Midland & Scottish Air Ferries

Midland & Scottish Air Ferries was Scotland's first airline, operating from 1933 to 1934. It is particularly noted for pioneering flights to the Inner Hebrides

Midland & Scottish Air Ferries Ltd.
Founded10 March 1933
Ceased operations30 September 1934
Operating basesGlasgow Renfrew Airport
Secondary hubsLiverpool Speke Airport
DestinationsCampbeltown, Islay, Dublin, Belfast, London
HeadquartersRenfrew Airport
Key peopleJohn C. Sword

History

Foundation

John Cuthill Sword started Midland Bus Services in Airdrie, to the east of Glasgow in 1924, and it grew into a substantial concern, operating over 500 buses. He was a pioneer of diesel engines for motor transport vehicles.[1] In 1929 Midland Bus Services was merged into Scottish Transport, which in June 1932 was renamed Western SMT, part of the Scottish Motor Traction (SMT) company based in Edinburgh.[2] As a result, Sword was paid around £290,000 for his company, became general manager of Western SMT,[3] and was appointed to the SMT board.[4]

Fox Moth G-ACEJ of SMT restored in its original markings

SMT, in which the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) held a stake,[5] had itself been active in aviation; from July to October 1932 it had operated several aircraft which it used for route surveying and pleasure flights. It had also been granted licences to fly between Newcastle and the north of Scotland.[6] Notwithstanding that, on 10 March 1933[upper-alpha 1] Sword, with his wife Christina,[7] founded their own airline, Midland & Scottish Air Ferries (M&SAF), with £20,000 capital.[8] He is reported to have believed that "so long as the main-line railway routes are avoided there are air-service prospects in this small country of ours".[3] His plans focused on over-water routes from Glasgow.

John Sword had already ordered several aircraft, the first to be delivered to his base at Glasgow's Renfrew Airport being De Havilland Fox Moth G-ACBZ, which arrived on 8 February. Airspeed Ferry G-ACBT came fresh from the manufacturer's factory in York on 12 February.[upper-alpha 2][upper-alpha 3] Sword ordered a second Ferry and three more Fox Moths the same month – his total investment in aircraft costing £12,000.[9]

He was also assembling his staff. He hired SMT's chief pilot Harold Malet and their chief engineer Sandy Jack. He also hired Johnny Rae (a De Havilland test pilot), Jimmy Orrell (an ex RAF fighter pilot, later to become chief test pilot of Avro), Michael Noel Mavrogordato (ex De Havilland) and Winnie Drinkwater, all qualified engineers and pilots. Drinkwater was an enthusiastic pilot and engineer, newly qualified and only nineteen years of age when Sword took her on, the world's first female commercial pilot.[10] Her elder sister Mary was appointed receptionist and book-keeper,[9] soon to become company secretary.[11]

Operations

Soon after the delivery of his first Airspeed Ferry, Sword put it to work on a temporary service linking Castle Bromwich Aerodrome with Liverpool (Hooton Park) and with London's Heston Airport in connection with the British Industries Fair from 19 February to 2 March 1933, an operation he repeated for the following year's Fair, again with the Ferries.[4] The 1933 event took place before Sword's airline was formed.

The airline's first operational flight took place on 18 April 1933. Johnny Rae and Jimmy Orrell flew Dragons G-ACCU and G-ACCT from Renfrew to The Strath, a farmer's field near Campbeltown,[upper-alpha 4] later known as Strathfield,[12] to be met by local dignitaries. They carried company officials, press, a photographer, and newspapers, and were welcomed by a delegation of local officials. This was the start of daily services (except Sundays). On the 20th, a Fox Moth flown by Jimmy Rae went on from Campbeltown to take newspapers to Bowmore on Islay. Winifred Drinkwater flew the route on the 27th in Fox Moth G-ACBZ, the world's first commercial flight piloted by a woman.[9] G-ACBT made the first Airspeed Ferry flight to Campbeltown on 11 May.[9]

Sword ordered a new Dragon, G-ACCZ, with adaptations to carry stretchers, and told local hospitals of his plan. The aircraft arrived on 14 May, and the next day the first call came in to take a seriously ill fisherman from Bridgend, Islay, to Glasgow. The patient was accompanied by a Glaswegian nurse who was holidaying on Islay, and the trip was made successfully – Scotland's first official air ambulance flight.[13]

The Campbeltown service was officially extended to Bridgend on Islay from 16 May 1933.

On 18 May a navy vessel, heavy cruiser HMS Frobisher, with a crew of 700 arrived in Campbeltown Loch and ordered bread from a bakery in Glasgow which was delivered by the evening flight – the airline's first freight operation.[9]

Avro 618 Ten similar to that used by M&SAF

Soon the Campbeltown service was also extended to Rothesay, and, on May 31, to Belfast Aldergrove Airport, using the newly delivered Avro 618 Ten, G-ACGF,[14] so called because it could carry eight passengers (plus a crew of two).[15]This was Aldergrove's first sustained commercial route.[14] The aircraft was later used on the direct routes from Glasgow to Belfast and to Liverpool.[16] There were now two flights daily on these routes (except Sundays).

On 14 June 1933 Jimmy Orrell conducted a three-day survey of landing sites throughout the Hebrides in G-ACCZ, making the first landing on the beach at Traigh Mhòr, Barra, still the site of Barra's airport. However M&SAF never started services to Barra or any other Outer Hebrides islands.[17]

Renfrew Airport was often closed by fog, so the airline used "The Meadow" airfield at Monkton, later known as Prestwick Airport, for diversions. When that happened, two Rolls-Royce Twenty cars were available to drive there to collect the passengers. If necessary, a converted REO Speed Wagon caravan[18] could be taken there in which the airline crew or engineers could rest.[3]

Winifred Drinkwater was kept busy, doing scheduled and air ambulance flights and charters, which included a monster-spotting flight over Loch Ness.[10]

Sword now turned his attention away from Glasgow and the Inner Hebrides, and started operations from Liverpool, first across the River Mersey at Hooton Park, then at Speke Airport as soon as that opened. His first route from Liverpool was to Dublin, starting on 1 September 1933 using the Avro Ten.[4] Operations also started at Blackpool's Stanley Park Aerodrome, from where he started a route to the Isle of Man, and operated pleasure flights, mainly with the Fox Moths. He also set up an engineering base there.[19]

A popular charter operation operated by the Ferries at Stanley Park was for viewing the night-time Illuminations, with the airport lit by floodlight mounted on a lorry.[20] An unusual episode occurred when a Ferry made a forced landing on the beach at Southport because of failure of an outer engine. Pilot Jimmy Orrell went to fly it back to Renfrew, and found that the ground engineer had removed the offending engine and stowed it in the cabin, to save the drag. Orrell flew the aircraft home in that condition with no problems.[20]

The Avro 642/2m G-ACFV during testing in March 1934

After an uneventful winter, Sword was planning for expansion in 1934. On 6 April, he took delivery of a new, unique aeroplane from Avro, the model 642/2m Eighteen G-ACFV.[21] With a sixteen-passenger capacity, this was a big step for the airline, and Sword had arranged a suitable ceremony to announce it.[22] On that day, he collected his new aircraft from Woodford Aerodrome and flew to Castle Bromwich to pick up some of the launching party en route to Speke. There, the aircraft was named Marchioness of Londonderry by the lady herself, accompanied by her husband, Lord Londonderry who was the Secretary of State for Air. Also attending were Lt-Col Sir Francis Shelmerdine, the Director-General of Civil Aviation, and the Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald. After this prestigious launch, the Prime Minister and others were flown to Heston Aerodrome.[23]

Sword was a friend of Ted Hillman, another bus operator who was running an airline, Hillman's Airways, from London's Romford airfield, and they agreed that Sword should start a service from Glasgow to London via Liverpool, and on, with Hillman's, to Paris–Le Bourget Airport. He was apparently abandoning his intention to avoid competition with the railways. The service started on 9 April 1934,[9] twice daily except Sundays, with the Avro 642 serving along with others of Sword's fleet. The Paris service could also be accessed through a service from Belfast via the Isle of Man to Liverpool.[24]

Demise

All the airline's activity was going on while Sword was employed as a director with SMT. The other directors of SMT, some of whom were also directors of the newly formed Railway Air Services, with whom he was now blatantly competing, now decided that things had gone too far, and gave Sword an ultimatum that he should give up either his employment with SMT or his airline. He chose the latter. Other factors contributing to this decision may have been that Sword saw little prospect of making a profit from his venture,[25][3] and the crash in June of the pride of his fleet, the Avro Eighteen, may have disheartened him.

Most of the routes were stopped on 14 July 1934, with no obvious attempt to sell the airline as a going concern, the aircraft being disposed of individually over the following months. On 4 September 1934 Sword joined Eric Gandar Dower, owner of Aberdeen Airways, in a flight in the latter's Short Scion from Renfrew to Campbeltown and Islay. Gandar Dower was possibly evaluating the route with a view to taking it over, but nothing came of it.[26] The only remaining route, to Islay, was shut down on 30 September.[22]

However Sword employed Charles Almond, an instructor with the Scottish Flying Club at Renfrew, to fly Dragon G-ACJS which was retained on stand-by to perform air ambulance flights until other arrangements could be made.[27] The aircraft was sold to Northern & Scottish Airways on 7 January 1935 and they continued the ambulance service.[9]

Routes

From timetable dated 9 June 1934 (No Sunday services on any route)[24]

  • Glasgow (Renfrew) — Liverpool (Speke) — London (Romford) — Le Bourget (twice daily)
  • Belfast (Aldergrove) — Isle of Man (Ronaldsway) — Liverpool — London — Le Bourget (twice daily)
  • Blackpool (Stanley Park) — Liverpool (twice daily)
  • Glasgow — Campbeltown (Strath Aerodrome) — Belfast (twice daily)
  • Glasgow — Campbeltown — Islay (Duich Aerodrome) (daily)

Connections

Fleet list
Midland & Scottish Air Ferries fleet, 1933-4[28]
Type Registration From To Fate Notes[upper-alpha 5]
Airspeed Ferry[4] G-ACBT 21 December 1932 18 February 1941 Scrapped New. Never used again after M&SAF closed, stored Renfrew at start of war covered in tree branches to hide it from the Germans
Ferry G-ACFB 6 March 1933 April 1936 Sold New. Sold to C.W.A. Scott's Flying Display, Impressed 18 February 1941 as DJ715 [29] Taken by road to Stoke, used by No 1037 Sqn ATC[7]
Avro 618 Ten G-ACGF 3 May 1933 December 1946 Cancelled New M&SAF. Cancelled[15]
Avro 640 Cadet G-ACFX 12 April 1933 7 January 1936 Sold abroad Three-seater version for pleasure flights.[30] New M&SAF. To Malaya as VR-RAJ[31]
Avro 643 Cadet G-ACIH 9 March 1933 22 March 1937 Sold abroad New. To Ireland as EI-ALU. Being restored?[32][33]
Avro 642/2m Eighteen G-ACFV 6 April 1934 4 June 1934 Crashed New M&SAF. Crashed into wall on take-off after forced landing in Merioneth, Wales. Rebuilt May 1935 for Commercial Air Hire. Sold abroad as VH-UXD[21][34]
De Havilland DH.60GIII
Moth Major		 G-ACGD 21 April 1933 December 1934 Sold Ex A Fraser (Renfrew), M&SAF. Based at Stanley Park. To Blackpool & Fylde Aero Club. Crashed Broad Law 25 July 1936[35]
De Havilland DH.83
Fox Moth[36]		 G-ACBZ 8 February 1933 30 September 1934 Sold New. Sold to Australia as VH-UZD Crashed New Guinea 30 October 1949
Fox Moth G-ACCB 13 March 1933 30 September 1934 Sold New. Based at Blackpool. Crashed Blackpool 6 August 1934, repaired. Sold to Giro Aviation. Ditched in sea off Southport 25 September 1956. Reg restored 23 March 1988. On long-term rebuild[37]
Fox Moth G-ACCT 8 March 1933 30 December 1936 Sold New. Leased to Highland Airways 3 July 1933 – 17 July 1933 to replace crashed Monospar G-ACEW. Sold to Australia as VH-ABU, Air Force A41-1, VH-GAV
Fox Moth G-ACCU 13 February 1933 30 December 1936 Sold New. Sold to Australia at VH-UZC, Air Force A41-4 Crashed
De Havilland DH.84
Dragon 1		 G-ACCZ February 1933 Sold New M&SAF. To Crilly Airways. Impressed as AW154 1 July 1940. Scrapped December 1942
Dragon 1 G-ACDL February 1933 Sold New M&SAF. To Hon Mrs Victor Bruce. Sold abroad August 1936
Dragon 1 G-ACDN 29 May 1933 20 May 1937 Sold To Commercial Air Hire Ltd. Impressed as AW170 August 1940[38][39]
Dragon 1 G-ACJS 2 August 1933 7 January 1935 Sold New M&SAF. To Northern & Scottish Airways. Withdrawn from use November 1936[31]
Spartan Arrow G-AAWZ 10 April 1933 22 February 1935 Sold Ex Cirrus-Hermes Engineering, with Hermes II engine. To Hon Brian Lewis, t/a Brian Lewis & Co. Scrapped in WWII[40]

Livery consisted of white overall with red markings, struts, and wheel spats. The Dragons also had red engine nacelles. The font and styling of the company name varied between aircraft.

Accidents and incidents

Avro Eighteen G-ACFV and De Havilland Fox Moth G-ACCB were involved in accidents or incidents while with M&SAF – see Fleet list above.

Footnotes
  1. This was just before Ted Fresson started Highland Airways, on 3 April.
  2. The Ferry had been slightly delayed on its delivery flight in Edinburgh after the starboard wingtip and aileron were damaged.[9]
  3. Sword's deposit for it took the form of his 6½ litre Bentley motorcar, which was valued at £900. Airspeed sold it for £700.[7]
  4. This was to become part of RNAS Macrihanish, now Campbeltown Airport. It has Scotland's longest runway.
  5. All aircraft were registered to John C. Sword except where noted.

See also

There is a film of M&SAF's Airspeed Ferry G-ACBT and Avro Ten G-ACGF, and others, giving pleasure rides at the Scottish Flying Club Pageant at Renfrew during the Summer of 1933.[41]

References
  1. "Western SMT". Western Scottish. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  2. Halford-Macleod, Guy (15 February 2014). Born of Adversity: Britain's Airlines 1919-1963. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 9781445636986. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  3. "Pioneer Work in Scotland". The Commercial Motor. Commercial Motor Archive. 59 (1511): 49–50. 2 March 1934. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  4. Stroud, John (August 1987). "Wings of Peace: Airspeed Ferry". Aeroplane Monthly. 15 (172): 432–437.
  5. Wragg, David (2017). The LNER Handbook. Stroud, UK: The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7509-8482-9. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  6. Webster 1994, p. 24.
  7. Taylor, H. A.; Middleton, D. H. (1991). Airspeed Aircraft since 1931 (2nd ed.). London, UK: Putnam Aeronautical Books. pp. 36–37. ISBN 0-85177-848-8.
  8. Davies 2005, p. 62.
  9. "Come Fly With Me (2008)". SCRIBD. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  10. Dalton, Alastair (25 July 2013). "New Hall of Fame for Scotland's aviation heroes". The Scotsman. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  11. Webster 1994, p. 29.
  12. "Glasgow-Islay Service May Reopen". The Commercial Motor. 60 (1546): 47. 2 November 1934. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  13. Webster 1994, p. 30.
  14. Warner, Guy (March 2010). "Belfast International Airport". Airliner World: 92.
  15. Jackson & Jackson 1990, p. 275.
  16. Jackson & Jackson 1990, pp. 278, 283.
  17. Calderwood, Roy (1999). Times subject to Tides: The Story of Barra Airport. Erskine, Scotland: Kea Publishing. p. 21. ISBN 0-9518958-3-4. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  18. Brown, Peter C. (2018). Prestwick Airport Through Time. Stroud, IK: Amberley Publishing. pp. 1934–5. ISBN 9781445677705. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  19. Riding, Richard (December 2016). "Stanley Park Blackpool's Other Airport" (PDF). Airfield Review Web Edition. Airfield Research Group (153): 43. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  20. Middleton, D. H. (1982). Airspeed The company and its aeroplanes. Lavenham, UK: Terence Dalton Ltd. pp. 21–22. ISBN 0-86138-009-6.
  21. Jackson & Jackson 1990, pp. 280-284.
  22. Davies 2005, p. 63.
  23. Monk, D. E. (April 1963). "The Avro Eighteen". Air-Britain Aviation Review. Air-Britain. 0 (1): 4–5.
  24. "Midland & Scottish Air Ferries Timetable, 9 June 1934". Airline Timetable Images. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  25. Davies 2005, p. 82.
  26. Hutchison, Iain (1992). The Flight of the Starling. Erskine, Scotland: Kea Publishing. p. 36. ISBN 0-9518958-0-X. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  27. "Renfrew". UK Airfields Guide. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  28. "The Aeroplanes". A Fleeting Peace. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  29. Moss, Peter W. (1962). Impressments Log Volume 1. Air-Britain.
  30. Jackson & Jackson 1990, pp. 314-317.
  31. "G-INFO Search". G-INFO. UK Civil Aviation Authority. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  32. Jackson & Jackson 1990, pp. 306-308.
  33. Traynor, Michael (November 2004). Iona National Airways. p. 115. ISBN 9780954919405. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  34. Coates, Ed. "Avro 642 Eighteen G-ACFV". flickr. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  35. "ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 197372". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  36. Fillmore, Malcolm. "De Havilland DH83 File" (PDF). at Air-Britain Researchers Corner. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  37. "ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 154237". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  38. Broadbent, Stephen (27 November 1975). "Hebridean Air Transport". Flight International. 108 (3481): 793.
  39. "de Havilland DH-84 Dragon". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  40. Fagan, Dave H.; Fillmore, Malcolm (1 May 1913). Simmonds Spartan Aircraft (PDF). Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  41. "Scottish Flying Club Pageant, Rernfrew". Moving Image Archive. National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 12 July 2020.

Bibliography
  • Davies, R. E. G. (2005). British Airways: An airline and its aircraft Volume 1: 1919 - 1939. McLean, Virginia, USA: Paladwr Press. ISBN 1-888962-24-0. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  • Jackson, A. J.; Jackson, R. T. (1990). Avro Aircraft since 1908 (2nd ed.). London, UK: Putnam Aeronautical Books. ISBN 0-85177-834-8.
  • Webster, Jack (1994). The Flying Scots. Glasgow: The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. ISBN 0-9522174-2-2.
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