Purely way in Croydon

Purley Way is a section of the A23 trunk road in Croydon, London and has given its name to the out-of-town shopping locale alongside it with a catchment area covering most of South London. It was designed as a sidestep for Croydon and was opened in April 1925. In 1932 Purley Way became the first road in the United Kingdom to be lit with sodium lights. Industry History The IKEA chimneysCroydon Airport (operational 1928 - 1959) is situated on Purley Way. The opening of Purley Way attracted industry to the area and it became the main industrial area of Croydon. Industry concerned to the area included Redwing Aircraft Ltd, Trojan Ltd (car manufacturers) and Tizer Ltd. There were also more than a few metal companies including Standard Steel Co, Croydon Foundry Ltd, Metal Propellers Ltd and Southern Foundries Ltd. Croydon 'B' Power Station was built in the behind 1940s and opened in 1950. It shut down in 1984, was demolished in 1991 and an IKEA amass was opened on the site. The huge chimneys of the power station were retained and remain a local landmark. Retail history The first retail warehouse on Purley Way, Queensway furniture store, opened in 1980. Sainsbury's opened its first Homebase hoard in 1981. The initial PC World opened on Purley Way in 1991. The retail units were not division of the local planning guidance and were part of a national trend towards out of town shopping. These retail parks were not officially recognised by Croydon Council until the publication of its 1997 Unitary Development Plan.

After 1944 in Croydon Airport

In 1944, Croydon became the base of RAF Transport Command, and in outstanding course civil aircraft operations began again. In February 1946, the airport returned to civilian organize. Gradually it became obvious that with technical advances, post-war airliners were going to be bigger and the use of airports serving capital cities would intensify. Croydon, however, had no room for further development and would shortly be too small to meet evident travel demands. Heathrow was therefore designated as London's airport and a resolution to close Croydon's airport was made in 1952. Blackbushe in Hampshire and Northolt Aerodrome in Middlesex also served airlines in service European scheduled flights during the 1950s. Croydon's most recent scheduled flight departed on 30 September 1959. The De Havilland Heron external Airport HouseThe site may still be seen. Much of it has been built over, but several of the terminal buildings near the main road are still visible, obviously identifiable as to their former purpose, and a De Havilland Heron, a small (fewer than 20 seats) airliner of the 1950s, is currently (2002) displayed outside on struts flanking the entry path. A Tiger Moth in RAF training scheme livery is suspended within the preserved booking hall which functions as a dining room when necessary. A memorial to the Battle of Britain stands somewhat to the south. Although Croydon Airport has long ceased operation, the two ends of Plough Lane that had been separated have never been reunited, the area having been urbanized instead into parkland, playing fields and the Roundshaw residential estate with its roads aptly named after aviators and aircraft.

Croydon Airport in 1939

A further item that caught the eye of visitor and traveller alike was the time zone be head and shoulders above in the booking hall with its dials depicting the times in different parts of the world. The aerodrome was known the world over, its fame being extend by the many aviators and pioneers who touched down at Croydon. Here is a list of them: Alan Cobham, who flew from Croydon to Cape Town and back in 1925-6; Charles Lindbergh, who flew into Croydon in 1927 shortly later than completing the first solo trans-Atlantic flight; Bert Hinkler, who made the initial flight from Croydon to Darwin, Australia in 1928; Charles Kingsford Smith, who beat Hinkler's record; Amy Johnson, the first woman to fly from Croydon to Australia, later to return to Croydon to a jubilant welcome. When war was stated in September 1939, Croydon Airport was closed to civil aviation. It played a very important role as a fighter station during the Battle of Britain and was attacked in the first major raid over the London area. Factories in its instant vicinity were approximately destroyed with the loss of six airmen and over 60 civilians