Hooton Park

Key Facts

Built in 1917 for the Royal Flying Corp, Hooton Park Aerodrome still survives and has managed to retain its three Grade II* listed Belfast Truss aircraft Hangars, as well as Grade II listed ancillary Huts and MT Sheds.

The Hooton Park Trust was formed in October 2000, to manage the restoration and refurbishment of the buildings at this historic location. In early 2005 the Trust was successful in gaining a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to continue progress on developing the site into a major Heritage Centre, focusing on the North West’s important role in the development of air, sea and motor Transport during the last two centuries.

Hooton Park Airfield. Access off the M53, junction 6, Eastham oil terminal/Vauxhall cars exit. See this location on Microsoft Live Search Maps

By appointment for individual or group visits. Guided tour, cafe, exhibition centre and aviation collection archive.  

By voluntary donation.

Amenities:

Cafe, Conference facilities, small events venue for hire, cherished vehicle storage, 26 acre events field for hire. 

Entrance to the site (photo, The Hooton Park Trust)	Part of the display area (photo, The Hooton Park Trust)

* Owned by The Aeroplane Collection.
$ Privately owned.
Note: Several of these aircraft are currently undergoing restoration.

The Hooton Park Trust, The Hangars, South Road, Hooton Park Airfield, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH65 1BQ. Tel: 0151 327 3565. Website: Hooton Park Trust.

Anson G-AGPG under restoration (photo, Graham Sparkes)	Spitfire & Hurricane Full-Scale Models (photo, Graham Sparkes)

Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker

Key Facts

A museum of the ‘Cold War’ is housed in a nuclear fall-out bunker here. Exhibitions are located both above and below ground and include a nose section owned by the Phantom Preservation Group.

Off the A530 Nantwich to Whitchurch road. Well signposted. See this location on Microsoft Live Search Maps

Open daily 10.30 am to 5.30 pm in summer (20th March to 31st October), every weekend 11.00 am to 4.30 pm in winter except during December when the bunker is closed all month. Also open daily during the school half term holidays in February & October.

See official website for details.

Amenities:

No information.

Prohibited! (photo, Jeremy Briggs)	Phantom FGR.2 XV490 (photo, Jeremy Briggs)
Left side of Phantom (photo, Jeremy Briggs)	Rear of Phantom nose (photo, Jeremy Briggs)

Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, PO Box 127, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 8AQ. Tel: 01270 629219, Fax: 01270 629218, e-mail: coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk. The official website is Hack Green, but an unofficial site with good photos is at Hack Green Nuclear Bunker.

Avro Heritage Centre

Key Facts

This is a small museum consisting of 5 rooms, plus an archive. It has photos and displays of all the items (aircraft, etc) built by AVRO and the history of the company.

At BAE Woodford, on the A5102 to the south of Manchester, between Wilmslow and Poynton. See this location on Microsoft Live Search Maps

Open every Tuesday and Thursday 10.30 am – 4.00pm. Unfortunately you can only get in if you have made an appointment, as BAE Woodford is now a military site (they are building the Nimrod MRA.4), and the appointment must be made at least 7 days prior to a visit, so that the Heritage Centre staff can notify the gate security of your visit.
The person to contact is Kevin M Whittaker (Curator), Tel: 0161 9554182 [Woodford].

Free.

Amenities:

They have a small shop where you can get items (books, brochures, photographs) on Avro equipment.

Model of Lancaster RE172 KM-S** (photo, Phillip Evans)	Lancaster Bomb Aimers Panel (photo, Phillip Evans)
Lancaster Bomb Sight (photo, Phillip Evans)	Lancaster Instrument Panel (photo, Phillip Evans)

** Wrong codes as never served with 44 [Rhodesia] Sqn.

* elsewhere on site – not usually available to vistors.
% without engines.

Avro Heritage Group, BAE SYSTEMS, Woodford Aerodrome, Chester Road, Woodford, Cheshire, SK7 1QR. Tel: 0161 955 4182.

Lancaster T1154/R1155 Transmitter/Receiver (photo, Phillip Evans)	Winston Churchill’s chair from an Avro York (photo, Phillip Evans)
Model of XM603 in camouflage (photo, Phillip Evans)	Model of XM603 in anti-flash white (photo, Phillip Evans)
Vulcan B.2 XM603 (photo, Phillip Evans)	Vulcan nose (photo, Phillip Evans)
Vulcan engines (photo, Phillip Evans)	Vulcan tail (photo, Phillip Evans)