Gatwick Airport

Gatwick Airport station remained open during the war years. However, commercial flights stopped on the outbreak of war and, as noted in one of the Government’s own documents from 1954, titled “Report of an Inquiry Into the Proposed Development of Gatwick Airport”, the Aerodrome was requisitioned in September 1939 by the Air Ministry for use by the Royal Air Force.

The last of the regular racecourse meetings at Gatwick your author can find in historic newspapers is advertised as being from Friday, 14th June 1940 to 15th of that month. On 22nd December of that year, The People newspaper reported that, in the context of hosting the Grand National, “Gatwick, at any rate, is not likely to be available”. That was followed on 11th January 1941 in the Evening Express by the statement that "the Gatwick course is not now available”, suggesting that both the racecourse and adjacent station closed for the last time on 15th June 1940. Thereafter, the racecourse site was absorbed into the adjacent airport and used by the RAF, which was still the case in 1946:

Folkestone racecourse has been derequisitioned, and will be ready in June.

The stands at Lewes have been given up by the Government, but as part of the racecourse is still occupied by troops, there is no prospect of an early resumption.

The Gatwick racecourse is still being used as an aerodrome. There will be no racing this year. [Gloucestershire Echo, 2nd January 1946]

A brief reprieve was, however, granted, to allow a race meeting to be held:

Hunt ‘chases at Gatwick

Although Gatwick Racecourse has not been derequisitioned, still coming under the jurisdiction of the Air Ministry, special permission has been obtained by the Old Surrey and Burstow and the Surrey Union Hunts to hold joint steeplechases there next month.

This attractive event will take place on Saturday, April 24th, the first of six races starting at 1 p.m. [Crawley & District Observer, Friday, 19th March 1948]

Adverts in period newspaper publications showed that all main line stopping trains on the Brighton Line would call at Gatwick Racecourse station during the day:

First Down train leaves London Bridge, 11:18 a.m. Arrives Gatwick Racecourse Station 12.9 p.m.

First Up train leaves Brighton, 11.28 a.m. Arrives at Gatwick Racecourse Station, 12.14 p.m. [Crawley & District Observer, Friday, 23rd April 1948]

In the same newspaper a week later, it was reported “an innovation was that Gatwick Racecourse Station was open for the day for the first time in years”.

As it transpired, this was the last time Gatwick Racecourse station opened to passenger traffic, hence an ultimate closing date of 24th April 1948. The course was formally derequisitioned by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on 31st December 1949, but was not at that stage handed back to racing authorities. At the time, it was stated in the press that the Government had three weeks to decide if it had any further use for Gatwick; if not, the course would automatically revert to the owners (ref: Gloucestershire Echo, 4th January 1950).

In October 1952, the Government’s plans for developing Gatwick Airport as an alternative to London Airport (Heathrow) were revealed. The case for developing Gatwick was outlined as the following:

• Air traffic in the country was expanding at a rapid rate, and air transport movements were predicted to be double the 1952 levels in 1960.
• London Airport was being developed at that time as a major air terminal. However, it would be unable to meet all future demands on its own at its maximum development.
• Must be capable of handling all types of aircraft which use London Airport.
• The alternative to London Airport must have ready access to the capital (i.e. the railway at Gatwick).
• Compared to other sites considered, expansion at Gatwick required less disturbance to existing property.

A public inquiry was held, through which local authorities and representatives made objections to the suitability of Gatwick as the site of London’s second airport. The specifics of the proposed airport were outlined as follows:

Two 7,000 ft. Runways

As at present planned, Gatwick Airport would have two main runways parallel to one another, with a passenger terminal and an aircraft maintenance area. A third subsidiary runway has been planned, but would not be constructed until required. The main parallel runways lying east-west would be 7,000ft. in length and 200ft. in width. The distance between them would be 3,200ft. The third runway, if constructed, would lie north-east and south-west and would be 5,000ft. in length and 150ft. in width. The approach path for aircraft landing and taking off on the main runways would, for the most part, be over open country and aircraft would, to the greatest extent possible, be routed away from densely populated areas.

A traffic handling building to provide facilities for passengers and air transport operators would be constructed in the terminal area. This area would be situated between the parallel runways adjacent to Gatwick Racecourse Station so as to provide convenient rail access to London. Aprons for handling aircraft would be constructed in front of the traffic handling building. Hangars and workshops for the maintenance and servicing of aircraft would be constructed in the south-east corner of the airport.

It is planned to complete the construction of the northern runway by 1956, by which time a road would have been provided to replace the section of the main London-Brighton road (A.23) severed by construction of the runway. The construction of the traffic handling building and the hangars and maintenance area would be phased to meet the needs of air traffic, but this work is not expected to start before 1954. It is unlikely that construction work on the second runway would start before 1958 at the earliest. [West Sussex Gazette & South of England Advertiser, 9th October 1952]

After the conclusion of the public enquiry, the stage was set, the fate of the racecourse sealed, and the development of a new airport for the capital on the horizon:

Racecourse To Become Airport

Gatwick Sale for £248,000

The sale of Gatwick Racecourse to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has now been concluded at a price understood to be about £248,000 [£6,328,000 at 2020 prices]. The sale was in accordance with the plan to develop Gatwick as an alternative to London Airport and to provide 7,000-feet of runways.

Work on the new airport, to cost £6,000,000 [£148,700,000 at 2020 prices], will begin soon and, it is hoped will be completed in about two years. [The Birmingham Post, Wednesday, 4th April 1956]

In 1956, "Sir Fred McAlpine and Son" was awarded the contract to build the main runway, taxi-tracks, hard-standing areas, and drainage at the airport, and in the same year "Messrs. Gilbert Ash" was awarded the contract to build the control tower. In March 1957, tens of thousands of tons of gravel started to be transported in lorries from pits in Hambrook, Chichester, for construction of the runway. In the West Sussex Gazette on 7th February 1956, it was announced that the contract for constructing the terminal building, worth £939,000, had been awarded to "Messrs. Turiff Construction Corporation Ltd.", of Warwick. The architect of this structure was Mr F. R. S. Yorke, and it was to have direct access from the adjacent railway station and London to Brighton road. Customs, airline ticket offices, and a restaurant would be within the terminal building, and the ground floor would house crew rooms, stores, and workshops.

As part of the works, Gatwick Racecourse station was to be entirely rebuilt, enlarged, and integrated with the adjacent airport terminal. The existing Gatwick Airport station, ¾-mile to the south, would close permanently, and it was suggested that the original terminal building of 1936 — the “Beehive” — could be converted for use by airline crew.

The completed Gatwick Airport was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 9th June 1958, which coincided with the start of a revised summer timetable on the Brighton line. However, as noted in the July 1958 edition of The Railway Magazine, the then new Gatwick Airport station was opened on 28th May of that year; the 1936-opened Gatwick Airport station was closed from the same day.

11th February 1989

As touched upon in a previous caption, the Electro-Diesels were usually coupled to the southern end of a Gatwick Express formation, hauling the carriages from Victoria. However, in this view, No. 73202 breaks from tradition as it is seen leading the service out of the Airport station towards the capital. The move being conducted by the Gatwick Express in this photograph is what the commissioning of platform 7 and the transfer of the airport shuttle from platform Nos. 1 and 2 to Nos. 5 and 6 sought to eliminate — the blocking of the station's northern throat by the change between fast and slow lines. The bridge in this southward view is again that carrying "Airport Way", whilst beyond can be seen the trapezium-shaped outline of the 1981-completed concourse. John Vaughan / © David Glasspool Collection

12th April 1991

Class 119 diesel multiple unit No. L595 is seen after departure from platform 2 with the 10:26 service to Reading. Behind the DMU's smoke can just been seen a Class 489 "Gatwick Luggage Van" (GLV) nestled beside platform 1, awaiting its next departure to Victoria. In front of the GLV, it is evident that a staff track foot crossing exists across platform 1's line, linking this island with the station's approach road. Straddling all platforms is the trapezium-shaped concourse completed in 1981. The rectangular-shaped structure on the right, linked to the 1981 concourse by a tunnel walkway, is the station for the airport's inter-terminal "rapid transit shuttle service". John Vaughan / © David Glasspool Collection

4th December 2004

In the year 2000, the then infrastructure owner "Railtrack" commissioned a series of logo-themed platform run-in boards at those important stations the organisation managed, such as the London terminals and Gatwick Airport. In the background at platform 1 is 4 VEP No. 3523, which had recently arrived from the "up" sidings to form a service to London Bridge. © David Glasspool

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