Looking for a way in which to initiate domestic air operations, Imperial Airways, Ltd. officials convince those of Great Western Railway in early 1933 to take an interest in providing, and to some extent controlling, competing domestic flying service. On April 11, a chartered Imperial Airways, Ltd. Westland Wessex, in GWR livery and piloted by Capt. Gordon P. Olley, makes a demonstration flight from Cardiff to Plymouth. The following day, the service is offered to the public twice daily.
The Plymouth-Cardiff route is extended to Birmingham on May 22 and the frequency of the service is reduced to once daily. Operations are suspended on October 1 for the winter; in the almost six months of flying, 714 passengers are transported and the trial Imperial service convinces the nation’s rail leaders to invest in air service.
The U. K.’s four principal railroads join fifty-fifty with Imperial Airways, Ltd. to form and register RAS at London on March 21, 1934. Initial capitalization is ?50,000 and one director each is appointed from the state airline plus Great Western Railway (GWR), London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMSR), London and North Eastern Railway (LNER), and Southern Railway (SR). Sir Harold Hartley of LMSR is named chairman. On May 1, Spartan Air Lines, Ltd., working in ticketing association with Southern Railway, officially launches RAS operations when it begins its seasonal service from London (Croydon)-Isle of Wight.
The first RAS aircraft, a de Havilland DH 84 Dragon 2 painted in the company’s distinctive silver, red and green livery, is delivered at London (Croydon) in late April. It is employed to initiate the first company service with an owned aircraft daily over the old Great Western Railway Cardiff-Plymouth route, with an extension to Liverpool, on May 3.
On July 30, summer Dragon flights are launched from Birming-ham-Isle of Man via Bristol and Southampton. Another Dragon 2 is purchased in early August and in preparation for the start-up of new mail routes, two De Havilland DH 86s are now simultaneously acquired and christened Mercury and Delphinus. August 20 is the announced day for opening the Royal Mail Route from Glasgow-Belfast-Manchester-Birmingham-London, as well as a Post Office - requested mail and parcel shuttle from Belfast-Manchester via the Isle of Man.
Bad weather limits operations by the company’s Wessex, two DH 86s, and three DH 84s on kick-off day; however, a full schedule is undertaken on August 21, including the addition of mail to the Liverpool-Plymouth and Birmingham-Isle of Man frequencies. On November 1, Liverpool is substituted for Birmingham and Manchester on the London-Glasgow service.
Passenger boardings for the first eight months total 2,237.
Two DH 89 Dragon Rapides are purchased in March 1935 and christened City of Bristol and City of Birmingham. A Manx Airway section is formed on April 15 and in agreement with The Isle of Man Steam Packet Co., Ltd., begins flying from Manchester to the Isle of Man via Blackpool. On May 18, the first two DH 89 Dragon Rapides enter service. On May 27, these are employed to start twice-daily summer service from Liverpool to Shoreham via Birmingham, Bristol, Southampton, and Portsmouth; the same day, the DH 84s City of Cardiff and City of Plymouth initiate twice-daily summer flights from Nottingham-Plymouth via Birmingham, Cardiff, and Denbury.
Two new Manx Airway routes out of Liverpool are launched on May 31: to Isle of Man via Blackpool and directly to Manchester. These routes complement a new Manchester-Isle of Man frequency begun the same day via Liverpool and Blackpool. Also during May and early June, two more Dragon 2s join the fleet. An unnamed DH 84 is lost in a crash at Ronaldsway on July 1 and a few days later the very first Dragon 2 is sold. Sunday Dragon Rapide excursion flights are offered between Brighton and Le Touquet on July 28 and August 4; however, only 11 passengers are carried and the service is suspended.
The first and only DH 84 Dragon 1 is acquired in late August. The winter schedule is begun on September 14 over the London-Glasgow route, with Birmingham becoming an on-demand stop, with contract mail added as of December 2. Meanwhile, an unnamed DH 84 is lost in a crash at Fairsnape Fell on October 26 and a Dragon 2 is sold in December.
The year’s bookings reach 13,293.
Between March and May 1936, six DH 89s join the fleet and are christened Star of Lancashire, Star of Mona, Star of Yorkshire, Star of Ulster, Star of Renfrew, and Star of Scotia. On May 25, South and West of England routes are reopened; some alterations are made. Simultaneously, the Manx Airway section opens three new routes from Yeadon: to Manchester, Isle of Man via Manchester and Liverpool, and Isle of Man via Manchester and Blackpool, as well as a frequency from Isle of Man to Glasgow.
On July 5, the same division begins two summer frequencies from the Isle of Man to Belfast and to Carlisle. Simultaneously, RAS launches Sundays only flights from Cardiff-Shoreham via Weston-super-Mare, Bristol, Southampton, and Ryde. Cardiff to Weston-super-Mare hourly shuttles are initiated on August 21. On September 10, an experimental Glasgow-Perth DH 86 proving flight is undertaken; two days later, the Cardiff to Weston-super-Mare shuttle ends.
On September 21, the Manx Airway section withdraws services to and from Yeadon. The mail contract for the London-Liverpool-Belfast-Glasgow route is secured for a second time on December 2.
Enplanements for the year are 22,076.
The Dragon 2 City of Plymouth is sold in March 1937. The Manx Airway section restarts Isle of Man flights from Glasgow, Carlisle, and
Belfast on May 10. The Liverpool-Glasgow via Blackpool, Isle of Man, and Belfast service flown by Northern and Scottish Airways, Ltd. is
Taken over on May 21. Exeter is added as an on demand destination on the Bristol-Plymouth route as of June 1.
The Dragon 2 Star of Cheshire is sold in early September. On September 26, the Manx Airways services to and from the Isle of Man are transferred to the new Isle of Man Air Services, Ltd., along with five R. A.S. DH 89s: Star of Lancashire, Star of Mona, Star of Yorkshire, Star of Ulster, and Star of Renfrew. The new entrant is partially controlled by RAS owner London, Midland and Scottish Railway.
A total of 25,523 passengers are carried during the year.
On March 6, 1938, a DH 84 is rechristened Island Maid and the next day is employed to launch local Shoreham-Southampton via Ryde service. Direct Liverpool-Glasgow flights start on May 2 and on May 23 routes are stretched Manchester-Liverpool and Shoreham-Bournemouth via Ryde, the latter in place of an earlier Shoreham-Southampton service. The DH 89 Star ofScotia is withdrawn on July 3, but is replaced by another, christened Juno.
Alternating on different days with Channel Air Ferries, Ltd., company Dragon Rapides initiate Bristol-Cardiff-Plymouth flights on August 8. West and South of England operations cease on September 11. In accordance with the Air Navigation Order of September 16, the new Air Transport Licensing Board (ATLB) on October 21 grants the carrier route certification to fly from Glasgow to Belfast via London (Croydon). The only Dragon 1 is sold in December.
Enplanements fall to 7,082.
In January 1939, the Dragon 2 City of Cardiff is sold. The DH 89s City of Birmingham and City of Bristol are sold in February and March, respectively. Four-times-per-day Liverpool-London via Manchester services begin on May 22. The U. K. declares war on Germany on September 3 and all civil flying ceases. Simultaneously, all company aircraft are dispatched to Exeter to begin participation in the government’s National Air Communications. Bookings for the year are down to 5,313.
On May 5, 1940, RAS is one of seven companies to sign an agreement with the SSA forming the Associated Airways Joint Committee (AAJC) for the wartime operation of domestic air services. The next day, the prewar Liverpool-Glasgow via Belfast route is reopened. Between May 22 and June 2, the airline, as an AAJC member, suspends operations and sends its aircraft to participate in the evacuation of British Expeditionary Force troops from France.
Services are suspended again between June 15 and 24 as additional rescue flights to France are made; two DH 86s, the Neptune and Venus, and two DH 89s are abandoned at Bordeaux on June 18. The Liver-pool-Belfast-Glasgow service is restarted on June 27. Two new DH 86s are bought in August.
Bookings on the route for the year equal 4,271.
Service is maintained in 1941-1943 and boardings for the three years are, respectively: 11,843 (1941), 16,043 (1942), and 20,094 (1943).
Two DH 89As are acquired in October 1944, followed by a third in December. Meanwhile, a company DH 86B, piloted outbound by Capt. C. W. S. Clark and inbound by Capt. D. C. Harrison, initiates London (Croydon)-Belfast via Liverpool flights on November 13. This is the first aerial service flown from and to the British capital by a domestic airline since the beginning of World War II.
The year’s bookings fall to 17,117.
In order to connect with the transatlantic service of Trans-Canada Air Lines, Ltd., the company, in cooperation with Scottish Airways, Ltd., begins Glasgow (Renfrew) to London (Croydon) service on April 9, 1945, via Prestwick—the Canadian terminus—and Liverpool. V-E Day is celebrated on May 8.
Two DH 89As are purchased in October and an Avro 19 is leased for a month from A. V. Roe and Company; in November, another DH 89A and four Avro 19s join the fleet. On December 3, nonstop London (Croydon) to Belfast services are started with Avro 19s, the first new airliner type introduced on any postwar British internal route.
Passenger boardings for the year are 29,716.
Three new Douglas DC-3s are delivered in March 1946 followed by six Avro 19s during the second quarter. Avro 19s inaugurate nonstop London (Croydon)-Glasgow (Renfrew) flights on April 15, the first direct, scheduled service between the two cities. The new DC-3s are introduced on May 20 on two new routes from Glasgow (Renfrew): to Belfast and to London (Croydon). In early July, four additional Avro 19s join the fleet and Avro 19 London (Croydon)-Belfast via Manchester services are launched on July 29.
British European Airways Corporation (BEA) is formed on August 1. Later in the month, an all-cargo Junkers Ju-52/3m is purchased, while three Avro 19s are sold. Employing DC-3s/DH 89As in cooperation with Scottish Airways, Ltd. and under contract to BEA, flights begin north and south from London (Northolt)-Aberdeen via Glasgow (Renfrew) and Prestwick, on November 18.
Meanwhile on the same day, the first 3 of 11 ex-Luftwaffe Ju-52/3ms are converted into Jupiters by Short & Harland, Ltd. at Belfast and leased from the state carrier. These start BEA civil operations under RAS management. The two unnamed DH 86s purchased in 1940 are sold in October and one of the new DC-3s is destroyed in a landing crash at South Ruislip on December 19.
Enplanements for the final year are 45,163.
Operations continue apace as 1947 begins. On January 26, a Junkers Ju-52/3m Jupiter is badly damaged in an accident at Renfew, Scotland, and is written off. On February 1, the carrier is one of the wartime Associated Airways Joint Committee members merged into British European Airways Corporation (BEA).
World History
