Rights Managed > Historic England > Industry > Engineering and Construction > Building airports and airfields
Runway construction JLP01_08_007948
Filename: jlp01_08_007948.jpg
Size: 5304 x 5348 (4.9MB)
Date: 16th March 2022
Source: Historic England
Credit: © Historic England Archive. Joh
Copyright Status: Copyrighted Work
Source: Historic England Archive
Owner URL: https://images.historicenglandservices.org.uk/
© Historic England Archive
Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Historic England
Runway construction JLP01_08_007948
RAF Gaydon, Gaydon, Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire. Work underway on the construction of a new runway at Gaydon Airfield, showing a Wrights roller and a pedestrian roller compacting the concrete working course.
Work began on the construction of a runway at Gaydon Airfield in early 1952. As part of the project, a former runway, largely abandoned following the Second World War, was superseded by a newly constructed runway nearly 1 3/4 miles long and 200 feet wide. Also built were access tracks and a taxi-track. The runway was constructed on 8 inches of hardcore, with four inches of concrete laid on top, followed by 12 inches of high grade concrete, and completed with 2 1/2 inches of tarmacadam and 1 1/2 inches of bituminous macadam. This photograph was published in the March 1953 edition of Team Spirit, the Laing employee newsletter
Historic England is the public body that champions and protects England's historic places
Media ID 24561465
© Historic England Archive
1950s Airfield Construction People Post War Royal Air Force Work Workmen Road Roller
EDITORS COMMENTS
This print captures the industrious atmosphere of Gaydon Airfield in Warwickshire during the 1950s. The image showcases the meticulous construction work being undertaken on a new runway, symbolizing progress and development in post-war Britain. The photograph reveals two essential pieces of machinery at work: a Wrights roller and a pedestrian roller compacting the concrete working course. These powerful machines, operated by skilled workers, were instrumental in ensuring that the runway was built to perfection. The project itself was no small feat. In early 1952, Gaydon Airfield embarked on an ambitious endeavor to replace its outdated runway with a state-of-the-art one measuring almost 1 3/4 miles long and 200 feet wide. Additionally, access tracks and taxi-tracks were constructed to enhance efficiency within the airfield. To guarantee durability and stability, multiple layers of materials were meticulously laid down. The process involved eight inches of hardcore as a foundation, followed by four inches of concrete, twelve inches of high-grade concrete, topped off with two-and-a-half inches of tarmacadam and one-and-a-half inches of bituminous macadam. Published in Team Spirit - Laing's employee newsletter - this photograph serves as both documentation and celebration of the remarkable achievements made during this era. It stands as a testament to human ingenuity and determination to rebuild after war while highlighting the vital role played by construction workers in shaping our infrastructure. Historic England Archive has preserved this snapshot from history
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