Whipton Halt Station
Note: This map and the first picture below may not be exactly correct, but, if it isn't - it won't be far out.
WHIPTON HALT STATION: Temporary landing ground
Note: Both of these pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©
NOTES: It seems that during the Daily Mail ‘Circuit of Britain’ event, starting on the 22nd July 1911, one of the staging posts was a 20 acre field close to Whipton Hall station. Today Whipton Halt is in an outer suburb of Exeter, (Whipton), and about 2.5nm NE of the city centre. The aircraft were expected to arrive on Tuesday the 25th, but failed to appear. On the 26th special trams and trains were laid on to transport the crowds, (10 to 15,000 strong?) to witness the aircraft arriving. Setting off from BROOKLANDS for the five day event, the thirty entrants had dwindled to four when reaching Exeter. The complete account is well worth reading, one entrant staged through here a week later!
THE STAGING POSTS
In a few cases such as this, (more or less), a location has been found, but I haven’t discovered the some of the exact locations. The landing sites/staging posts used were: BROOKLANDS, HENDON, HARROGATE, NEWCASTLE-upon-TYNE and EDINBURGH. Followed by STIRLING, GLASGOW, CARLISLE, MANCHESTER, BRISTOL and EXETER. The final stages were SALISBURY PLAIN, BRIGHTON and then back to BROOKLANDS.
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
