Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History RAF West Kirby

Last visit to RAF West Kirby, I missed a promising section of the site out, because I was getting tired and couldn't find a way into the area I wanted, because of a 30 foot section of 6 foot nettles with the usual intermix of brambles.

Yesterday I took the bull by the horns as I had nettle-sting withdrawl over the previous 48 hours.

As I guessed I found a few remnants of buildings in this section, both of the main ones look particularly interesting. The rest are just remnants of building bases, so I won't put them up.

I would be interested if anyone has any ideas what the second structure is, as can be seen, it has rounded coping stones round it and is a couple of feet tall. It may have a hole in the top but I didn't have any kit with me to investigate.

I posted that as a kid i used to play in the undertground shelters there, still had bunk beds in etc! They had a raised area like that around the entrances and a manhole cover top with steel rungs going down "just like a drain!" Possibly one of these mate, the ones i went into where in the main fields and filled many years ago and the old building bases dug up. I used to fly remote planes off the bases, ideal for taxying off on!! Give me a shout and will come out for a mooch with you, love to go back there and look around!

A very interesting post which has triggered a few memories!
A full size runway was built using pavers approximately 3ft x 2ft x 4 inches thick on this site however NOT for the use of aircraft rather a bit of propaganda!
After the camp closed, all the pavers were sold to a local farmer for 3d each (3 old pence)I bought a dozen of these in the late 70's for 75p each--not a bad profit for storing in a disused field.

@mike_scott - I have heard about a runway before - was the runway built a few fields away posibly (maybe as a decoy?), because it doesn't appear on maps or aerial photographs of the RAF site.

@hoseman - apart from the roads/paths, there are only the three structures left - I have now searched the whole site. Certainly love to go round with you, I am busy later today but one evening this week would be good.

excellent site

http://www.rafwka.co.uk/history_2.htm

From what I can remember, the runway was built as you suggest as a decoy and would not sustain much more than a Landrover or such. The runway I think was more towards Frankby Road rather than the RAF site proper. It could be seen from Pump Lane when the hedges were devoid of foliage.

I would have to ask Mike, how did this land there, i believe taken at RAF West Kirby.

I was looking at that wondering today. Either RAF West Kirby personnel travelled to somewhere else for the photo, or the aircraft (liberator?) was kit formed to RAF West Kirby for the event - unlikely but not totally unheard of, more likely the former though.

And before you ask! I have no idea!!!

This may be a little off topic, but adjacent to the old RAF runway were several guard posts similar if not the Williams Turret. Many of these wre dotted around Hoylake, Greasby, Meols and I recall one situated in Carr Lane (Meols to Moreton) before the manned railway crossing, local kids used to catch tadpoles as it was always half full of water.

Just had a look at the website mentioned above and I cannot believe the size of the place. It is a great site full of photos.

Found out something that has puzzled me, I have found structures like this picture at most RAF sites I have been to. They are called "Static Water Pools" and were an open water storage for use with firefighting and such like.

Very similar structures were also put around fuel and oil supplies as a bund - to capture leaks etc.

A couple of similar tanks situated in Hoylake, 1 next to the Kingsway Cinema and 1 opposite the side of the Old Parish Hall in the grove. They would have had EWS on the side (Emergency Water Supply)

Cheers Mike - I will have a look at them, ta

There was also a WW2 Bombing Decoy on the other side of the road, with it's control bunker still there (with bulldozed ends) at the end of the barn.

It's always amused me that the bombing decoy was so close to RAF West Kirby - pehaps we expected the Luftwaffe to bomb the decoys accuratly.