Pyrford
Note: This map only shows the location of Pyrford Court within the UK. If anybody can kindly supply a more exact location for the airfield and aircraft storage area, this advice will be most welcome.
In February 2018, Terry Clark kindly contacted me after looking into the matter at some length. He thought the site was probably where this map now shows.
PYRFORD: Dispersal airfield (Also known as PYRFORD COURT?)
Operated by: Vickers? Or perhaps the Ministry of Supply?
Location: About 1.5nm ENE to NE of Woking town centre today?
Period of operation: WW2
NOTES: It is claimed that possibly the entire production of Vickers Wellingtons built at the Vickers factory on SMITH'S LAWN in Windsor Great Park were flown into this storage facility - and most of them stayed here to rot away. One exception at least was flown out to be converted for high altitude research.
I would be very interested if anybody can confirm this story, because, if correct, it is yet another example of the complete waste of resources we are hearing about concerning manufacturers 'blindly' constructing obsolete and/or aircraft surplus to requirements, simply because they had a 'cast-iron' contract to do so.
In early 2018 more information was gleaned from the ARG (Airfield Research Group) web-site. This tells us that it was Wellington Repair Depot with two hangars, and, doubling as an Aircraft Dispersal / Landing Ground for Vickers at BROOKLANDS.
Terry Clark
This comment was written on: 2018-01-11 09:34:55The area round Pyrford is on the flood plain of the River Wey and hence unsuitable for aircraft. Wisley is only a couple of miles to the east.
Reply from Dick Flute:
Hi Terry, As said above, it appears that these aircraft were never intended for use - so it probably didn't matter if the site sometimes became waterlogged. Having spoken at some length to the person who told me about this, (also ex-RAF), I got the distinct impression that he knew his subject very well indeed. The problem I've had many years later is in trying to pin-point to location used. Best regards, Dick
Kit
This comment was written on: 2019-06-09 18:19:47Re Pyrford Airfield. During WW2 my father worked for Marston Excelsior in Fordhouses, Wolverhampton. They manufactured parts for aircraft including 'bullet proof' fuel tanks. When we lived near West Byfleet in the 1970s my father came to visit and one day he was surprised to see the two large sheds at Pryford Airfield. It seems he was sent there to measure up aircraft prior to Marstons making the tanks. According to my father they were put up at a pub, The White Hart at New Haw and in the morning they were taken in a lorry with the covers tied down, on a 1 hour journey to Pyrford Airfield, we surmised that they must have been driven round in circles so that they did not know where the airfield was. From the way he spoke this he went there more than once. The two curved top corrugated iron buildings were visable from the road, you can see them on the 1945 map on Google Earth Pro, the site has since been redeveloped as Wexfenne Gardens. If you can get hold of the planning application from Woking Council there will almost certainly be a plan of the existing site prior to redevelopment. Hope this helps, Kit
Reply from Dick Flute:
Hi Kit, Many thanks - quite a surprise. All I knew about Pyrford was that the Wellingtons produced at Smith's Lawn were flown there, and none saw active service - except one used for high altitude testing. However, from your account it would seem possible that other Wellingtons, presumably from Weybridge(Brooklands)were sent here too. But, knowing the often very wasteful procedures adopted, perhaps the Smith's Lawn Wellingtons were modified? Best regards, Dick
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