York Historic Environment Record

The three runways formed a triangle shape, the longest, aligned north-east/southwest, being 4,800ft long and the other two being 600ft shorter.

The surviving remains (2020) of the northern ends or thresholds of two of the former airfield’s shorter runways (labelled as Nos 5 and 6 on the 1945 airfield plan), together with parts of their associated perimeter taxi-ways lie to the north of the A1237. They are still shown on the Ordnance Survey maps of 1958. Comparison of contemporary aerial photographs suggests that the runways and taxi-ways were probably built in around June 1943, as part of an airfield expansion. They are of sectional concrete construction covered with asphalt; where the edges can be seen, the concrete panels have an average thickness of 0.10m. All the runways and perimeter taxi-ways at Clifton are of sectional concrete construction covered with a thin layer of bitumen; where the edges can be seen, the concrete panels have an average thickness of 0.10m. Prior to clearance, much of the surface was badly overgrown with bushes, small trees and moss.

The areas between the runways and taxi-ways is now occupied by recently planted woodland, some of which has been planted using a ‘ripping’ technique which had resulted in significant rutting to the ground surface. It is to be expected that these areas would not have contained any significant wartime remains, although some elements associated with lighting and drainage may have been present. On the east side of the site, an area of plantation lies between the eastern taxi-way and Moor Lane, known as Poplar Plantation; it is shown on the 1945 plan of the airfield and 1946 aerial photographs. Poplar Plantation now extends further to the south, up to the edge of the A1237 ring road, and this southern area has been identified as the possible location of an aircraft breaking area, used both during the war and in the immediate post-war period. An irregularly shaped mound in this area appears to have been partly formed by clearance of on-site structures or dumping that had started by 1946, and which may have continued until at least 1967-69. A single ruined structure in this area does not appear on the 1945 airfield plan but was present by the late 1960s.

Western Runway
The western runway (no. 5) is on a north-west/south-east alignment, with a surviving length and width of c.90m and c.45.50m respectively; there are almost certainly further remains to the south but these are now obscured by post-war dumping. The surface of the runway is at an average height of 13.20m AOD. The runway is of sectional construction using nine parallel lines of concrete panels, some of which retain traces of their bitumen covering. The average size of the rectangular concrete panels is 9.50m by 5.00m. However, where joints can be discerned, there are also much shorter panels used and, in at least one instance, what appears to be a narrow line of concrete runs across three lines of panels; this might have been a repair or for cabling. Apart from the thin bitumen covering, there are no obvious remains of any other camouflage material. A culvert or drain runs parallel to the north-east side of the runway, and this is typical of others seen at other WWII airfields. The position of the underground drain is marked by three brick inspection chambers, set at 14m to 16m centres. Each chamber is rectangular in plan, measuring 0.95m by 0.38m, and is built of orange machine-made bricks; the height from the top of the chamber to the base of the culvert or drain is c.0.65m. Two of the chambers retain a cast-iron grille cover, bearing the cast mark ‘DUDLEY & DOWELL LTD CRADLEY HEATH STAFFS PATENT NO. 24761/39’; the same company supplied the drain cover at the bulk petrol installation.

At the northern end of the runway, adjacent to the boundary fence, there is a large, ex situ, cylindrical metal tank. The tank measures c.4.5m long by c.2m in diameter, and appears to be a fairly conventional liquid storage tank with a capacity of c.3,000 gallons. It sits on two curving cradles with flat bottoms which have been welded to it, and it has seven flanged pipes projecting from the upper surface; these seem to be organised into three pairs, with a significantly larger inlet pipe. There also appears to be a flanged outlet to the base. On its western end, the tank bears a small stamped metal plate. From top to bottom, the plate reads ‘W7543’ between the letters ‘JTD’, then ‘B/T/8134/B’, then ‘ITEM T 586’, then ‘H T VESSEL 75 LBS’, then ‘H T COIL 700 LBS’ - it also appears to be dated ‘17-5-57’. In this context, ‘HT’ generally means ‘high temperature’, and may indicate that the tank stored something that was kept warm to avoid partial solidification in cold weather, such as heavy diesel or petrol oil, perhaps for a boiler.

Eastern Runway
The eastern runway (no. 6) is on a north-north-west/south-south-east alignment, with a surviving length and width of c.230m and 45.50m respectively. The surface of the runway is set at an average height of 13.30m and is slightly higher to the centre than the edges, presumably to shed water. This section of runway, as far as the junction with runway no. 5, is visible on an aerial photograph taken on 15th April 1946. The runway is of sectional construction using nine parallel lines of concrete panels, some retain traces of their bitumen covering. The average size of the rectangular concrete panels is 9.50m by 5.00m. However, where joints can be discerned, there are also much shorter panels used and in at least one instance, what appears to be a narrow line of concrete repair runs across three lines of panels. Towards the north end of the central row of panels, one has a marking made before the concrete had set, apparently comprising the numerals ‘14/45'. There was at least one other possible example of the same numerals towards the south end of the runway, and perhaps others, but these were very worn and less convincing.

At regular centres of c.55m, there are former light positions placed in pairs on either side of the runway. Unlike the taxi-way lights, which are set into the edges of the taxi-ways themselves, the runway lights are placed slightly beyond, but immediately adjacent to, the runway. A typical example was excavated, cleaned and recorded. Each light position is formed by a rectangular concrete panel, measuring 0.61m by 0.38m; the top of the panel was flush with the surface of the runway. In the centre of each panel, there is a recessed rectangle with rounded corners, 25mm deep, with four projecting metal pins set around the edges, each 10mm in diameter. In the centre of the base of each recessed rectangle, there is a hole of the same shape, which passes through the full depth of the concrete panel. Where one of the lights had been disturbed, it was observed that the concrete panel was in fact only the visible part of a pre-cast block. The upper part of the block was 80mm deep, chamfered to the underside and had once been raised 0.20m above the surrounding ground level. The lower part of the block formed the foundation and was roughly cast; the whole structure had a depth of 0.34m. The light fittings themselves had been removed, but comparison with surviving examples at other airfields shows that they were most likely to be of the C6 type runway marker lights. As with the other section of recorded runway, a culvert or drain runs parallel to the both sides of the eastern runway. The position of the underground drain is marked by brick inspection chambers, four to the west side and two to the east side; the surviving examples to the west side are spaced at c.30m centres. In form and construction, they are as described for the western runway.

Central Taxiway
Runs between the northern ends of the two runways, aligned north-east/south-west, with a surviving length and width of c.236m and 11m respectively; at either end, where the taxi-way meets the runways, it increases to a maximum width of 35m to the western runway but 50m to the eastern runway. The surface of the taxi-way appears to slope very slightly upwards from south-west to north-east, rising from an average height of 13.00m AOD to 13.15m AOD. The main body of the perimeter taxi-way is of sectional construction using two parallel lines of concrete panels, some of which retain traces of their bitumen covering; the average size of the rectangular concrete panels is 9.50m by 5.50m. At either end where it meets the runways, the taxi-way makes use of curving, angular and rectangular concrete sections. There are former light positions placed on either side of the taxi-way, at regular centres of c.65m.

Described from west to east, there is a pair of lights, formed by a single light to the north side and a double light to the south side. There is then a single light placed on the south side, with apparently no corresponding light to the north side, although this might have been lost through later disturbance or decay. Finally, there is another pair of lights, again formed by a single light to the north side and a double light to the south side, towards the north-east end. All the lights are of the same form as those examples excavated and recorded in detail. At the east end of the north side of the taxi-way, there is a concrete block or cube, measuring c.0.45m in all directions. The cube has a 75mm square recess in the centre of the top surface. The recess is 30mm deep, and has a metal tube 30mm in diameter placed in the centre of the base. The cube is placed off centre to two gate posts in the fence line on the north side of the taxi-way, but appears to be in situ here, so the gateposts may be a coincidence. If so, its former function is unknown, but may have been the base of another kind of light. Towards the east end of the south side of the taxi-way, there is a single drain cover in line with the eastern most pair of lights. The drain cover is 0.58m square with a cast-iron frame. The boundary fence along the north edge of the taxi-way retains barbed wire, wooden posts and angle-iron posts; the latter may date from the Second World War. When this area was being cleared of vegetation, the excavator turned up several examples of ceramic cable markers, bearing the impressed wording ‘DANGER ELECTRIC CABLES’. It is assumed that these date from the Second World War used to mark the route of the electricity supply to the taxi-way lights.

Western Taxi-way
Described from west to east, the western perimeter taxi-way is aligned north-west/south-east, with a surviving length and width of c.100m and 11m respectively; the southern end survives no further south than the branch leading to the former bulk petrol installation (MYO5245). The surface of the taxi-way is set at an average height of c.13.00m AOD. The perimeter taxi-way is of sectional construction using two parallel lines of concrete panels, some of which retain traces of their bitumen covering; the average size of the rectangular concrete panels is 8.40m by 5.50m.

Approximately half way along the surviving length of the taxi-way, there are former light positions, a single light to the west side and a double light to the east side. These were excavated, cleaned and recorded as part of the survey work, and are typical of the former light positions surviving to taxi-ways across the survey area. Each single light position is formed by a concrete panel 0.32m square, set within a less regular concrete surround. In the centre of each panel, there is a recessed circle 0.22m diameter and 20mm deep, with three projecting metal pins set around the edges, each 10mm in diameter. In the centre of the base of each circle, there is a hole, 0.10m square with a small projection to one edge, which passes through the full depth of the concrete panel. The double light is essentially two single lights of the same design placed side by side. The light fittings themselves have been removed, but comparison with surviving examples at other airfields show that they were most likely to be of the T1 type, although there were several variations. Where the taxi-way curves around to the north to meet the northern threshold of the western runway (no. 5), it gradually increases in width, reaching a maximum width of 35m. Here, the taxi-way makes use of curving, angular and rectangular concrete sections. The surface of the concrete panels is badly worn in this area, and there appear to be a number of repairs taking the form of angled or linear sections of concrete which have been inserted into the more regular rectangular panels. This area is also crossed by a short post and wire fence of more recent date.

Eastern Taxi-Way
Aligned north-north-west/south-south-east, with a surviving length and width of c.230m and 11m respectively. Where the taxi-way curves to meet the eastern runway, it gradually increases in width, reaching a maximum width of 35m, making use of curving, angular and rectangular concrete sections. The surface of the taxi-way is at an average height of 13.50m AOD. The main body of the taxi-way is of sectional construction using two parallel lines of concrete panels, some of which retain traces of their bitumen covering; the average size of the rectangular concrete panels is 9.20m by 5.50m. There are drain covers set along both the east and west sides of the taxi-way; the surviving examples suggest that they were laid out in pairs opposite one another. Each drain cover is 0.58m square with a cast-iron frame.

Approximately half way along the surviving length of the taxi-way, there is a single light to each side. Towards the north end of the taxi-way, where it begins to curve towards the northern threshold of the eastern runway, there is another pair of lights, with a single light to the east side and a double light to the west side. They are of the same form as described previously to the other taxi-ways, although the double-light example here retains its original wiring which passes up through the central square hole of the recessed circle; the wiring consists of three flexes, twisted together. Along the centre line of the taxi-way there are at least four small areas of repair, quarter-circle or semi-circular in plan, either at the corner of one panel or where two panels meet. It is possible that these represent the position of former fittings (perhaps lights?) which were removed and the surface repaired, although they may be no more than damage to the concrete panels at weak points such as the corners.

Ed Dennison, 2020, A1237 York Northern Outer Ring Road (Unpublished document). SYO2595.