28 PM »
I went to Cherrywood School in the early 60's (Cherrywood was in Bordesley Green).  We didn't have our own playing field so used to get the buses to Castle Vale air field.  I remember the changing rooms were old huts.



I attended Cherrywood school every Saturday afternoon for weeks. I cant remember why I was sent there and there's nobody to ask now so we will never know. Castle Vale was a lovely estate just like Bromford, Chelmsley Wood and many others. What is that's runs estates down ( The People who live there)
Was it a vision, or a waking dream?

GardenGerald

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Re: Castle Bromwich airfield
« Reply #252 on: August 12, 2019, 01:42:41 PM »
Hello Townie
The violence we suffered from Chelmsley Wood was beyond belief.
They needed the Birch.
Best wishes
Gerald.


 

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