Control Tower Barton Airport Liverpool Road Eccles

Reported in the press as "the first air traffic control station,” the tower is generally unaltered but is missing the radio mast on the top and additional smaller masts.

Barton Aerodrome, which opened in 1930, was the first purpose built civilian airfield in England. The passenger terminal, which included a booking office and a waiting room, was created by adapting farm buildings adjacent to the airport entrance. Also constructed in 1930 was an aviation hangar, with its associated workshops. In 1932 the air traffic control tower was built, comprising a three-stage octagonal tower rising from a single-storeyed podium. The first scheduled service was run by Imperial Airways on the Croydon-Birmingham-Manchester-Liverpool route. In 1934 discussions opened with KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines) on a Holland-North of England service and on the 22nd January Captain Ivan Smirnoff flew in on behalf of KLM in order to assess its potential as a link between Manchester and Amsterdam. Unfortunately the field was considered to be too small for larger aircraft and the necessary improvements would be too expensive. As a result of this research was undertaken to find a suitable location for a larger airport for meet Manchester's international needs. On 25th June 1938 Ringway, located to the south of Manchester, was opened to replace Barton as Manchester's main commercial airport. In 1937 Barton had become an RAF volunteer reserve flying school and then after the outbreak of war it was used as an RAF maintenance facility. Since the end of World War II Barton Aerodrome has been operated by the Lancashire Aero Club, the oldest flying club in England. The surviving buildings (Listed Grade II) along with the original designated runways form components of a unique example of authentic 1930's aviation history.